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.

Saturday, January 3, 6:21 PM

Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner has picked up his play over the last few weeks. Barner has taken over as the primary tight end in this offense with Elijah Arroyo (knee) being sidelined since Week 15. Since then, Barner has hauled in 10 receptions for 119 yards and two touchdowns. The 23-year-old has been making the most of his increased playing time. He should be able to offer at least high-end TE2 value for the upcoming Week 18 matchup versus the San Francisco 49ers. The Seahawks need to win to secure the No. 1 seed, so Barner should see a full workload.