Tight end Isaiah Likely had a coming-out party in last night's Week 1 matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and the Kansas City Chiefs. Likely made plays all over the field down the stretch and it's not outlandish to say he was their most important player towards the end of the game.
Likely had an incredible 49-yard catch and run early in the fourth quarter to spark a comeback effort that would end literal inches away from securing a victory on the road.
All night it looked like Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Likely were on the same page. Likely led the team in targets, receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown catches in their week one matchup against KC. On the night, the up-and-comer caught 9 passes on 12 targets for 111 yards and a touchdown.
It surely gave "changing of the guard" vibes regarding the Ravens' tight end room. Typically the limelight is reserved for another Ravens' tight end. One who happens to be the all-time Ravens' season leader in receptions and receiving yards. Andrews was unable to get into a rhythm last night. He finished the contest with two receptions on two targets for 14 yards. Not really the start fantasy owners were hoping for.
All Mark Andrews fantasy managers can relate 😭 pic.twitter.com/9VNRYjfiUl
— ESPN Fantasy Sports (@ESPNFantasy) September 6, 2024
Andrews was one of the most sought-after fantasy football tight ends. According to Fantasy Pros Andrews came into the season as the third-highest-ranked tight end. His average fantasy draft position (in a 12-team league) was towards the end of round four. Selecting a player in the fourth round for fantasy football insinuates they'll contribute largely to the weekly point totals. The flop Andrews had on Thursday night will have fantasy owners worrying.
You may likely be quick to punt on Andrews this season but remember, it's just one game. Yes, Likely is an incredibly talented player and one the Ravens should utilize in their passing game. He will be atop just about everyone's waiver wire. But before everyone becomes fixated on the new shiny object, let's pump the breaks a bit.
Let's all just take a second to relax. Take deep breaths. Andrews missed some time this offseason dealing with an undisclosed injury. Maybe he needs more time to adjust to game speed than initially thought. Perhaps Andrews isn't fully up to speed so the Ravens threw him out there as a decoy.
While it's not time to panic just yet, Likely did put the league on notice. The Ravens have the best tight end duo in the NFL and if and when Andrews comes back to full strength, it wouldn't be too hard to envision both players finishing in the top eight of fantasy football for tight ends.