The Baltimore Ravens will face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wild Card Weekend. Here’s the latest fantasy football news and advice to help you with your lineups this week and moving forward, especially regarding TE Isaiah Likely.
Is Isaiah Likely Playing vs. the Steelers?
Likely is not listed on the injury report this week, so barring any unexpected setbacks, he is on track to play this weekend.
We’ll continue to monitor the Ravens’ injury report. You can also visit and bookmark our NFL Injury Tracker and Fantasy News Tracker for the latest updates.
Should You Start or Sit Isaiah Likely on Wild Card Weekend?
Keep reading, and you’ll get my anti-Mark Andrews stance. And if that comes through, a pro-Isaiah Likely angle is a good way to benefit.
The 24-year-old has caught seven of eight targets for 104 yards and a score against Pittsburgh this season on just 35 routes. That’s a tiny sample, but Likely’s 56.9% snap share and 20.5% on-field target share at least have my interest in this specific matchup.
We know the TE position has touchdown equity given Andrews’ success, and I don’t think the market is valuing Likely’s potential to walk into an advantageous role properly. Given Baltimore’s potential to win multiple games, this is a path I’m interested in going for postseason-long formats.
Are you looking for start/sit advice for other players in your lineup? Read our Wild Card Weekend Fantasy Start-Sit Advice Cheat Sheet for every fantasy-relevant player in every game.
Isaiah Likely’s Fantasy Points Projection on Wild Card Weekend
As of Saturday, Likely is projected to score 10.4 fantasy points in PPR formats. This includes 3.6 receptions for 41.8 yards and 0.4 touchdowns.
Check out the free PFN Fantasy Start-Sit Optimizer for the latest projections and advice for your lineups this week.
PFN Insight on the Bills' Defense
After finishing as a top-seven defense in each of the last three seasons, the Buffalo Bills finished 18th during the regular season. That's not the biggest surprise given that this was largely billed as a rebuilding season for this unit.
However, the Bills were able to overwhelm the Broncos in the Wild Card round following an opening drive touchdown. Buffalo had a strong run defense all year (sixth in EPA per rush), and that came through with the team's fourth-best EPA per rush (0.27).
However, the leaky pass defense that ranked 26th in EPA per dropback also played at a well above-average level. Buffalo averaged 0.18 defensive EPA per dropback vs. the Broncos, the team's sixth-best showing of the season.
The Bills' offense is operating at such a high level that the bar to clear for the defense is lower than it would be on nearly any other team. Buffalo has met that threshold against lesser competition but will be challenged this week against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, as well as in a potential AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium.
For more insight on all other team defenses, head to our PFN Defense+ Metric Analysis.
Isaiah Likely’s Fantasy Ranking
Our Weekly Consensus PPR Rankings are below — both positional and overall. They were last updated at 9:15 AM ET on Saturday, January 18. If you're in a Superflex league, make sure you check out our Divisional Round Superflex Rankings.
Divisional Round TE PPR Rankings
1) Sam LaPorta | DET (vs. WAS)
2) Travis Kelce | KC (vs. HOU)
3) Mark Andrews | BAL (at BUF)
4) Dallas Goedert | PHI (vs. LAR)
5) Dalton Kincaid | BUF (vs. BAL)
6) Zach Ertz | WAS (at DET)
7) Isaiah Likely | BAL (at BUF)
8) Dalton Schultz | HOU (at KC)
9) Noah Gray | KC (vs. HOU)
10) Tyler Higbee | LAR (at PHI)
11) Dawson Knox | BUF (vs. BAL)
12) Grant Calcaterra | PHI (vs. LAR)
13) Cade Stover | HOU (at KC)
14) Colby Parkinson | LAR (at PHI)
15) Brock Wright | DET (vs. WAS)
16) John Bates | WAS (at DET)
17) Charlie Kolar | BAL (at BUF)
18) Davis Allen | LAR (at PHI)
19) Hunter Long | LAR (at PHI)
20) Ben Sinnott | WAS (at DET)
21) Shane Zylstra | DET (vs. WAS)
22) Peyton Hendershot | KC (vs. HOU)
23) Quintin Morris | BUF (vs. BAL)
Ravens at Bills Trends and Insights
Baltimore Ravens
Team: Lamar Jackson was the MVP in 2019. The next season ...
- *Won on Wild Card Weekend (he had 179 pass yards)
- *Derrick Henry was the home RB in that Wild Card game
- *Advanced to play a 13-win Bills team
Jackson was the MVP in 2023. This season …
- *Won on Wild Card Weekend (he had 175 pass yards)
- *Derrick Henry was the home RB in that Wild Card game
- *Will play a 13-win Bills team
QB: Since Week 9, Jackson has completed 75.8% of his non-pressured passes with 20 touchdowns and just one interception on those 161 attempts.
Offense: Over their past five games (all wins), Baltimore has scored a touchdown on 40.8% of their drives (they were one of the elite offenses prior to this run with a 33.3% rate).
Defense: Opponents are 0-of-6 on fourth downs against the Ravens over the past four games (prior: 12-of-23).
Fantasy: On Saturday, Derrick Henry became the first player in NFL history to have four games in a season with 130 rushing yards and multiple rushing touchdowns when he was 30+ years of age.
Betting: Baltimore has covered six of eight road games after failing to do so in the season opener at Arrowhead.
Buffalo Bills
Team: All four of Buffalo’s losses this season have come following a blowout result the week prior.
QB: Excluding the one-snap Week 18, Josh Allen is 13-of-16 with two touchdowns and zero interceptions on third down over his past two games.
Offense: The Bills have not committed a turnover in six of seven games since their Week 12 bye.
Defense: Buffalo allowed Baltimore to score a TD on all four of their red zone trips in their Week 4 meeting – they’ve allowed two red zone scores on six trips over their past three games (Denver was 0-of-1).
Fantasy: The Bills didn’t lead for a single second of the first game with the Ravens – James Cook’s production over expectation this season is 16.4% higher when playing from ahead as opposed to behind.
Betting: The Bills have rotated covering with not covering in seven straight games (they covered easily against the Broncos on Sunday).
