Why Fantasy Football Experts Warn Managers to Steer Clear of This Baltimore Ravens Tight End in 2025 NFL Season
In the constantly shifting landscape of fantasy football, few positions bring as much volatility and unpredictability as tight end. While there are perennial stars at the top of the rankings like Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, and George Kittle, the middle and late rounds are often littered with hopeful dart throws who can either break out or sink your entire fantasy campaign. As the 2025 NFL season approaches, one name that continues to draw attention—though not necessarily the good kind—is Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely. Once a hyped sleeper pick and potential breakout candidate, Likely is now being labeled by many fantasy football experts as a player to avoid entirely this year.
To understand why Isaiah Likely is generating so much caution from the fantasy community, you have to look at a number of different factors—starting with the Ravens’ offensive setup, the return of a healthy Mark Andrews, and the overall changes in target distribution within Todd Monken’s offense. Though Likely flashed in brief stints during Andrews’ injury absence in 2023 and 2024, the hard truth is that barring injury, his upside is severely capped. When drafting tight ends, upside is everything, and the floor for someone like Likely may be far too low to justify his current average draft position (ADP).
Let’s rewind to the 2023 season. Likely had a notable stretch of production when Mark Andrews was sidelined with an ankle injury. Over the final few games of the regular season, Likely hauled in multiple touchdowns and looked like a mismatch nightmare for linebackers and safeties alike. His athleticism, hands, and route-running ability were praised, and fantasy managers who picked him up off waivers late in the year were rewarded. That stretch of success carried over into offseason hype, especially entering 2024 drafts. Some fantasy analysts even predicted a breakout campaign for Likely, even if Andrews was healthy.
But that optimism never really materialized into consistent production. Despite occasional flashes, Likely remained a complementary piece in an offense centered around Andrews, Zay Flowers, and the run game. When Andrews returned to full strength in the middle of the 2024 season, Likely’s target share dwindled, his red zone usage dipped, and he quickly faded into fantasy irrelevance for anyone who drafted him hoping for consistent numbers.
That brings us to the 2025 season, where many fantasy managers are once again looking to find late-round tight end value. Likely is being drafted in the TE15–TE20 range in most redraft formats, depending on league size, but that spot may be too generous given what we know about Baltimore’s offensive identity. Todd Monken’s system is built to run efficiently through Andrews and Zay Flowers, with Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor providing secondary options in the passing game. Furthermore, the Ravens remain one of the NFL’s most run-heavy teams, with Lamar Jackson continuing to carry the ball himself or feed running backs in high-volume situations.
When you look at snap counts, route participation, and targets per route run, it becomes even clearer why Likely may not be worth a roster spot unless Andrews is out for a prolonged period. In games where both tight ends are active and healthy, Andrews dominates the field. He routinely plays 80% or more of the snaps and is Lamar Jackson’s favorite safety valve in high-leverage moments. Meanwhile, Likely typically sees under 40% of the snaps and is asked to block or run shallow routes, neither of which contribute to significant fantasy scoring.
It’s not just about opportunity, though. Fantasy managers must also consider predictability. The worst place to be as a fantasy manager is trying to guess when a player like Likely will have one of his rare breakout games. Unless he scores a touchdown, he’s not putting up usable numbers in most formats. That touchdown-or-bust profile is fine for deep bench stashes in best ball leagues, but in weekly redraft or standard PPR formats, it creates more headaches than wins. You’ll inevitably bench him during his big game and start him during his two-catch, 17-yard duds.
The situation is compounded by Baltimore’s deepening pool of offensive weapons. Running backs like Derrick Henry and Justice Hill are expected to take on bigger roles in both the running and passing games this year, especially in the red zone. With Henry’s bruising goal-line presence and Lamar Jackson’s own running abilities, there will be fewer opportunities for secondary pass-catchers like Likely to score. Even if Andrews sees a slight regression in targets due to age or health concerns, it’s more likely that those targets go to rising stars like Flowers or get distributed evenly rather than funneled specifically to the TE2 on the roster.
The Ravens themselves have made it clear through personnel moves and offensive philosophy that they view Likely more as a depth piece than a cornerstone. While they value his talent, they have not structured their offense in a way that supports two fantasy-relevant tight ends. Compare that to a team like New England in their dual-TE heyday or even Philadelphia with Dallas Goedert and Zach Ertz—Baltimore just doesn’t funnel enough volume through their second tight end to justify weekly fantasy relevance.
Another factor to consider is that the tight end position, while shallow, is beginning to see a new wave of breakout talent. Players like Sam LaPorta, Trey McBride, and Jake Ferguson have all carved out significant roles in their respective offenses and have much clearer paths to consistent volume than Likely. Even late-round dart throws like Chigoziem Okonkwo or Luke Musgrave may offer better week-to-week upside. With more options emerging at the position, fantasy managers don’t have to settle for players who are buried on their team’s depth chart or stuck in low-volume roles.
Dynasty managers should also exercise caution. While Likely may still hold some long-term appeal as a talented backup who could emerge if Andrews leaves in free agency or retires, there’s no indication that such a scenario is imminent. Andrews is signed through 2026 and has shown little sign of slowing down when healthy. In dynasty formats, using a roster spot on a player who may not have relevance for two more years is a luxury few can afford.
This isn’t a knock on Isaiah Likely as a football player. In a different system or on a team without an entrenched elite tight end, he might be a fantasy starter. But fantasy football is about situation as much as talent. Likely’s current situation simply doesn’t offer enough volume, opportunity, or scoring potential to warrant drafting him in most formats. He’s the kind of player who could be a hot waiver wire add if Andrews misses time, but not someone to stash for weeks hoping that scenario plays out.
So where does that leave us as we head into 2025 fantasy drafts? It’s simple: fade the hype. Let someone else take the risk on Likely’s limited role, while you focus your late-round picks on players with clearer paths to volume and scoring. If you’re intent on targeting the Ravens offense, invest in Andrews if he falls to the right spot or take a flier on Zay Flowers breaking out even further. But when it comes to Isaiah Likely, proceed with extreme caution.
Ultimately, fantasy football success often hinges on making smart, forward-thinking decisions with your bench spots. Using one on a low-volume tight end with capped upside is a risk that rarely pays off. As much as fans and fantasy players may want to believe in the talent of Isaiah Likely, the context simply doesn’t support the fantasy breakout many hoped for last season. This year, the smart move is to let someone else take that gamble.
