AJ Barner vs Kyle Pitts: Who Should You Start?
AJ Barner and Kyle Pitts 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 Kyle Pitts posted 9.8 PPG in 17 appearances for the Atlanta Falcons.
A 2.7-PPG gap gives Kyle Pitts 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.
Kyle Pitts is the volume tight end in this matchup with 88 receptions for 928 yards, while AJ Barner profiles as a more touchdown-dependent spike play (6 scores on 52 catches). In weeks where AJ Barner finds the end zone he out-scores Kyle Pitts, but the floor gap is real.
Bye weeks matter for roster construction: AJ Barner sits Week 10 while Kyle Pitts is off Week 12. If you are deciding between the two as a season-long roster hold, the staggered byes actually work in your favor.
