Isaiah Likely or Jonathon Brooks: Who Should You Start?

2026 Week 1 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.

Start Isaiah Likely over Jonathon Brooks despite the lower projection

Start Isaiah Likely because the Giants' plan to use him as a “big slot receiver” creates a sturdier path to targets than his raw projection suggests (Sports Illustrated (Giants On SI) 2026-09-02). Brooks has the better projection and is cleared after a full Friday practice, but sharing Carolina's backfield with Chuba Hubbard makes his workload less dependable (panthers.com 2026-09-11). Likely's edge is narrow, yet his stronger standing at a thin position and cleaner availability make him the safer start; the risk is that the Giants' personnel plan fails to produce consistent routes or red-zone work.

What flips it: A confirmed lead-back role for Brooks over Chuba Hubbard.

Sources: Sports Illustrated (Giants On SI) · Sep 2, 2026 · panthers.com · Sep 11, 2026

AI editor

Isaiah Likely

Isaiah Likely

TE14NYGvs DAL

Projected Points

Start· medium
Jonathon Brooks

Jonathon Brooks

RB32CARvs CHI

Projected Points

Sit
DAL@
NYGSun, Sep 13, 8:20 PM ETView the game →
CHI@
CARSun, Sep 13, 1:00 PM ETView the game →

Why Isaiah Likely

Start· medium

Starting TE and pass-catching mismatch. Athletic seam-stretcher with red-zone flex ability.

TE14 with a 9.5-point projection, 59% snaps and a 14% target share in a near-pick'em game — startable volume at a thin position.

  • The projected big-slot role can preserve Likely's target path even if New York's receiver group gets healthier.
  • His start case rests on usable volume at tight end, not on needing an outlier touchdown game.

The call

  • 9.5 projected PPR points is a real TE1-fringe number; at a position where the back half of starting lineups routinely lives on 6-7 points, TE14 with this projection clears the replacement bar.
  • Role is stable and healthy: 59% snap share and a 14% target share over 11 games, no injury designation, and he sits atop the TE depth slot.
  • Game script cooperates — a 1.5-point spread and a 23.5 implied team total point to a competitive, two-way passing game rather than a run-out-the-clock blowout in either direction.
  • The one sourced line describes a Giants 'big slot' plan and doesn't square with this matchup, so it's unverified noise — the call rests on the snap/target profile, not that report.

Latest on Likely

Scheme

With only five wide receivers on the projected depth chart, the Giants plan to deploy tight end Isaiah Likely as a 'big slot receiver' to offset a possible shortage if Malik Nabers isn't fully ready for Week 1.

Sports Illustrated (Giants On SI) · Sep 2, 2026

Why Jonathon Brooks

Sit

Backup RB with three-down skill set. Smooth zone runner returning from major knee injury; limited NFL sample.

Sit — RB32 consensus, projects RB31 this week: Questionable on the latest report, 11.2 PPR projected vs CHI.

  • Brooks is cleared for Week 1, so the groin issue is no longer the main concern.
  • His three-down skill set gives him more upside if Carolina shifts work away from Hubbard.

Latest on Brooks

Status

Jonathon Brooks has no limitations after practicing fully on Friday despite being limited earlier in the week with a groin injury.

Five takeaways from Friday, including "no limitations" on Jonathon Brookspanthers.com · Sep 11, 2026
Role

Jonathon Brooks will be part of Carolina's run game alongside Chuba Hubbard on Sunday against the Bears.

Five takeaways from Friday, including "no limitations" on Jonathon Brookspanthers.com · Sep 11, 2026
Status

Jonathon Brooks enters the Week 1 matchup without limitations.

Panthers RB Jonathon Brooks to play vs Bears without limitationsESPN · Sep 11, 2026
Week 1 Friday Injury Report: Pat Jones out, Jonathon Brooks clear

The Panthers ruled outside linebacker Patrick Jones II out for Sunday's opener against the Bears, but he's the only player on the report with an injury status for the game. That means running back Jonathon Brooks is good to go.

panthers.com · Sep 11, 2026
Panthers banking on RBs Hubbard, Brooks despite injury histories

Carolina wants to run the ball more, but how will each back -- including AJ Dillon -- handle the workload?

ESPN · Sep 8, 2026
Panthers RB Jonathon Brooks still out, coach optimistic

Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks has been missing practices with injury, but coach Dave Canales is not concerned.

ESPN · Sep 2, 2026

Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.

Head-to-head stats

MetricIsaiah LikelyJonathon Brooks
Projected points
Consensus rankTE14RB32
Opponent vs positionDALno ranking yetCHIno ranking yet
Target share14%(2025)—
Reception share15%(2025)—
Implied total · spread23.5+1.521.0+2.5
Depth chartTE1RB2
Snap share59%(2025)—
Injury designation—Questionable
Start/Sit record—0–0+1 toss-up

Signal breakdown

  • 9.5 vs 11.2 projected PPR pointsJonathon Brooks +
  • Rank 14 vs 32Isaiah Likely +
  • Matchup (DvP composite)even
  • Implied 23.5 vs 21.0 team pointsIsaiah Likely +
  • no designation vs QuestionableIsaiah Likely +
  • Snap shareeven

Compare different players

Week 1227 players
Player A
vs
Player B

Every fantasy-relevant player this week — search or filter by position.

More Likely comparisons

More Brooks comparisons

This week’s toughest calls

Start/Sit Board•Weekly Rankings•Streamers•Sleepers & Busts•My Team•MLB NRFI Board•Free Tools•NFL Props•NFL Games

Get a Start/Sit call on your whole roster →

Save your team once and see a Start, Sit, or Toss-Up verdict on every player, every week — with the matchup, usage and game-script evidence behind each call.

Add to My Team — free

Or browse this week’s NFL games or NFL player props.