Start Isaiah Likely or T.J. Hockenson? Week 5

Our Week 5 call

Start Isaiah Likely over T.J. Hockenson in Week 5.

Market-based projections have Isaiah Likely at 10.6 points and T.J. Hockenson at 10.4, a gap of 0.2. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 10.6 fantasy points for Isaiah Likely, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market has Isaiah Likely at 41.5 receiving yards and 4.5 receptions, with a 27% chance to score a touchdown (17, 15 and 18 market sources).

Player markets imply 10.4 fantasy points for T.J. Hockenson, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market has T.J. Hockenson at 39.5 receiving yards and 4.5 receptions, with a 28% chance to score a touchdown (16, 13 and 16 market sources).

That puts Isaiah Likely 0.2 points ahead of T.J. Hockenson on the market projections.

Injury status

Isaiah Likely is not on the injury report.

T.J. Hockenson is listed as out with a concussion injury.

Usage before Week 5

Through Week 4, Isaiah Likely played 67 percent of NYG snaps, drew 32 percent of the targets, earned 23 percent of the air yards and had 19 percent of the red zone chances.

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

Isaiah Likely, Week 2 against LAR: 40 of 58 snaps, 10 targets and 5 catches for 33 yards.

Isaiah Likely, Week 3 against TEN: 54 of 64 snaps, 5 targets and 2 catches for 13 yards.

Isaiah Likely, Week 4 against ARI: 44 of 67 snaps, 12 targets and 7 catches for 66 yards.

Through Week 4, T.J. Hockenson played 76 percent of MIN snaps, drew 26 percent of the targets, earned 23 percent of the air yards and had 24 percent of the red zone chances.

T.J. Hockenson, Week 1 against GB: 43 of 65 snaps, 5 targets and 4 catches for 36 yards, 1 touchdown.

T.J. Hockenson, Week 2 against CHI: 36 of 52 snaps, 4 targets and 3 catches for 29 yards.

T.J. Hockenson, Week 3 against TB: 50 of 59 snaps, 4 targets and 2 catches for 11 yards.

T.J. Hockenson, Week 4 against MIA: 65 of 78 snaps, 13 targets and 13 catches for 119 yards.

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.

In 2025, T.J. Hockenson played 15 games for MIN and scored 112.8 PPR points, 7.5 a game, finishing TE26.

He caught 51 of 66 targets for 438 yards and 3 touchdowns, with 11 red zone targets and 224 air yards.

He was on the field for 79 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

How Week 5 went

Isaiah Likely scored 32.4 PPR points and T.J. Hockenson scored 1.7.

The call was right: Isaiah Likely outscored T.J. Hockenson by 30.7.

Isaiah Likely finished 21.8 points above the 10.6 the market projected.

Isaiah Likely, Week 5 against WAS: 13 targets and 11 catches for 94 yards, 2 touchdowns, 32.4 PPR points.

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

T.J. Hockenson finished 8.7 points below the 10.4 the market projected.

T.J. Hockenson, Week 5 against NO: 1 target and 1 catch for 7 yards, 1.7 PPR points.

T.J. Hockenson finished as the week's TE39 in PPR scoring.

Their other Week 5 calls

• Start Isaiah Likely over Brenton Strange.
• Start Brock Bowers over Isaiah Likely.
• Start Isaiah Likely over Colston Loveland.
• Start T.J. Hockenson over Brenton Strange.
• Start Brock Bowers over T.J. Hockenson.
• Start T.J. Hockenson over Chig Okonkwo.