Start Isaiah Likely in Week 3: our TE3 projects for 11.2 points, 4.2 above a typical starting TE.
- Projection
- 11.2 pts
- TE rank
- #3
- Matchup
- vs TEN
Isaiah Likely's fantasy role in Week 3
Isaiah Likely goes into Week 3 of the 2026 season as a every-week lineup piece at TE for the NYG. He is rostered in 91% of leagues and actually started in 61% of them, and we rank him TE3 on our own weekly board at 11.2 projected points.
Roster rates are steady week over week, so his role looks settled rather than in flux.
No injury designation to work around right now, which keeps his projection honest.
Week 3 matchup breakdown
The matchup: vs TEN. Our Pepper Meter heat rating for this spot is 4 out of 5, which is how we grade the combination of role, projection and opponent difficulty.
Against a typical starting TE baseline of 7 points, his 11.2-point projection is 4.2 points better. That gap is the whole start/sit argument in one number.
How to play it
Start Isaiah Likely in Week 3: our TE3 projects for 11.2 points, 4.2 above a typical starting TE.
If you are deciding between him and another TE, compare projections first, then lean on the Pepper Meter heat rating as the tiebreaker.
Sally's take
Peppers & Picks ranks Isaiah Likely (NYG TE), our TE3 this week for Week 3 of the 2026 NFL season vs TEN, projecting 11.2 projected points with a on fire Pepper Meter rating. TEN is the opponent, and that's the part of this I'm least worried about. 61% of managers already start him, and the depth-chart role behind that number looks stable. The math is unsexy and convincing: 11.2 points, 60% above what the position pays out on average. Sally has him at On Fire on the Pepper Meter, and she'll wear the result either way.
Tina's take
Peppers & Picks ranks Isaiah Likely (NYG TE), our TE3 this week for Week 3 of the 2026 NFL season vs TEN, projecting 11.2 projected points with a on fire Pepper Meter rating. TEN is the opponent, and that's the part of this I'm least worried about. 61% of managers already start him, and the depth-chart role behind that number looks stable. The math is unsexy and convincing: 11.2 points, 60% above what the position pays out on average. Tina has him at On Fire on the Pepper Meter, and she'll wear the result either way.