Head to Head

Updated June 3, 2026 from live stats

Darnell Washington vs Harold Fannin Jr.Who should you start in 2026 fantasy football?

Harold Fannin Jr. is the better fantasy start for 2026, averaging 9.4 PPG to Darnell Washington's 4.5 in 2025. Full head to head breakdown below.

The Bottom Line

Harold Fannin Jr. is the better fantasy play this season.

Harold Fannin Jr. has the edge, but it is not a runaway. The 4.9-PPG advantage is real (9.4 to 4.5), and Harold Fannin Jr.'s 7 touchdowns show scoring upside. Darnell Washington is the buy-low candidate if recent production has dipped, because the talent gap is smaller than the numbers suggest.

Moderate confidence: stats favor the leader, but matchup variance could flip this weekly.

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TEPittsburgh Steelers#38

Darnell Washington

PPG

4.5

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

364

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 9

TECleveland Browns#9PPG LEADER

Harold Fannin Jr.

PPG

9.4

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

731

Rec TDs

Targets

107

Bye

Week 11

The Edge Chart

Darnell Washington

Harold Fannin Jr.

Head to Head

4.5 PPG9.4 PPG

13 GP16 GP

Bye: Week 9Bye: Week 11

Fantasy Tiers

Darnell Washington: Tier 5 (Deep League) TE (ranked #38 at the position). Harold Fannin Jr.: Tier 2 (Strong Starter) TE (ranked #9 at the position). Among the top 30 tight ends this season, Darnell Washington is producing at 20% of elite pace and Harold Fannin Jr. at 43%. That ranking gap means Harold Fannin Jr. carries more trade value and a higher draft cost in 2026.

Darnell Washington vs Harold Fannin Jr.: The Full Breakdown

Darnell Washington and Harold Fannin Jr. are both viable fantasy tight ends heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Darnell Washington averaged 4.5 PPG across 13 games with the Pittsburgh Steelers, while Harold Fannin Jr. posted 9.4 PPG in 16 appearances for the Cleveland Browns.

A 4.9-PPG gap gives Harold Fannin Jr. 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.

Harold Fannin Jr. is the volume tight end in this matchup with 72 receptions for 731 yards, while Darnell Washington profiles as a more touchdown-dependent spike play (1 scores on 31 catches). In weeks where Darnell Washington finds the end zone he out-scores Harold Fannin Jr., but the floor gap is real.

Darnell Washington has his bye in Week 9, and Harold Fannin Jr. rests in Week 11. 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.

Trade Value + Dynasty Outlook

If you can acquire Harold Fannin Jr. at a discount because your league-mates undervalue tight end production, do it. Darnell Washington is a reasonable sell-high candidate if his recent games have spiked above his season average. Dynasty outlook: Darnell Washington (age 24) has years of prime production ahead. Buy-and-hold dynasty asset. Harold Fannin Jr. (age 21) has years of prime production ahead. Buy-and-hold dynasty asset.

Did You Know?

•Harold Fannin Jr. outscored Darnell Washington by a projected 83 total fantasy points over a full 17-game season.
•Harold Fannin Jr. played 16 games in 2025 compared to Darnell Washington's 13. That durability gap means Harold Fannin Jr. contributed more total fantasy points even before you look at per-game averages.
•Harold Fannin Jr. scored 7 total touchdowns in 2025 (0.4 per game), making him one of the more reliable scoring options at tight end.
•Harold Fannin Jr. saw 107 targets in 2025. Target volume is the single strongest predictor of weekly PPR production at the tight end position.

Detailed Stat Breakdown

Darnell Washington vs Harold Fannin Jr.: 2025 fantasy football stat comparison in the half-PPR scoring format.
Stat	Darnell Washington	Harold Fannin Jr.
PPG (Half-PPR)	4.5	9.4
Games Played	13	16
Total Fantasy Pts (est.)	59	150
Receptions	31	72
Rec/Game	2.4	4.5
Receiving Yards	364	731
Rec Yds/Game	28.0	45.7
Receiving TDs	1	6
Targets	43	107
Target Share/Game	3.3	6.7
Age	24	21
Experience	2 yrs	-
Bye Week	Week 9	Week 11

Summary

Harold Fannin Jr. outscored Darnell Washington by 4.9 PPG in 2025 (9.4 to 4.5). That production gap is the baseline, but weekly context shifts the answer. DraftCall analyzes matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and health data to deliver a clear start or sit recommendation backed by real reasoning.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should I start Darnell Washington or Harold Fannin Jr. in fantasy football?▾

Based on 2025 season averages, Harold Fannin Jr. has the edge at 9.4 PPG compared to Darnell Washington's 4.5 PPG. However, the best start depends on weekly matchup, recent form, and injury status. DraftCall's app provides real-time AI-powered verdicts that factor in all of these variables.

How many fantasy points did Darnell Washington and Harold Fannin Jr. average in 2025?▾

Darnell Washington averaged 4.5 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) across 13 games in 2025. Harold Fannin Jr. averaged 9.4 PPG over 16 games. That is a difference of 4.9 points per game.

When are Darnell Washington and Harold Fannin Jr.'s bye weeks in 2026?▾

Darnell Washington (PIT) has a bye in Week 9, and Harold Fannin Jr. (CLE) has a bye in Week 11. Plan your roster accordingly if you are carrying both players.

Is Darnell Washington or Harold Fannin Jr. a better fantasy tight end in 2026?▾

Harold Fannin Jr. outscored Darnell Washington by 4.9 PPG in 2025, which gives him the edge heading into 2026. For a week-by-week verdict, DraftCall's AI analyzes matchup quality and recent trends in real time.