Who Should I Start? Josh Whyle or AJ Barner

Thursday, August 7, 9:20 AM

Tennessee Titans tight end Gunnar Helm was listed as the team's second tight end on the first unofficial depth chart, behind only Chig Okonkwo and ahead of Josh Whyle, who was the team's second tight end last year. The Titans drafted Helm out of Texas with the No. 120 pick in the fourth round of the NFL Draft after he logged 60 catches for 786 yards and seven touchdowns in Texas's quick passing game. Helm had a bad combine, potentially due to injury, but he has earned playing time with a strong training camp and could become a favorite target for rookie quarterback Cam Ward. Helm and the Titans start preseason on Saturday in Tampa Bay, and it will be important to see exactly how the tight end work is divided going into Week 1 against the Broncos.

Friday, October 17, 8:42 PM

Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner has emerged as an important component of Seattle's offense in 2025. Barner is the TE11 with four of his six games producing double-digit fantasy points. Unfortunately, Barner remains difficult to trust in fantasy. He has only earned more than three targets on one occasion this season. Much of his fantasy production is predicated on scoring a touchdown or logging a big play. He needs more volume if he is to become a weekly starter in fantasy. Week 7 presents an interesting opportunity for Barner against the Houston Texans. The Texans boast one of the best defenses in the NFL. They are good at shutting down every offensive skill position. However, the Seahawks have a plethora of weapons on the outside and in the running game that need to be shut down if Houston has any chance of competing in this game. As such, Barner could find himself loose in coverage due to a lack of attention. He is a solid dart throw this week because he has proven himself to be a red zone threat. If his volume increases in Week 7, we could be having a different conversation moving forward.