Isaiah Likely and Dalton Kincaid both put up huge Week 1 numbers, and now Fantasy managers are being told to treat them like top-tier starters moving forward. The writer behind the Week 2 TE preview says the two players have earned their spots after strong debuts.
Likely’s Strong Opening
Likely ran a route on 67% of Jaxson Dart’s drop backs in Week 1 and earned a 27.6% target share. What stood out was his efficiency when targeted. He caught all eight of his looks and scored two touchdowns.
“He won’t be this good every week, but he showed me enough to rank him top six this week, ahead of Harold Fannin Jr. and Kyle Pitts, who were both drafted before him.”
The writer admits the performance might not repeat, but the evidence from Week 1 was strong enough to move Likely ahead of both Pitts and Fannin in the rankings.
Kincaid’s Numbers Against the Texans
Kincaid posted a 72% snap share, his highest mark since Week 9 of 2024. His YPRR came in at 5.91, a very strong number, and his target share of 21% tied with Khalil Shakir for the second-highest on the team.
The performance came against a good Texans defense that had been stingy against tight ends. Despite that, Kincaid still managed to produce at a high level.
For Week 2, the writer puts Kincaid over Pitts and Fannin again, ranking him TE10. The projection is described as a jumping-off point, with the expectation that Kincaid could move even higher as the season continues.
What Else to Watch
Cbssports’s preview includes a full set of numbers worth tracking for the position:
| Stat | Detail |
|---|---|
| Target share | Cooper Rush passed to Bijan Robinson on more than half of his passes |
| Target share | Harold Fannin’s 13.6% ranked 23rd among tight ends |
| Route run rate | George Kittle ran a route on less than half of Brock Purdy’s drop backs |
| Target share | Mark Andrews went from 17.6% in the first half to 42.9% without Zay Flowers |
| Routes | Colston Loveland’s 34 tied for second among tight ends |
| Long reception | Travis Kelce’s 59-yard catch was his longest since 2021 |
| Routes | Hunter Henry led the Patriots with 460 last year |
The writer also offers a warning on Pitts. With Cooper Rush throwing nearly all his passes to Bijan Robinson, the advice is simple: bench Pitts until one of the other QBs gets healthy, but do not drop him entirely.
The Bottom Line
The writer’s view is clear: Likely and Kincaid have proven they belong among the league’s best tight ends. The early returns suggest they could be reliable options for the rest of the season.
Kincaid’s TE10 ranking carries the note that it could just be a starting point. The writer believes Kincaid only needs to stay healthy to reach his breakout potential.
Fantasy managers should take note. Likely and Kincaid are both worth starting in Week 2, and the early returns suggest they could be reliable options for the rest of the season.
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