Start Oronde Gadsden or AJ Barner? Week 5

Our Week 5 call

Start Oronde Gadsden over AJ Barner in Week 5.

Market-based projections have Oronde Gadsden at 8.2 points and AJ Barner at 6.4, a gap of 1.8.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 8.2 fantasy points for Oronde Gadsden, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market has Oronde Gadsden at 32.5 receiving yards and 3.5 receptions, with a 23% chance to score a touchdown (10, 10 and 16 market sources).

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 (15, 17 and 16 market sources).

That puts Oronde Gadsden 1.8 points ahead of AJ Barner on the market projections.

Injury status

Oronde Gadsden is not on the injury report.

AJ Barner is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 5

Through Week 4, Oronde Gadsden played 45 percent of LAC snaps, drew 13 percent of the targets, earned 9 percent of the air yards and had 9 percent of the red zone chances.

Oronde Gadsden, Week 1 against ARI: 10 of 55 snaps, 2 targets and 2 catches for 32 yards.

Oronde Gadsden, Week 2 against LV: 30 of 68 snaps, 2 targets and 2 catches for 18 yards, 1 touchdown.

Oronde Gadsden, Week 3 against BUF: 39 of 69 snaps, 3 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Oronde Gadsden, Week 4 against SEA: 39 of 71 snaps, 1 carry for 2 yards, 8 targets and 5 catches for 36 yards.

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.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Oronde Gadsden played 15 games for LAC and scored 131.4 PPR points, 8.8 a game, finishing TE15.

He caught 49 of 69 targets for 664 yards and 3 touchdowns, with 14 red zone targets and 443 air yards.

He was on the field for 63 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 5 calls

• Start Brenton Strange over Oronde Gadsden.
• Start Oronde Gadsden over Chig Okonkwo.
• Start Oronde Gadsden over Colston Loveland.
• Start Brenton Strange over AJ Barner.
• Start Brock Bowers over AJ Barner.
• Start Cade Otton over AJ Barner.