Who Should I Start? Noah Fant or AJ Barner

Saturday, August 16, 11:27 AM

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Noah Fant will play in Monday's second preseason game against the Washington Commanders, head coach Zac Taylor told the media. It'll be Fant's preseason debut and first in-game action with the Bengals, who picked him up in free agency on July 31. The 27-year-old is a proven veteran who has amassed 288 catches and 15 touchdowns over six seasons between Denver and Seattle, but he figures to serve as Cincinnati's No. 2 tight end. Starter Mike Gesicki (hamstring) has been dealing with a hamstring injury and won't play Monday, though that injury is unlikely to keep him out of regular-season action. If it does, Fant's a good fallback option to have.

Sunday, August 10, 4:12 PM

Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner has looked "very promising" in training camp practices and is "currently the No. 1 tight end," according to Michael-Shawn Duggar of The Athletic. A fourth-round pick out of Michigan in the 2024 draft, Barner recorded 30 catches for 245 yards and four touchdowns in 17 games (six starts) as a rookie. Seattle released veteran tight end Noah Fant last month, which could be an indication of the confidence the organization has in Barner. However, the Seahawks also used a second-round pick in the 2025 draft at the position when they selected Elijah Arroyo, so Barner will still have in-house competition for targets and playing time.