# AJ Barner

NFL player. Position: **TE**. Team: **SEA**.

## Quick Facts

- **Position:** TE
- **Team:** SEA (Seattle Seahawks)
- **College:** Wake Forest
- **Bye week (2026):** 11
- **FantasyPros PPR rank (pulled 2026-05-21):** 197

## 2026 Outlook

Finished 2025 strong with 31 rec / 283 yards / 2 TDs over final 8 games, including Super Bowl-winning TD catch. Benefits significantly from Brian Fleury hire — Fleury coached George Kittle and Jake Tonges in SF, giving him elite TE development credentials. Barner's blocking prowess (loves to run-block) fits Fleury's system perfectly. Has athleticism and mentality to develop into top-tier TE under Fleury's tutelage (per 3 Players That Benefit the Most With Brian Fluery as Seahawks OC).

Barner is approaching a pivotal third season with the Seahawks as a potential breakout candidate. While his baseline is elite reliability and run-blocking, his inconsistency in receiving volume remains his main limitation—only had three games in 2025 with 50+ receiving yards. Fleury's appointment is a game-changer: as a former TE coach in SF where he coached George Kittle and Jake Tonges, Fleury is experienced at developing elite tight ends in unique ways and should find new opportunities to get Barner involved. Barner has expressed confidence with Fleury ("I feel really comfortable with coach Fleury calling plays"), signaling strong rapport for the system install. Under the new system, Barner has genuine upside to become one of the league's better TEs and land his first Pro Bowl selection. Experts list him as a sleeper TE1 candidate for 2026 (per 4 Fantasy Football Sneaky TE1 Contenders: Tight End Sleepers to Target (2026) - RotoBaller). Key goal is to be a reliable target for QB Sam Darnold, easing pressure on WR1 Jaxon Smith-Njigba (per Top 25 Seattle Seahawks Going into 2026 NFL Season: #25 AJ Barner).

## Role / Depth Chart

Starting tight end for Seattle. Started all 17 games in 2025 and is one of the better run-blocking tight ends in the NFC. Second on the team in receptions (52) and third in receiving yards (519) in 2025 under Kubiak.

## Injury Status

Recovering from shoulder and ankle surgeries after the Super Bowl; rehabbing during OTAs and expected ready for training camp in late July (per 2026 Fantasy Football: Justin Boone's top sleeper picks at TE). Barner himself expects to be "one of the best tight ends in the league" in 2026.

## Recent News

- 2026-06-19 — 2026 Fantasy Football: Justin Boone's top sleeper picks at TE (2026 Fantasy Football: Justin Boone's top sleeper picks at TE)
- 2026-07-02 — Top 25 Seattle Seahawks Going into 2026 NFL Season: #25 AJ Barner (Top 25 Seattle Seahawks Going into 2026 NFL Season: #25 AJ Barner)
- 2026-05-11 — Fantasy Football Third-Year Breakout Candidates for 2026 - FTN (For the Numbers) (Fantasy Football Third-Year Breakout Candidates for 2026 - FTN (For the Numbers))
- 2026-05-15 — NFL Bye Weeks 2026: Week 11 Brings Trouble (NFL Bye Weeks 2026: Week 11 Brings Trouble)
- 2026-06-02 — Mike Clay's early 2026 fantasy football PPR rankings (Mike Clay's early 2026 fantasy football PPR rankings)
- 2026-05-26 — Fantasy Football 2026: Who benefits from run-heavy red zone offenses? (Fantasy Football 2026: Who benefits from run-heavy red zone offenses?)
- 2026-02-24 — Fantasy Football: Top 5 risers and fallers from 2026 NFL coaching changes (Fantasy Football: Top 5 risers and fallers from 2026 NFL coaching changes)
- 2026-05-26 — Biggest Tight End Training Camp Battles For 2026 Fantasy Football (Biggest Tight End Training Camp Battles For 2026 Fantasy Football)
- 2026-06-16 — Offensive Coordinator and Scheme Changes For Fantasy Football: The Chargers Are Set To... (Offensive Coordinator and Scheme Changes For Fantasy Football: The Chargers Are Set To...)
- 2026-05-25 — An early Seahawks 53-man roster projection for 2026 (An early Seahawks 53-man roster projection for 2026)
- 2026-05-21 — Dynasty Tight End Rankings for Fantasy Football: Post-NFL Draft (2026) (Dynasty Tight End Rankings for Fantasy Football: Post-NFL Draft (2026))


## Open Questions

_(scoped to this player — pulled from Fantasy Football Open Questions)_

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Source: https://chatffb.com/players/aj-barner · ChatFFB — fantasy football answers updated from a live news wiki.