Start Jake Ferguson or AJ Barner? Week 5

Our Week 5 call

Start Jake Ferguson over AJ Barner in Week 5.

Market-based projections have Jake Ferguson at 8.3 points and AJ Barner at 6.7, a gap of 1.6.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 6.7 fantasy points for AJ Barner, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market has AJ Barner at 23.5 receiving yards and 2.5 receptions, with a 25% chance to score a touchdown (14, 15 and 14 market sources).

Player markets imply 8.3 fantasy points for Jake Ferguson, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market has Jake Ferguson at 26.5 receiving yards and 3.5 receptions, with a 31% chance to score a touchdown (16, 13 and 16 market sources).

That puts Jake Ferguson 1.6 points ahead of AJ Barner on the market projections.

Injury status

AJ Barner is not on the injury report.

Jake Ferguson 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, Jake Ferguson played 69 percent of DAL snaps, drew 10 percent of the targets, earned 6 percent of the air yards and had 8 percent of the red zone chances.

Jake Ferguson, Week 1 against NYG: 44 of 58 snaps, 2 targets and 2 catches for 6 yards.

Jake Ferguson, Week 2 against WAS: 33 of 55 snaps, 4 targets and 4 catches for 43 yards, 2 touchdowns.

Jake Ferguson, Week 3 against BAL: 51 of 74 snaps, 5 targets and 3 catches for 23 yards, 1 touchdown.

Jake Ferguson, Week 4 against HOU: 55 of 78 snaps, 4 targets and 3 catches for 11 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, Jake Ferguson played 17 games for DAL and scored 188.1 PPR points, 11.1 a game, finishing TE5.

He caught 82 of 102 targets for 600 yards and 8 touchdowns, with 23 red zone targets and 293 air yards.

He was on the field for 67 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 Brenton Strange over Jake Ferguson.
• Start Jake Ferguson over Cade Otton.
• Start Jake Ferguson over Colston Loveland.