Who Should I Start? Cole Kmet or AJ Barner
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.6 | 17.9 | 0.1 |
Cole Kmet News
Tuesday, July 14, 5:28 PM
Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet saw a significant drop in production this past season. Before this past season, Kmet had registered 45-plus receptions and more than 400 receiving yards in each of the last five seasons. In 2025, Kmet finished with 30 receptions for 347 yards and scored two touchdowns in 16 games. The biggest reason for his regression was the emergence of Colston Loveland. The 22-year-old quickly proved to be a top-tier tight end and jumped Kmet on the depth chart. Kmet should remain in the picture going forward, but it'll likely be more years like his 2025 campaign. He's worth holding in dynasty leagues as insurance in case Loveland goes down at some point.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.1 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 2.8 | 27.8 | 0.2 |
AJ Barner News
Monday, July 20, 9:39 AM
Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner turned a quiet rookie year into 52 catches for 519 yards and six touchdowns in 2025. He also scored on one of nine short-yardage carries, a small wrinkle Seattle could keep using near the goal line. Barner stayed on the field, playing 827 offensive snaps and starting every regular-season game while dealing with several injuries. Two offseason surgeries kept him out of spring practices, though he expects to be ready for training camp. That is the first thing to watch. Elijah Arroyo is the other. Seattle's 2025 second-round pick caught 15 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown in 13 games, and his receiving ability could cut into Barner's routes as he develops. Brian Fleury is now running the offense after previously coaching tight ends, so the position should remain involved. More involvement for Arroyo could be part of that, too. RotoBaller ranks Barner as the redraft TE27 and dynasty TE28. He is not a weekly starter yet, but the playing time and scoring role give him sneaky appeal in deeper redraft leagues.
Cole Kmet vs. AJ Barner
Still trying to decide between Kmet and Barner? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Cole Kmet is projected to score 4.2 points this week while AJ Barner is projected to score 7.1 points.
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