Start AJ Barner or Dawson Knox? Week 5

Our Week 5 call

Start AJ Barner over Dawson Knox in Week 5.

Market-based projections have AJ Barner at 6.4 points and Dawson Knox at 3.7, a gap of 2.7.

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 has AJ Barner at 22.5 receiving yards and 2.5 receptions, with a 23% chance to score a touchdown (16, 16 and 17 market sources).

Player markets imply 3.7 fantasy points for Dawson Knox, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market has Dawson Knox at 11.5 receiving yards and 1.5 receptions, with a 16% chance to score a touchdown (15, 15 and 15 market sources).

That puts AJ Barner 2.7 points ahead of Dawson Knox on the market projections.

Injury status

AJ Barner is not on the injury report.

Dawson Knox is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 5

Through Week 4, AJ Barner played 87 percent of SEA snaps, drew 13 percent of the targets, earned 4 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.

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

Through Week 4, Dawson Knox played 69 percent of BUF snaps, drew 5 percent of the targets, earned 1 percent of the air yards and had 5 percent of the red zone chances.

Dawson Knox, Week 1 against HOU: 39 of 58 snaps, 1 target and 1 catch for 7 yards.

Dawson Knox, Week 2 against DET: 56 of 74 snaps, 2 targets and 2 catches for 5 yards, 1 touchdown.

Dawson Knox, Week 3 against LAC: 46 of 66 snaps, 1 carry for 0 yards, 1 target and 1 catch for 5 yards.

Dawson Knox, Week 4 against NE: 36 of 59 snaps, 2 targets and 2 catches for 13 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, Dawson Knox played 17 games for BUF and scored 103.7 PPR points, 6.1 a game, finishing TE28.

He caught 36 of 49 targets for 417 yards and 4 touchdowns, with 12 red zone targets and 234 air yards.

He was on the field for 61 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 5 calls

• Start Brenton Strange over AJ Barner.
• Start Brock Bowers over AJ Barner.
• Start Cade Otton over AJ Barner.
• Start Dawson Knox over Austin Hooper.
• Start Colby Parkinson over Dawson Knox.
• Start Dalton Kincaid over Dawson Knox.