Start Michael Mayer or AJ Barner? Week 5

Our Week 5 call

Start Michael Mayer over AJ Barner in Week 5.

Market-based projections have Michael Mayer at 7.9 points and AJ Barner at 6.8, a gap of 1.0. 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 AJ Barner, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market has AJ Barner at 24.5 receiving yards and 2.5 receptions, with a 24% chance to score a touchdown (15, 13 and 15 market sources).

Player markets imply 7.9 fantasy points for Michael Mayer, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market has Michael Mayer at 29.5 receiving yards and 3.5 receptions, with a 21% chance to score a touchdown (15, 12 and 15 market sources).

That puts Michael Mayer 1.0 points ahead of AJ Barner on the market projections.

Injury status

AJ Barner is not on the injury report.

Michael Mayer 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, Michael Mayer played 85 percent of LV snaps, drew 18 percent of the targets, earned 9 percent of the air yards and had 5 percent of the red zone chances.

Michael Mayer, Week 1 against MIA: 55 of 68 snaps, 7 targets and 6 catches for 32 yards.

Michael Mayer, Week 2 against LAC: 53 of 63 snaps, 4 targets and 3 catches for 23 yards.

Michael Mayer, Week 3 against NO: 61 of 70 snaps, 3 targets and 3 catches for 32 yards, 1 touchdown.

Michael Mayer, Week 4 against KC: 74 of 84 snaps, 10 targets and 8 catches for 82 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, Michael Mayer played 13 games for LV and scored 73.8 PPR points, 5.7 a game, finishing TE38.

He caught 35 of 50 targets for 328 yards and 1 touchdown, with 6 red zone targets and 132 air yards.

He was on the field for 57 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 Michael Mayer.
• Start Michael Mayer over Cade Otton.
• Start Michael Mayer over Chig Okonkwo.