Start Isaiah Likely or Juwan Johnson? Week 1

Our Week 1 call

Start Isaiah Likely over Juwan Johnson in Week 1.

Juwan Johnson is priced by the books at 7.9 projected points and Isaiah Likely is not priced at all, so we are leaning on where drafters take them. Drafters take Isaiah Likely at ADP 145 and Juwan Johnson at 170.

What the books imply

No sportsbook posted a player market for Isaiah Likely in Week 1.

Player prop markets imply 7.9 fantasy points for Juwan Johnson, with 40 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

Week 1 matchups

Isaiah Likely and NYG host DAL.

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.

Juwan Johnson and NO visit DET on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

DET allowed 27.7 fantasy points to TEs in its one game this season, the 2nd most in the league.

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

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

Injury status

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

Juwan Johnson was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Their 2025 seasons

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.

In 2025, Juwan Johnson played 17 games for NO and scored 179.9 PPR points, 10.6 a game, finishing TE8.

He caught 77 of 102 targets for 889 yards and 3 touchdowns, with 8 red zone targets and 527 air yards.

He was on the field for 76 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Juwan Johnson, Week 18 of 2025 against ATL: 5 targets and 3 catches for 61 yards, 7.1 PPR points.

Juwan Johnson, Week 17 of 2025 against TEN: 39 of 54 snaps, 4 targets and 4 catches for 95 yards, 13.5 PPR points.

Juwan Johnson, Week 16 of 2025 against NYJ: 51 of 78 snaps, 9 targets and 8 catches for 89 yards, 16.9 PPR points.

How Week 1 went

Isaiah Likely scored 27.8 PPR points and Juwan Johnson scored 14.4.

The call was right: Isaiah Likely outscored Juwan Johnson by 13.4.

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.

Juwan Johnson finished 6.5 points above the 7.9 the props implied.

Juwan Johnson, Week 1 against DET: 76 of 90 snaps, 7 targets and 3 catches for 54 yards, 1 touchdown, 14.4 PPR points.

Juwan Johnson finished as the week's TE7 in PPR scoring.

Their other Week 1 calls

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