Head to Head

Updated June 3, 2026 from live stats

Darnell Washington vs Hunter HenryWho should you start in 2026 fantasy football?

Hunter Henry is the better fantasy start for 2026, averaging 8.8 PPG to Darnell Washington's 4.5 in 2025. Full head to head breakdown below.

The Bottom Line

Hunter Henry is the better fantasy play this season.

Hunter Henry has the edge, but it is not a runaway. The 4.3-PPG advantage is real (8.8 to 4.5), and Hunter Henry'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

TENew England Patriots#13PPG LEADER

Hunter Henry

PPG

8.8

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

768

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 11

The Edge Chart

Darnell Washington

Hunter Henry

Head to Head

4.5 PPG8.8 PPG

13 GP17 GP

Bye: Week 9Bye: Week 11

Fantasy Tiers

Darnell Washington: Tier 5 (Deep League) TE (ranked #38 at the position). Hunter Henry: Tier 3 (Flex/Starter) TE (ranked #13 at the position). Among the top 30 tight ends this season, Darnell Washington is producing at 20% of elite pace and Hunter Henry at 40%. That ranking gap means Hunter Henry carries more trade value and a higher draft cost in 2026.

Darnell Washington vs Hunter Henry: The Full Breakdown

Darnell Washington and Hunter Henry 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 Hunter Henry posted 8.8 PPG in 17 appearances for the New England Patriots.

A 4.3-PPG gap gives Hunter Henry 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.

Hunter Henry is the volume tight end in this matchup with 60 receptions for 768 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 Hunter Henry, but the floor gap is real.

Darnell Washington has his bye in Week 9, and Hunter Henry 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 Hunter Henry 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. Hunter Henry (age 31) is in the later years of production. Still a redraft asset, but dynasty value is declining.

Did You Know?

•Hunter Henry outscored Darnell Washington by a projected 73 total fantasy points over a full 17-game season.
•Hunter Henry played 17 games in 2025 compared to Darnell Washington's 13. That durability gap means Hunter Henry contributed more total fantasy points even before you look at per-game averages.
•Hunter Henry scored 7 total touchdowns in 2025 (0.4 per game), making him one of the more reliable scoring options at tight end.
•Hunter Henry saw 87 targets in 2025. Target volume is the single strongest predictor of weekly PPR production at the tight end position.
•Darnell Washington is 7 years younger than Hunter Henry (24 vs 31), which significantly impacts dynasty league trade value.

Detailed Stat Breakdown

Darnell Washington vs Hunter Henry: 2025 fantasy football stat comparison in the half-PPR scoring format.
Stat	Darnell Washington	Hunter Henry
PPG (Half-PPR)	4.5	8.8
Games Played	13	17
Total Fantasy Pts (est.)	59	150
Receptions	31	60
Rec/Game	2.4	3.5
Receiving Yards	364	768
Rec Yds/Game	28.0	45.2
Receiving TDs	1	7
Targets	43	87
Target Share/Game	3.3	5.1
Age	24	31
Experience	2 yrs	9 yrs
Bye Week	Week 9	Week 11

Summary

Hunter Henry outscored Darnell Washington by 4.3 PPG in 2025 (8.8 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 Hunter Henry in fantasy football?▾

Based on 2025 season averages, Hunter Henry has the edge at 8.8 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 Hunter Henry average in 2025?▾

Darnell Washington averaged 4.5 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) across 13 games in 2025. Hunter Henry averaged 8.8 PPG over 17 games. That is a difference of 4.3 points per game.

When are Darnell Washington and Hunter Henry's bye weeks in 2026?▾

Darnell Washington (PIT) has a bye in Week 9, and Hunter Henry (NE) has a bye in Week 11. Plan your roster accordingly if you are carrying both players.

Is Darnell Washington or Hunter Henry a better fantasy tight end in 2026?▾

Hunter Henry outscored Darnell Washington by 4.3 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.