Start Darren Waller or AJ Barner? Week 6

Our Week 6 call

Start Darren Waller over AJ Barner in Week 6.

Market-based projections have Darren Waller at 6.8 points and AJ Barner at 6.3, a gap of 0.5. 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 6.8 fantasy points for Darren Waller, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market-based projection for Darren Waller is 29 receiving yards and 2-3 receptions, with a 22% chance to score a touchdown (11, 9 and 9 market sources).

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).

That puts Darren Waller 0.5 points ahead of AJ Barner on the market projections.

Injury status

Darren Waller is listed as questionable with a toe injury.

AJ Barner is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 6

Through Week 4, Darren Waller played 46 percent of CAR snaps, drew 13 percent of the targets, earned 10 percent of the air yards and had 10 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.

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

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.

Their 2025 seasons

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.

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.

Their other Week 6 calls

• Start Brenton Strange over Darren Waller.
• Start Cade Otton over Darren Waller.
• Start Chig Okonkwo over Darren Waller.
• Start Brenton Strange over AJ Barner.
• Start Brock Bowers over AJ Barner.
• Start Cade Otton over AJ Barner.