Who Should I Start? Pat Freiermuth or AJ Barner

Sunday, August 3, 1:28 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth is the team's unquestioned No. 1 tight end and "the heartbeat of this offense," according to Mark Kaboly of The Pat McAfee Show. Kaboly adds that Jonnu Smith was a late addition to the roster and "will provide a significant target for quarterback Aaron Rodgers." It sounds like the Steelers plan to use Smith in a lot of different ways, but as of right now before the start of the preseason, Freiermuth is going to be the team's top pass-catching tight end. Freiermuth caught a career-high 65 passes on 78 targets last year for 653 yards and a career-high-tying seven touchdowns in 17 regular-season games (11 starts). Both Friermuth and Smith should be on the field together plenty, and it's probably going to be impossible to predict which one might go off for fantasy purposes on any given week.

Sunday, January 5, 8:18 PM

Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner scored his fourth touchdown of the season in a Week 18 win over the Los Angeles Rams. The rookie out of Michigan has proven to be a solid contributor all season. He will finish the year with 245 yards on 30 receptions in addition to the touchdowns. Barner has a chance to become a more integral part of Seattle's offense in 2025. He has already displayed solid pass-catching chops and solid run after catch ability this season. He also started several games in place of tight end Noah Fant this season. He displayed that he has what it takes to be a potential starting tight end in this league. Barner is worth monitoring throughout the offseason to see what kind of buzz he generates in camp. He is also worth a roster spot in dynasty should he have a full second-year breakout. The future looks like it could be bright for this kid.