Start Pat Freiermuth or AJ Barner? Week 5

Our Week 5 call

Start Pat Freiermuth over AJ Barner in Week 5.

Market-based projections have Pat Freiermuth 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 Pat Freiermuth, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market has Pat Freiermuth at 27.5 receiving yards and 3.5 receptions, with a 25% chance to score a touchdown (15, 11 and 15 market sources).

That puts Pat Freiermuth 1.0 points ahead of AJ Barner on the market projections.

Injury status

AJ Barner is not on the injury report.

Pat Freiermuth 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, Pat Freiermuth played 69 percent of PIT snaps, drew 13 percent of the targets, earned 11 percent of the air yards and had 13 percent of the red zone chances.

Pat Freiermuth, Week 1 against ATL: 49 of 67 snaps, 5 targets and 5 catches for 46 yards, 1 touchdown.

Pat Freiermuth, Week 2 against NE: 46 of 70 snaps, 1 carry for 2 yards, 5 targets and 4 catches for 32 yards.

Pat Freiermuth, Week 3 against CIN: 37 of 62 snaps, 1 carry for 1 yards, 4 targets and 2 catches for 30 yards.

Pat Freiermuth, Week 4 against CLE: 54 of 72 snaps, 5 targets and 3 catches for 17 yards, 1 touchdown.

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, Pat Freiermuth played 17 games for PIT and scored 113.6 PPR points, 6.7 a game, finishing TE25.

He caught 41 of 54 targets for 486 yards and 4 touchdowns, with 9 red zone targets and 231 air yards.

He was on the field for 49 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 Pat Freiermuth.
• Start Pat Freiermuth over Cade Otton.
• Start Pat Freiermuth over Chig Okonkwo.