Who Should I Start? Noah Fant or AJ Barner


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.7 0.0 0.0 0.3 3.0 0.0

Noah Fant News

Noah Fant Will Play in Week 17

Sunday, December 28, 12:03 PM

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Noah Fant (ankle) is officially active on Sunday to face the visiting Arizona Cardinals in Week 17. Fant will return to action this weekend in a meaningless game after missing last week's blowout win over the Miami Dolphins due to an ankle injury. Even in a plus matchup against the Cardinals, fantasy managers should have much better TE2 streaming options to choose from in Week 17, even in deeper leagues. The 28-year-old Fant just won't have enough opportunities while continuing to work behind Mike Gesicki at the position in Cincy. Fant has a total of 33 catches for 283 yards and three touchdowns on 39 targets in 13 games (six starts) in his first year with the Bengals. He hasn't had more than one catch in a game since Nov. 16, and he has not gone over 44 receiving yards in a single contest in 2025.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
7.4 0.0 0.0 3.5 29.1 0.2

AJ Barner News

AJ Barner Coming Off a Big Year in Super Bowl-Winning Offense

Wednesday, February 18, 11:01 AM

Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner broke out as the overall TE14 in PPR leagues during his second pro season in 2025. Fully healthy for all 17 games, he racked up 52 catches, 519 yards, and six touchdowns in a Seahawks offense that ultimately won Super Bowl LX. Most importantly, he fended off rookie Elijah Arroyo. Before the year, it seemed like Arroyo might push to be the No. 1 tight end, but that never happened because Barner contributed at such a high level. Arroyo will get a little more involved in 2026, but we expect that Barner will remain the top tight end target for Sam Darnold, especially around the goal line. Not only is he trending up in dynasty leagues, but he's also an intriguing option in redraft leagues, especially for managers waiting to take their primary tight end until the later round of fantasy drafts. He'll likely open 2026 draft rankings just outside the top 12 tight ends, but he has top-10 upside.


Noah Fant vs. AJ Barner

Still trying to decide between Fant and Barner? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Noah Fant is projected to score 0.7 points this week while AJ Barner is projected to score 7.4 points.