Colston Loveland · Isaiah Likely · 2026 week 9

Colston Loveland or Isaiah Likely?

Wondering who you should start this week — Colston Loveland or Isaiah Likely? The start/sit call and the numbers behind it are below, plus who wins a straight-up trade. Rebuilt nightly.

Start Isaiah Likely — barelyThis one is a coin flip — the projections are within 0.4 points. The matchup leans Isaiah Likely (PHI allow the 29th-most TE points), but you can defend either call.

Player	Wk 9	Proj (PPR)	Matchup	Form L3	Trade value	Status
Colston Loveland	vs TB	11.1	12th	16.6	2,350	healthy
Isaiah Likely START	@ PHI	11.5	29th · tough	19.8	2,066	healthy

TEs vs TB recently: Darnell Washington 8.5 pts (W6) · Darren Waller 11 pts (W7) · Austin Hooper 0.9 pts (W8).

TEs vs PHI recently: Tommy Tremble 16.6 pts (W6) · Brevyn Spann-Ford 1.1 pts (W7) · Chig Okonkwo 1.2 pts (W8).

🎓 The coach's read

Projections are 0.4 apart — too close to call on projection alone.
Colston Loveland has the higher floor (3) — the safer start if you are favoured.
Isaiah Likely has the higher ceiling (23.8) — the play if you need points.
Isaiah Likely is boom-or-bust — about 23% more volatile week to week than a typical TE projected here — wider range in both directions.
Colston Loveland faces TB, 12th most generous to TEs.
Isaiah Likely faces PHI, 29th most generous to TEs.

Who wins a straight-up trade?

Colston Loveland carries the higher trade value — 2,350 against 2,066 (a 12% gap). In a one-for-one, the side receiving Colston Loveland gets the most. Momentum: Colston Loveland +962 and Isaiah Likely +1141 over the last 30 days.

Open in Start/Sit (any scoring) Open in the Trade Analyzer

More TE decisions

Colston Loveland or Brock Bowers?Colston Loveland or Trey McBride?Colston Loveland or George Kittle?Isaiah Likely or Trey McBride?Isaiah Likely or George Kittle?

All numbers are the 2026 season, refreshed nightly.