Start Isaiah Likely or Dalton Kincaid? Week 1

Our Week 1 call

Start Dalton Kincaid over Isaiah Likely in Week 1.

Isaiah Likely is priced by the books at 3.9 projected points and Dalton Kincaid is not priced at all, so we are leaning on where drafters take them. Drafters take Dalton Kincaid at ADP 134 and Isaiah Likely at 139.

What the books imply

No sportsbook posted a player market for Dalton Kincaid in Week 1.

Player prop markets imply 3.9 fantasy points for Isaiah Likely, with 40 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

Week 1 matchups

Dalton Kincaid and BUF visit HOU.

HOU allowed 19.7 fantasy points to TEs in its one game this season, the 6th most in the league.

Tight ends caught passes for 137 yards and no touchdowns against HOU.

Isaiah Likely and NYG host DAL on Sunday at 8:20 PM ET.

DAL allowed 29.7 fantasy points to TEs in its one game this season, the most in the league.

Tight ends caught passes for 87 yards and 2 touchdowns against DAL.

By points allowed to the position, Isaiah Likely has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Dalton Kincaid was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Isaiah Likely was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Dalton Kincaid played 12 games for BUF and scored 126.1 PPR points, 10.5 a game, finishing TE20.

He caught 39 of 49 targets for 571 yards and 5 touchdowns, with 6 red zone targets and 312 air yards.

He was on the field for 40 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Dalton Kincaid, Week 18 of 2025 against NYJ: 3 targets and 3 catches for 48 yards, 7.8 PPR points.

Dalton Kincaid, Week 16 of 2025 against CLE: 19 of 50 snaps, 1 target and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Dalton Kincaid, Week 15 of 2025 against NE: 25 of 70 snaps, 4 targets and 3 catches for 34 yards, 6.4 PPR points.

In 2025, Isaiah Likely played 14 games for BAL and scored 61.7 PPR points, 4.4 a game, finishing TE45.

He caught 27 of 36 targets for 307 yards and 1 touchdown, with 6 red zone targets and 190 air yards.

He was on the field for 58 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Isaiah Likely, Week 18 of 2025 against PIT: 2 targets and 2 catches for 32 yards, 5.2 PPR points.

Isaiah Likely, Week 17 of 2025 against GB: 53 of 76 snaps, 3 targets and 3 catches for 27 yards, 5.7 PPR points.

Isaiah Likely, Week 16 of 2025 against NE: 22 of 55 snaps, 0 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards.

How Week 1 went

Dalton Kincaid scored 18.0 PPR points and Isaiah Likely scored 27.8.

The call was wrong: Isaiah Likely outscored Dalton Kincaid by 9.8.

Dalton Kincaid, Week 1 against HOU: 42 of 58 snaps, 6 targets and 5 catches for 130 yards, 18.0 PPR points.

Dalton Kincaid finished as the week's TE5 in PPR scoring.

Isaiah Likely finished 24.0 points above the 3.9 the props implied.

Isaiah Likely, Week 1 against DAL: 34 of 69 snaps, 8 targets and 8 catches for 78 yards, 2 touchdowns, 27.8 PPR points.

Isaiah Likely finished as the week's TE1 in PPR scoring.

Their other Week 1 calls

• Start Dalton Kincaid over Brenton Strange.
• Start Dallas Goedert over Dalton Kincaid.
• Start Dalton Kincaid over Hunter Henry.
• Start Dallas Goedert over Isaiah Likely.
• Start George Kittle over Isaiah Likely.
• Start Isaiah Likely over Hunter Henry.