AJ Barner vs Sam LaPorta: Who Should You Start?
If you are choosing between AJ Barner and Sam LaPorta for your lineup, you are not alone. AJ Barner finished the 2025 season at 7.1 PPG for the Seattle Seahawks (17 games), and Sam LaPorta averaged 9.7 for the Detroit Lions (9 games).
That 2.6-point weekly advantage for Sam LaPorta is meaningful but not automatic. Fantasy football is a week-to-week sport, and the answer to "who should I start" often changes based on opponent, recent form, and game environment. Season averages set the baseline; weekly context makes the call.
Both see steady target volume for the tight end position. AJ Barner had 52 catches for 519 yards; Sam LaPorta posted 40 for 489. At a position where most starters barely clear 7 PPG, this class of tight end is where the fantasy advantage lives week to week.
AJ Barner has his bye in Week 10, and Sam LaPorta rests in Week 5. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at tight end for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.
