Isaiah Likely vs. Dallas Goedert: Which NFC East TE Should You Draft In Fantasy Football?
John Supowitz makes the case for which NFC East tight end you should draft in fantasy football: Isaiah Likely or Dallas Goedert. Read on to find out which player he recommends.
For this fantasy football tight end comparison, we head to the NFC East.
The Giants enter a new era under former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, and he has brought one of his pass catchers from Baltimore.
Isaiah Likely played second fiddle to Mark Andrews for the past four seasons with the Ravens. Now, he gets his chance to become the top tight end in New York.
Dallas Goedert is a veteran on the Eagles’ offense and a favorite of Jalen Hurts.
We’ll break down both tight ends and tell you which one to smash that draft button for in your 2026 fantasy football draft.
Who Should You Draft at TE: Isaiah Likely or Dallas Goedert?
The Case For Isaiah Likely
Playing behind Andrews, Isaiah Likely didn’t get many opportunities, but when he did, he shined. Of the seven games in which he had at least six targets, he finished with more than 10 fantasy points in six of them. In Weeks 12-18 of the 2023 season, when Andrews was out with a cracked fibula, Likely ranked as the TE4.
He isn’t a tight end so much as a large slot receiver. He’s finished in the top 12 among tight ends in slot snaps in three of his four seasons. Harbaugh likes to design plays to exploit mismatches for his tight ends, which could explain why Likely had the third-highest motion rate last season (13.7%).
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The Case For Dallas Goedert
A few years ago, the Eagles opted to ride with the up-and-coming Dallas Goedert rather than Pro Bowl TE Zach Ertz. As a result, the Eagles traded Ertz to the Arizona Cardinals in 2021.
Early on, it didn’t look like Goedert was going to pay off for the Eagles. While he was productive when he played, getting on the field was sometimes a challenge. From 2021 to 2024, he missed 17 games.
Last year, he missed two games but had his best season, with a career-high 60 catches and 11 receiving touchdowns, the most ever by an Eagles tight end.
That production stems from the trust and chemistry Jalen Hurts and Goedert have built over their time together. It shows Hurts is looking for Goedert on the field, as Goedert ranked fourth in designed target share rate (26.3%) and 12th in first-read target rate (17.4%) among tight ends.
With A.J. Brown in New England, does this mean Goedert moves up the pecking order, or will another receiver step up as the No. 2 option?
Which TE Should You Draft in Fantasy?
The Eagles and Giants could have similar offenses this season, with frequent use of the run-pass option and play-action. The question is which tight end will be an asset in their respective offenses.
Not only will Likely be the top tight end in the Giants’ offense, but he could also become one of the top targets. When there is a 6-4, 245-pound pass-catcher who is athletic, the ball will find him.
For the second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart, having a player like Likely could be crucial to his development.
Dart has above-average mobility, finishing third last year in rushing yards (487) among quarterbacks, despite playing only 12 games. However, his passing was less efficient, ranking 21st in completion rate (63.7%) and 29th in interceptable passes (10).
A young quarterback's confidence can be built with a reliable target like Likely. He’s finished three of his four seasons in the top six in target separation, which could reduce the tight windows Dart would need to throw into.
We’re not talking about Likely as much as other tight ends because he’s never had the opportunity to be "the guy" in an offense. When he's had those chances, he’s produced excellent results, and over a full season, Likely could become the next fantasy superstar at a position that is starting to produce elite players.
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