AJ

Barner

With Noah Fant (groin) still out, Barner continued as the team’s primary pass-catching tight end. He saw four targets, primarily in the short-yardage area, finishing with three catches for 19 yards. Pharaoh Brown caught 2-of-2 targets for 19 yards next to Barner as both fill Fant’s pass-catching role. However, neither is fantasy relevant for Week 13 against the Jets.

Barner was never a serious streaming option against the 49ers’ linebacker corps. The backup tight end dropped his first target and got washed out of a critical would-be block on a failed fourth-down conversion attempt late in the game. He is a TE2/3 against the Cardinals next week if Noah Fant (groin) remains inactive.

Fant’s absence gives AJ Barner the start, however, No. 4 wide receiver Jake Bobo will likely earn targets more efficiently than Barner. Joining Fant on the inactives list are TE Brady Russell, OLB Trevis Gipson, G Sataoa Laumea, CB Nehemiah Pritchett, WR Dareke Young and DE Myles Adams.

Fant is still dealing with the groin injury he suffered in Week 8. He did not practice at all this week and could be out for a few more games. AJ Barner will draw the start in his absence. The rookie caught 4-of-7 targets for 29 yards before the Seahawks’ Week 10 bye. He sits in the middle of the TE2 ranks for Week 11.

Fant has now missed back-to-back practices and appears to be on the wrong side of returning in Week 11 against the 49ers. Assuming the former first-round pick can’t go, AJ Barner is likely to see the majority of his playing time/targets.

Noah Fant was sidelined with a groin injury this week, thrusting Barner into the starting role. His seven targets were good for second-most on the team, though he failed to do much with the increase in opportunities. With Seattle on bye next week, Barner is only worth an add in deep leagues or TE premium formats. He will sit in the middle of the TE2 ranks for Week 11 versus the 49ers if Fant is unable to return after the bye.

Rookie tight end AJ Barner will draw the start this week. Barner caught two passes for 34 yards in Week 8. One of his receptions went for 20 yards and was the longest catch of the day for any Seattle player. Barner enters the TE2 mix as a dart throw available on nearly every waiver wire.

Though Fant is the Seahawks’ top tight end, his role is a small one. Between Fant, AJ Barner, and Pharaoh Brown, the tight end room saw a 12.5% target share on the day with the wideouts and running backs consistently the top receiving options. Barner caught his only target for 13 yards, while Brown caught his for seven yards. Fant’s low volume role means he is a deep-league tight end option for Week 6 against the 49ers.

Barner (6’6/251) is entering the draft after four college seasons - three at Indiana and one at Michigan. He started his freshman year without an offensive touch and would catch 42 passes for 361 yards and four touchdowns between his sophomore and junior years. Barner then transferred to Michigan for his final season, finishing with 22 receptions for 249 yards and a touchdown for the national champions while establishing himself as a formidable blocker. He was an All-Big Ten Honorable mention and participated in the Senior Bowl before testing at Michigan’s Pro Day, notching a 4.84 40-yard dash and 34.5-inch vertical jump. His numbers don’t profile him as an impactful pass-catching tight end, but Barner’s blocking will earn him looks from NFL teams. His 7.02 three-cone drill shows quick movement, which makes him an asset in both the run game and pass protection. A tight end room in need of a blocker with some pass-catching traits would be able to develop Barner.