Start AJ Barner or Darnell Washington? Week 6

Our Week 6 call

Start AJ Barner over Darnell Washington in Week 6.

Market-based projections have AJ Barner at 6.3 points and Darnell Washington at 5.9, a gap of 0.4. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 6.4 fantasy points for AJ Barner, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market-based projection for AJ Barner is 24 receiving yards and 2-3 receptions, with a 20% chance to score a touchdown (13, 13 and 12 market sources).

Player markets imply 5.9 fantasy points for Darnell Washington, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market-based projection for Darnell Washington is 21 receiving yards and 2-3 receptions, with a 19% chance to score a touchdown (10, 10 and 13 market sources).

That puts AJ Barner 0.4 points ahead of Darnell Washington on the market projections.

Injury status

AJ Barner is not on the injury report.

Darnell Washington is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 6

Through Week 5, AJ Barner played 89 percent of SEA snaps, drew 14 percent of the targets, earned 4 percent of the air yards and had 12 percent of the red zone chances.

AJ Barner, Week 2 against ARI: 56 of 70 snaps, 1 carry for 1 yards, 1 target and 1 catch for 8 yards, 1 touchdown.

AJ Barner, Week 3 against WAS: 61 of 67 snaps, 9 targets and 5 catches for 69 yards.

AJ Barner, Week 4 against LAC: 54 of 60 snaps, 3 targets and 1 catch for 12 yards.

AJ Barner, Week 5 against SF: 60 of 63 snaps, 5 targets and 3 catches for 20 yards.

Through Week 5, Darnell Washington played 65 percent of PIT snaps, drew 9 percent of the targets, earned 5 percent of the air yards and had 11 percent of the red zone chances.

Darnell Washington, Week 2 against NE: 37 of 70 snaps, 2 targets and 1 catch for 7 yards.

Darnell Washington, Week 3 against CIN: 47 of 62 snaps, 4 targets and 3 catches for 67 yards.

Darnell Washington, Week 4 against CLE: 51 of 72 snaps, 5 targets and 3 catches for 27 yards, 1 touchdown.

Darnell Washington, Week 5 against IND: 38 of 60 snaps, 3 targets and 2 catches for 12 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, AJ Barner played 17 games for SEA and scored 147.3 PPR points, 8.7 a game, finishing TE14.

He caught 52 of 68 targets for 519 yards and 6 touchdowns, with 12 red zone targets and 248 air yards.

He was on the field for 78 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, Darnell Washington played 16 games for PIT and scored 73.4 PPR points, 4.6 a game, finishing TE39.

He caught 31 of 43 targets for 364 yards and 1 touchdown, with 8 red zone targets and 135 air yards.

He was on the field for 57 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 6 calls

• Start Brenton Strange over AJ Barner.
• Start Brock Bowers over AJ Barner.
• Start Cade Otton over AJ Barner.
• Start Cade Otton over Darnell Washington.
• Start Chig Okonkwo over Darnell Washington.
• Start Darnell Washington over Colby Parkinson.