Is Isaiah Likely playing today? Ravens TE's status revealed for Week 18 vs Browns

Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely will suit up for Saturday's crucial Week 18 matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Baltimore (11-5) hosts Cleveland (3-13) at 4:30 p.m. ET with massive playoff implications.

Likely remains absent from the injury report. He enters the game riding a hot streak with three touchdowns in his last four appearances.

The Ravens need a victory to clinch their second consecutive AFC North title and secure the No. 3 playoff seed. A loss could drop them to the fifth seed and force a road playoff game against the Houston Texans if Pittsburgh wins its finale.

Likely has emerged as a reliable target in Baltimore's passing attack. Over his past five games, he's caught 15 passes for 168 yards, averaging 6.6 fantasy points per outing. His best performance came in Week 1 against Kansas City, posting nine catches for 111 yards and a TD.

NFL: Baltimore Ravens at Houston Texans - Source: Imagn

The second year TE faces a Cleveland defense that has struggled against his position. The Browns rank 13th in pass defense (212.1 yards per game) but have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to TEs in 2024.

Isaiah Likely is a key weapon in the Ravens' title push

NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens - Source: Imagn

Baltimore's offense has dominated recently, outscoring opponents 100-33 in its last three games. Lamar Jackson aims to cap his record-breaking season with another milestone.

Jackson has set career highs with 3,955 passing yards and 39 TDs while maintaining a 121.6 passer rating. A rating of 134.4 or higher against Cleveland would allow him to pass Aaron Rodgers for the highest single-season mark in NFL history.

The Browns won the teams' last meeting in Week 8, prevailing 29-24 on Jameis Winston's 38-yard TD pass to Cedric Tillman with 59 seconds remaining. That victory marked their second straight over Baltimore, although the Ravens lead the all-time series 36-15.

Isaiah Likely's success against single-high coverage could prove decisive. Cleveland has deployed this defensive look 66.9% of the time since Week 14. Against such formations, Likely has commanded a 12% target share and 2.0 yards per route run since Week 9.

The Browns have allowed 23 receiving TDs this season, with seven different players posting 100+ yards receiving games. These stats position Likely as a potential difference-maker in Baltimore's quest for back-to-back division titles — a feat they have only achieved twice (2011-12 and 2018-19).