Denzel Boston or Isaiah Likely: Who Should You Start?
2026 Week 4 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.
Start Likely — the consensus rank and game script edges are too wide to ignore.
Isaiah Likely is the higher consensus play (TE14 to WR59) and plays in the better game script (26.3 implied team points to 19.0). Boston's edge is snap share, 92% to 67%. The gap is wide.
Denzel Boston
WR59CLEvs PIT
6.68.610.6 Projected Points
Start
Isaiah Likely
TE14NYGvs ARI
7.59.611.7 Projected Points
Start· medium
Denzel Boston’s market
REC
O/U 2.5
-158 / +118
REC YDS
O/U 36.5
-150 / +110
ATD
Anytime TD
+260
Isaiah Likely’s market
Why Denzel Boston
StartRookie WR starting in the third receiver spot. Big-bodied contested-catch X with red-zone appeal; no NFL sample.
Start — WR59 consensus, projects WR38 this week: 19% target share, 10.6 PPR projected vs PIT.
- PIT ranks 10 of 32 against WRs (one of the tougher matchups, 3-game sample).
- Vegas implies 19.0 team points as 2.5-point underdogs.
- Listed WR on the latest depth chart with a 92% snap share.
Latest on Boston
Odds, bets and analysis to help you bet Steelers-Browns on "Thursday Night Football."
ESPN · Oct 1, 2026
Boston recorded 95 receiving yards and one touchdown in 23-19 win over the Buccaneers
clevelandbrowns.com · Sep 22, 2026
VideoESPN · Sep 20, 2026
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Why Isaiah Likely
Start· mediumStarting TE and pass-catching mismatch. Athletic seam-stretcher with red-zone flex ability.
28% target share over 3 games in an offense implied for 26.3 points makes Likely a viable TE1 fringe start at TE14 despite a neutral matchup.
- ARI ranks 19 of 32 against TEs (a middle-of-the-road matchup, 3-game sample).
- Vegas implies 26.3 team points as 7.0-point favorites.
- Listed TE on the latest depth chart with a 67% snap share.
The call
- Usage is the driver: a 28% target share is elite for a tight end and gives him a stable PPR floor, even at a 67% snap share.
- Game environment helps. A 26.3 implied team total and a -7.0 spread point to plenty of scoring chances, including red-zone looks.
- The matchup is neutral at 19 of 32, and it rests on a thin 3-game sample (confidence 0.25), so it shouldn't move the call much either way.
- The 11.7 projection and TE14 rank put him on the TE1/TE2 border. With no injury designation, he's a start over typical replacement-level tight ends in 12-team leagues.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Denzel Boston | Isaiah Likely |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 6.68.610.6 | 7.59.611.7 |
| Consensus rank | WR59 | TE14 |
| Opponent vs position | PIT · 10 of 323-game sample | ARI · 19 of 323-game sample |
| Receptions | 17 of 32 | 17 of 32 |
| Receiving Yards | 16 of 32 | 24 of 32 |
| Receiving TDs | 7 of 32 | 17 of 32 |
| Targets | 4 of 32 | 9 of 32 |
| Anytime TD | 6 of 32 | 26 of 32 |
| Target share | 19% | 28% |
| Reception share | 16% | 29% |
| Implied total · spread | 19.0+2.5 | 26.3-7.0 |
| Depth chart | WR1 | TE1 |
| Snap share | 92% | 67% |
| Start/Sit record | — | 1–2 |
Recent form
Denzel Boston — last 3 weeks
| Week 3 | vs CAR | 6.17.18.1 |
| Week 2 | vs TB | 15.518.020.5 |
| Week 1 | vs JAX | 11.912.913.9 |
Isaiah Likely — last 3 weeks
| Week 3 | vs TEN | 1.32.33.3 |
| Week 2 | vs LAR | 3.35.88.3 |
| Week 1 | vs DAL | 19.823.827.8 |
Signal breakdown
- 10.6 vs 11.7 projected PPR pointsIsaiah Likely +
- Rank 59 vs 14Isaiah Likely +
- Opponent DvP rank 10 vs 19 (32 = softest)Isaiah Likely +
- Implied 19.0 vs 26.3 team pointsIsaiah Likely +
- No injury designationseven
- 92% vs 67% snap shareDenzel Boston +
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