Who Should I Start? Connor Heyward or AJ Barner

Friday, November 3, 12:12 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Connor Heyward caught two of his three targets for 16 yards in the team's 20-16 win over the visiting Tennessee Titans on Thursday Night Football. Meanwhile, fellow tight end Darnell Washington caught his only target for a seven-yard gain. Heyward caught a season-high five passes (six targets) for 24 yards in last week's loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars with Pat Freiermuth (hamstring) on Injured Reserve, but he couldn't keep up that elevated production in Week 9. Freiermuth will miss at least two more games, but fantasy managers just won't be able to trust Heyward for consistent production in one of the weaker offenses in the league. The 24-year-old has just 14 receptions for 105 yards and no touchdowns in eight games in 2023.

Wednesday, December 17, 10:48 PM

Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner is in the streaming conversation in Week 16 against the Los Angeles Rams. Barner continues to receive variable volume, but he played well against this team in Week 11 with 10 receptions for 70 yards. The Seahawks' offense struggled in that game, but Barner found himself open underneath quite a bit as Los Angeles sold out to prevent getting beat over the top. The Rams are No. 11 against opposing tight ends in fantasy. That places them amongst the mid-tier against the position. Barner's volume has been difficult to trust this season, but he feels due for a touchdown, and he will likely be a nice safety valve for quarterback Sam Darnold this week. If you need to simply stay afloat at the tight end position this week, there are worse options than Barner.