Who Should I Start? Daniel Bellinger or AJ Barner

Thursday, October 23, 10:11 AM

New York Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger delivered the best performance of his NFL career in Week 7, hauling in three receptions for 88 yards and a touchdown. Bellinger's production has noticeably climbed since the team turned to Jaxson Dart at quarterback and lost star wideout Malik Nabers to a Torn ACL. Since Week 4, the Giants have leaned heavily on 12 personnel (two-TE sets), ranking among the league leaders in usage. Both Bellinger and rookie Theo Johnson have logged over 50% of the offensive snaps in three consecutive games, including last week, where they each played over 65%. While New York's brutal schedule has limited consistency, Bellinger's emergence is a bright spot. He'll face a tough challenge in Week 8 against the Philadelphia Eagles, who have surrendered the fourth-fewest fantasy points to tight ends this season. Bellinger isn't fantasy relevant just yet, but if this upward trend continues, he could work his way onto the fantasy radar in deeper leagues.

Friday, October 31, 6:29 PM

Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner is a solid play in Week 9 against the Washington Commanders. Barner has displayed a nose for the end zone on modest volume this season. He has only exceeded three targets on one occasion, but he has caught four touchdown passes in seven games. The Commanders are No. 25 against opposing tight ends in fantasy. Their linebacking core seems to have a lot of difficulty stopping the position. With Barner's savvy in the red zone and run-after-catch ability, he could escape for a couple of big plays. Outside of the top five or so tight ends, the options are slim for fantasy. Barner presents an option with real upside and high touchdown probability in a good offense. He is still readily available on waivers, likely due to his low volume. Additionally, Barner may have earned himself more volume coming out of the Seahawks' bye week in Week 8. It is likely difficult for the Seahawks' coaching staff to ignore what Barner has been able to do with the ball in his hands. If you need a start, Barner could be a legitimate top ten option this week.