AJ Barner vs Isaiah Likely: Who Should You Start?
AJ Barner and Isaiah Likely are both viable fantasy tight ends heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. AJ Barner averaged 7.1 PPG across 17 games with the Seattle Seahawks, while Isaiah Likely posted 3.4 PPG in 14 appearances for the New York Giants.
A 3.7-PPG gap gives AJ Barner the edge on paper, but paper does not account for Thursday night matchups, weather games, or a star defender returning from injury. The real question is not who was better in 2025, but who is the better start this specific week.
AJ Barner is the volume tight end in this matchup with 52 receptions for 519 yards, while Isaiah Likely profiles as a more touchdown-dependent spike play (1 scores on 27 catches). In weeks where Isaiah Likely finds the end zone he out-scores AJ Barner, but the floor gap is real.
One scheduling note: AJ Barner is off Week 10 and Isaiah Likely Week 11. If these two are on your roster, you will need a fill-in tight end for both weeks. DraftCall flags bye conflicts so you can plan ahead rather than panic on waivers.
