Who Should I Start? Trey McBride or AJ Barner

Saturday, December 20, 4:02 PM

Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride remains a top fantasy option despite a difficult matchup against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16. On paper, it may appear that the odds are stacked against McBride. Not only is he facing a Falcons defense that has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to tight ends in 2025, but he could also face additional competition if Marvin Harrison Jr. (heel, questionable) returns from his two-game absence. However, McBride has consistently established himself as matchup-proof this year, so he should feast despite facing Atlanta. Furthermore, he could still lead the team in targets and catches, even if Harrison does return to the mix. In total this year, the 26-year-old has 105 catches, 1,071 yards, and a career-high 10 touchdowns. He is on track to finish this year as the overall TE1 in PPR leagues after finishing 2024 as the TE2. McBride has especially benefited from the presence of quarterback Jacoby Brissett. In full-PPR leagues, he averaged 12.5 fantasy points per game with Kyler Murray (foot) as the starter, and a whopping 23.3 fantasy points per game with Brissett as the starter. We should expect more otherworldly, video-game numbers from McBride this week. He's the undisputed TE1 in this week's fantasy rankings and should be a must-start as the fantasy playoffs continue.

Wednesday, December 17, 10:48 PM

Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner is in the streaming conversation in Week 16 against the Los Angeles Rams. Barner continues to receive variable volume, but he played well against this team in Week 11 with 10 receptions for 70 yards. The Seahawks' offense struggled in that game, but Barner found himself open underneath quite a bit as Los Angeles sold out to prevent getting beat over the top. The Rams are No. 11 against opposing tight ends in fantasy. That places them amongst the mid-tier against the position. Barner's volume has been difficult to trust this season, but he feels due for a touchdown, and he will likely be a nice safety valve for quarterback Sam Darnold this week. If you need to simply stay afloat at the tight end position this week, there are worse options than Barner.