Who Should I Start? AJ Barner or Elijah Arroyo

Wednesday, February 18, 11:01 AM

Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner broke out as the overall TE14 in PPR leagues during his second pro season in 2025. Fully healthy for all 17 games, he racked up 52 catches, 519 yards, and six touchdowns in a Seahawks offense that ultimately won Super Bowl LX. Most importantly, he fended off rookie Elijah Arroyo. Before the year, it seemed like Arroyo might push to be the No. 1 tight end, but that never happened because Barner contributed at such a high level. Arroyo will get a little more involved in 2026, but we expect that Barner will remain the top tight end target for Sam Darnold, especially around the goal line. Not only is he trending up in dynasty leagues, but he's also an intriguing option in redraft leagues, especially for managers waiting to take their primary tight end until the later round of fantasy drafts. He'll likely open 2026 draft rankings just outside the top 12 tight ends, but he has top-10 upside.

Sunday, February 8, 12:58 PM

Seattle Seahawks rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo is officially active for Super Bowl LX after being a healthy scratch for the NFC Championship Game. The second-round pick out of Miami had missed the final four games of the regular season and the Seahawks' Divisional Round win over the 49ers with a knee injury that landed him on Injured Reserve. He was activated before Seattle's matchup with the Rams but was ultimately made a healthy scratch after carrying no injury designation into the game. He will now make his first appearance since a Week 14 win over the Falcons, in which he was targeted once before exiting early. Since catching his lone touchdown of the season in Week 9, Arroyo has caught only two of six targets for 10 yards across his last five games. Super Bowl heroes come in all shapes and sizes, but it would be surprising if Arroyo makes a meaningful impact on Sunday.