AJ Barner vs Jake Tonges: Who Should You Start?
Two tight ends who will land on plenty of the same rosters in 2026. AJ Barner (Seattle Seahawks) finished the 2025 season averaging 7.1 fantasy points per game in 17 games. Jake Tonges (San Francisco 49ers) came in at 4.5 PPG over 17 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.
AJ Barner carries a 2.6-point PPG advantage from the 2025 season. That baseline matters, but it is one input among several. Matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and injury reports move the needle week to week, which is why the best answer changes depending on when you are asking.
AJ Barner is the volume tight end in this matchup with 52 receptions for 519 yards, while Jake Tonges profiles as a more touchdown-dependent spike play (5 scores on 34 catches). In weeks where Jake Tonges 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 Jake Tonges Week 9. 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.
