Start AJ Barner or Darren Waller? Week 4

Our Week 4 call

Start Darren Waller over AJ Barner in Week 4.

Market-based projections have Darren Waller at 9.1 points and AJ Barner at 8.2, a gap of 0.9. 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 8.2 fantasy points for AJ Barner, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market has AJ Barner at 30.5 receiving yards and 3.5 receptions, with a 26% chance to score a touchdown (15, 13 and 16 market sources).

Player markets imply 9.1 fantasy points for Darren Waller, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market has Darren Waller at 34.5 receiving yards and 3.5 receptions, with a 29% chance to score a touchdown (17, 14 and 18 market sources).

That puts Darren Waller 0.9 points ahead of AJ Barner on the market projections.

Injury status

AJ Barner was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Darren Waller was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Usage before Week 4

Through Week 3, AJ Barner played 86 percent of SEA snaps, drew 13 percent of the targets, earned 3 percent of the air yards and had 13 percent of the red zone chances.

AJ Barner, Week 1 against NE: 44 of 50 snaps, 2 targets and 2 catches for 13 yards.

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.

Through Week 3, Darren Waller played 44 percent of CAR snaps, drew 12 percent of the targets, earned 8 percent of the air yards and had 6 percent of the red zone chances.

Darren Waller, Week 1 against CHI: 24 of 68 snaps, 2 targets and 2 catches for 28 yards.

Darren Waller, Week 2 against ATL: 29 of 66 snaps, 3 targets and 3 catches for 33 yards, 2 touchdowns.

Darren Waller, Week 3 against CLE: 39 of 77 snaps, 8 targets and 5 catches for 51 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, Darren Waller played 9 games for MIA and scored 88.7 PPR points, 9.9 a game, finishing TE33.

He caught 24 of 34 targets for 283 yards and 6 touchdowns, with 7 red zone targets and 210 air yards.

He was on the field for 45 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

How Week 4 went

Darren Waller scored 6.6 PPR points and AJ Barner scored 2.2.

The call was right: Darren Waller outscored AJ Barner by 4.4.

Darren Waller finished 2.5 points below the 9.1 the market projected.

Darren Waller, Week 4 against DET: 40 of 75 snaps, 6 targets and 3 catches for 36 yards, 6.6 PPR points.

Darren Waller finished as the week's TE26 in PPR scoring.

AJ Barner finished 6.0 points below the 8.2 the market projected.

AJ Barner, Week 4 against LAC: 54 of 60 snaps, 3 targets and 1 catch for 12 yards, 2.2 PPR points.

AJ Barner finished as the week's TE44 in PPR scoring.

Their other Week 4 calls

• Start Brenton Strange over AJ Barner.
• Start AJ Barner over Cade Otton.
• Start Cam Skattebo over AJ Barner.
• Start Brenton Strange over Darren Waller.
• Start Darren Waller over Courtland Sutton.
• Start Deebo Samuel Sr. over Darren Waller.