Giants' Tight Ends Hammered in PFF Rankings Despite Harbaugh's Confidence in Them

John Harbaugh is putting his faith in Isaiah Likely and Theo Johnson — even as PFF ranks the duo near the bottom of the league.

Jul 23, 2025; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson (84) talks with media during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There is understandably a ton of focus on the New York Giants' wide receiver room, but don’t sleep on Big Blue’s tight ends, of whom head coach John Harbaugh said, “there's not a better tight end room in the league.”   

Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy will want to employ two-tight end sets, and how they implement that scheme could play a huge role in unlocking the offense. Therefore, Isaiah Likely and Theo Johnson should both be quite important next season.

However, Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick of Pro Football Focus do not appear sold on either of them, placing Likely at No. 22 and Johnson at No. 32 in their top-32 tight end rankings.

While it is encouraging to see both players on this list—the Bills, Bears and Steelers are the only other teams who can claim such a feat—it is surprising to see the Giants’ duo land in the bottom third and dead last, respectively.

They each struggled to varying degrees last season, so some doubt is natural. But neither talent has reached his full potential yet, and their prospects could improve in the system that Harbaugh, Nagy and the other offensive coaches have designed.

Isaiah Likely Will Have Opportunities to Excel

Jun 3, 2026; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) and wide receiver Isaiah Likely (9) talk during organized team activities at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Likely walks into a great situation, poised to finally break out as a No. 1 option at his position.

The No. 139 overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft forced his way into a key role in the Baltimore Ravens' passing attack. Although star tight end Mark Andrews capped his ceiling, he still posted worthwhile production year after year, at least until last season.

After totaling 888 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in a two-season span, Likely notched just 27 receptions for 307 yards and one TD in 14 games. 

This disappointing decline caused many people to cool on him, but was it really a decline? Something else may have hindered the 6-foot-4, 245-pounder.

Likely underwent surgery on a broken bone in his foot last summer and was subsequently unable to get into his routine leading into the 2025-26 campaign. That should not be a problem this time.

The Giants signed Likely to a three-year, $40 million contract in free agency, and he has a relationship with Harbaugh from their time together in Baltimore. 

Given lingering questions about the receivers, the 26-year-old native of Cambridge, Massachusetts, has a great chance to become one of, if not the top, pass-catchers for Big Blue.

Theo Johnson Must Fix This Glaring Weakness

Nov 2, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson (84) runs after the catch for a touchdown as San Francisco 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir (2) defends during the first half at MetLife Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Johnson’s ranking is low, likely due to a problem with dropped balls. The Giants’ 2024 fourth-round pick has recorded 12 drops for a 14 percent drop rate through two NFL campaigns.  

Johnson is an impressive athlete who boasts an advantageous 6-foot-6, 264-pound frame, but he must make the straightforward plays. Dart clearly has rapport with him, and red-zone chances should continue to come his way.

Despite Johnson's limitations, some statistics suggest he can noticeably progress in his third season. The former Penn State contributor posted 45 catches for 528 yards and five touchdowns in 2025, while also tallying an 8.9 average depth of target. He has the ability and size to do much more damage against opposing defenses.

Now, he has to sharpen his instincts, which will lead to a better ranking in the future.

Regardless of these rankings, Big Blue is clearly counting on the tight ends to help elevate the offense in 2026.  

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