Head to Head

Updated June 3, 2026 from live stats

Darnell Washington vs Tyler HigbeeWho should you start in 2026 fantasy football?

Tyler Higbee is the better fantasy start for 2026, averaging 6.5 PPG to Darnell Washington's 4.5 in 2025. Full head to head breakdown below.

The Bottom Line

Tyler Higbee is the better fantasy play this season.

Tyler Higbee has the edge, but it is not a runaway. The 2.0-PPG advantage is real (6.5 to 4.5), and Tyler Higbee's 3 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

TELos Angeles Rams#25PPG LEADER

Tyler Higbee

PPG

6.5

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

281

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 11

The Edge Chart

Darnell Washington

Tyler Higbee

Head to Head

4.5 PPG6.5 PPG

13 GP9 GP

Bye: Week 9Bye: Week 11

Fantasy Tiers

Darnell Washington: Tier 5 (Deep League) TE (ranked #38 at the position). Tyler Higbee: Tier 4 (Bench/Bye Fill) TE (ranked #25 at the position). Among the top 30 tight ends this season, Darnell Washington is producing at 20% of elite pace and Tyler Higbee at 30%. That ranking gap means Tyler Higbee carries more trade value and a higher draft cost in 2026.

Darnell Washington vs Tyler Higbee: The Full Breakdown

Darnell Washington and Tyler Higbee 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 Tyler Higbee posted 6.5 PPG in 9 appearances for the Los Angeles Rams.

A 2.0-PPG gap gives Tyler Higbee 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.

Both see steady target volume for the tight end position. Darnell Washington had 31 catches for 364 yards; Tyler Higbee posted 25 for 281. At a position where most starters barely clear 7 PPG, this class of tight end is where the fantasy advantage lives week to week.

Darnell Washington has his bye in Week 9, and Tyler Higbee 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

Both are in a similar trade value range. A straight swap would be fair in most leagues, with the tiebreaker going to whichever manager values schedule or bye week more. Dynasty outlook: Darnell Washington (age 24) has years of prime production ahead. Buy-and-hold dynasty asset. Tyler Higbee (age 33) is in the later years of production. Still a redraft asset, but dynasty value is declining.

Did You Know?

•Tyler Higbee outscored Darnell Washington by a projected 34 total fantasy points over a full 17-game season.
•Darnell Washington played 13 games in 2025 compared to Tyler Higbee's 9. That durability gap means Darnell Washington contributed more total fantasy points even before you look at per-game averages.
•Tyler Higbee scored 3 total touchdowns in 2025 (0.3 per game), making him one of the more reliable scoring options at tight end.
•Darnell Washington saw 43 targets in 2025. Target volume is the single strongest predictor of weekly PPR production at the tight end position.
•Darnell Washington is 9 years younger than Tyler Higbee (24 vs 33), which significantly impacts dynasty league trade value.

Detailed Stat Breakdown

Darnell Washington vs Tyler Higbee: 2025 fantasy football stat comparison in the half-PPR scoring format.
Stat	Darnell Washington	Tyler Higbee
PPG (Half-PPR)	4.5	6.5
Games Played	13	9
Total Fantasy Pts (est.)	59	59
Receptions	31	25
Rec/Game	2.4	2.8
Receiving Yards	364	281
Rec Yds/Game	28.0	31.2
Receiving TDs	1	3
Targets	43	36
Target Share/Game	3.3	4.0
Age	24	33
Experience	2 yrs	9 yrs
Bye Week	Week 9	Week 11

Summary

Tyler Higbee outscored Darnell Washington by 2.0 PPG in 2025 (6.5 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 Tyler Higbee in fantasy football?▾

Based on 2025 season averages, Tyler Higbee has the edge at 6.5 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 Tyler Higbee average in 2025?▾

Darnell Washington averaged 4.5 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) across 13 games in 2025. Tyler Higbee averaged 6.5 PPG over 9 games. That is a difference of 2.0 points per game.

When are Darnell Washington and Tyler Higbee's bye weeks in 2026?▾

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

Is Darnell Washington or Tyler Higbee a better fantasy tight end in 2026?▾

Tyler Higbee outscored Darnell Washington by 2.0 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.