Who Should I Start? Will Mallory or AJ Barner

Friday, April 10, 5:36 AM

Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner finished 2025 as the TE14 in Half-PPR formats and has yet to turn 24. Still, he is being priced as a low-end TE2 in dynasty startups, often falling to the late double-digit rounds. The 2024 fourth-round pick finished his second season with 58 catches on 71 targets, 586 receiving yards, and seven touchdown grabs, all top-three numbers on a Super Bowl-winning Seahawks team. He was also given valuable snaps under center in short-yardage and goal line situations, allowing him to tally an additional rushing touchdown. Seattle spent a 2025 second-round pick on the playmaking tight end Elijah Arroyo, but Barner was able to hold off any perceived target competition, nearly tripling the rookie in both offensive snaps and targets. While Arroyo is himself a candidate to follow Barner's lead with a second-season leap, Barner should still be viewed as the team's primary pass-catching tight end, representing mispriced value in dynasty leagues, even if he only holds the role rather than expanding upon it.