To the surprise of absolutely no one, New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart and tight end Isaiah Likely have already formed a strong connection ahead of a pivotal 2026 season.
Likely was among the Giants’ most-celebrated free agent signings in quite some time, partly because he’d played for new coach John Harbaugh in Baltimore. But Giants fans truly fell in love with Likely solely off the idea that he’d emerge as Dart’s new favorite target.
According to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, that’s exactly how things are going in training camp. In fact, Raanan even used the term “favorite target” to describe Likely, who took advantage of Malik Nabers’ continued rehab.
“If Nabers isn’t healthy, Likely will be a favorite of Dart,” Raanan wrote.
Isaiah Likely hasn’t needed long to prove his worth to the New York Giants
Likely always had the leg up on other newcomers because he spent four seasons with Harbaugh and the offensive coaches who followed him from Baltimore. But he’s never played in Matt Nagy’s system, which often got forgotten when discussing the Likely-Harbaugh connection.
So in one regard, it really isn’t a surprise that Likely and Dart have bonded so quickly. Nabers isn’t participating in team drills, and the only other receivers who have played for either Harbaugh or Nagy are Darnell Mooney and Odell Beckham Jr., the latter of whom hasn’t played since December 2024.
But it’s nonetheless encouraging to learn just how well things are going. Raanan predicted that Likely will be Dart’s second favorite option, which, again, was the consensus thought among media members and social media users. There was no reason for him not to be, not when Darius Slayton is coming off hernia surgery and has a history of drops.
Harbaugh and Joe Schoen all but made their feelings on Likely clear when they gave him $20.5 million guaranteed at signing. The Giants have not had a truly consistent game-changing tight end since Jeremy Shockey. Evan Engram had his moments, and there is growing buzz around Theo Johnson. But it’s been a bit since Giants fans could sit on the couch each Sunday and feel ecstatic about their tight end.
It’ll be interesting to see whether Dart tries repeatedly forcing the ball to Likely, especially if Nabers is limited or does not play in Week 1. That said, there is no indication that Nabers will not play against the Cowboys on Sept. 13.
Even if they’re not Brady and Gronk or Mahomes and Kelce, there are certainly high hopes for Dart and Likely. There’s still time for you to buy into your Likely stock, too.
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