AJ Barner vs Michael Mayer: 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. Michael Mayer (Las Vegas Raiders) came in at 4.3 PPG over 13 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.
AJ Barner carries a 2.8-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 Michael Mayer profiles as a more touchdown-dependent spike play (1 scores on 35 catches). In weeks where Michael Mayer finds the end zone he out-scores AJ Barner, but the floor gap is real.
One thing to note: both players share a Week 10 bye. That means you need a backup plan at tight end for that week, especially if one of these two is your starter.
