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The Seattle Times Seahawks fantasy football takes on AJ Barner
Every source-backed article insight STACKED has extracted from The Seattle Times Seahawks about AJ Barner.
38
Insights
17
Positive
2
Negative
Insight ledger
All The Seattle Times Seahawks insights about AJ Barner
NegativeUsageOct 24, 2026
Barner has been befuddlingly underutilized in Seattle's struggling offense, part of a broader pattern of the supporting cast not being deployed effectively despite the team's offensive coordinator struggles.NegativeUsageOct 16, 2026
Barner had three catches for 16 yards, including a key third-down catch on the touchdown drive, but the tight end group was largely absent from the passing game in the Seahawks' 17-14 OT loss to Denver.NegativeUsageOct 12, 2026
Barner is the second-most targeted receiver on the Seahawks with 12 catches on the season, significantly behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba's 37. This limited secondary receiving option reflects the offensive imbalance and concentration of targets on Smith-Njigba.NegativeUsageOct 12, 2026
Barner had three receptions on five targets for 20 yards, representing minimal production from the Seahawks' receiving corps outside of Smith-Njigba.NegativeUsageOct 5, 2026
Barner had one catch for 12 yards that helped set up Wilson's 8-yard TD run, indicating limited but functional involvement in the offense.PositiveRoleOct 2, 2026
Seahawks tight end AJ Barner played for Jim Harbaugh at Michigan, where he won a College Football Playoff national championship over Washington in his one season there. Barner credits Harbaugh's influence and leadership as formative to his career trajectory, particularly after limited success at Indiana prior to transferring to Michigan.NegativeUsageSep 29, 2026
Tight end AJ Barner had five catches in Week 3 against the Commanders after recording just two catches in the first two games combined, indicating increased involvement as the Seahawks work to distribute targets more evenly across their receiving corps.PositiveUsageSep 27, 2026
Barner led the tight ends with five catches for 69 yards as offensive coordinator Brian Fleury called more plays to the tight end position, possibly to take advantage of Washington's commitment to Smith-Njigba. The tight ends combined for seven catches for 102 yards and a touchdown.NegativeUsageSep 27, 2026
Tight end AJ Barner was targeted on the critical play that resulted in Darnold's pick-six with 3:57 remaining; Darnold threw over the middle to Barner on a bootleg play, but the pass was intercepted by Kain Medrano and returned for a touchdown. Darnold acknowledged he should have thrown the ball at Barner's feet instead of forcing the pass.NegativeUsageSep 27, 2026
Receiver was targeted by Sam Darnold on his first pass attempt in Week 3 but the pass was incomplete as Darnold was forced to scramble.PositiveUsageSep 27, 2026
Barner was involved in big plays during Darnold's scoring drive in the second quarter, including a 32-yard reception; he was also the intended receiver on a fourth-down play near the goal line where Darnold scrambled and tried to force a pass that fell incomplete.NegativeUsageSep 27, 2026
Tight end AJ Barner was the intended receiver on Sam Darnold's game-deciding pick-six, when Commanders linebacker Kain Medrano slid underneath him and returned the pass 50 yards for a touchdown with 3:57 remaining.NegativeUsageSep 21, 2026
Barner had one catch for 8 yards plus a late 1-yard touchdown on a tush push play with 1:11 left to cap the scoring; tight ends were heavily utilized for blocking rather than receiving targets.NegativeUsageSep 20, 2026
AJ Barner capped a demoralizing 10-minute drive by the Seahawks offense with a 1-yard touchdown plunge in Week 2 against Arizona, contributing to the team's dominant 31-7 victory.PositiveUsageSep 20, 2026
Seahawks tight end AJ Barner scored on a 1-yard touchdown reception via a direct snap play (the 'Barnyard') with 1:11 remaining to extend Seattle's lead to 31-7. The play capped a 16-play, 70-yard drive in which the Seahawks threw only two passes, showcasing the team's ability to execute in the red zone with unconventional formations.NegativeUsageSep 10, 2026
AJ Barner helped lead the convoy for Smith-Njigba into the end zone on his touchdown.PositiveRoleSep 10, 2026
Barner, a tight end, helped lead a convoy for Jaxon Smith-Njigba into the end zone on the game-tying touchdown play. He also caught a 9-yard pass from Lock as part of the late-game drive that set up the go-ahead field goal.NegativeRoleSep 8, 2026
Tight end AJ Barner characterized Brian Fleury as 'a man of few words' who is 'about ball, about his business,' noting similarity to predecessor Klint Kubiak in being more reserved. This reflects Fleury's coaching style and demeanor with his position group.NegativeRoleSep 5, 2026
Seahawks tight end AJ Barner expressed readiness to move past the Super Bowl victory and focus on the 2026 regular season, stating 'I'm ready to turn the page, though. The Super Bowl was awesome, definitely a sick moment. But like, it's over with. It's in the past.' Barner emphasized that dwelling on last season won't help win games this year, noting that opposing teams won't care about the banner ceremony.NegativeDepth ChartSep 1, 2026
Tight end AJ Barner is under contract on his four-year rookie deal through 2027 at $1.197 million per year and is eligible for the first time for an extension next spring.PositiveRoleAug 29, 2026
Barner is one of the top three tight ends set since the first day of camp, securing a roster spot.PositiveRoleAug 15, 2026
The source identifies Barner among the key offensive additions to the Seahawks' roster in three seasons since the 2023 draft, listing him as part of the domino pieces that contributed to the team's Super Bowl championship.PositiveInjuryAug 14, 2026
Tight end underwent surgery this offseason to repair a long-standing ankle injury that had lingered since Senior Bowl week in 2024, two years prior; also dealt with hip, elbow, knee, and calf injuries last season but played all 17 regular-season games and all three playoff games, including catching a 16-yard TD pass in the Super Bowl; now reports feeling 'much better' and 'getting close to feeling better than I've ever felt.'PositiveDepth ChartAug 10, 2026
Barner appears set as one of the top three tight ends in the Seahawks room and is projected to make the 53-man roster.PositiveUsageAug 7, 2026
Barner caught a 25-yard pass from Darnold on a roll to his left during a scoring drive keyed by the No. 1 offense against the No. 2 defense.NegativeRoleAug 5, 2026
Player received no real mention in Hard Knocks premiere but is expected to potentially receive focus in upcoming episodes.PositiveProjectionAug 2, 2026
TE AJ Barner is healthy again and coming off a breakout season; new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury's scheme is expected to highlight the tight ends in the passing game even more than last season.NegativeRoleAug 2, 2026
Tight end AJ Barner was the primary starter at the position last season, with second-year tight end Elijah Arroyo settling into a backup role after being a breakout player in camp last year.NegativeRoleAug 1, 2026
Tight end AJ Barner made a catch over the middle and took off downfield during team drills, demonstrating involvement in the passing game; he was part of a handful of big plays by tight ends during practice.NegativeUsageAug 1, 2026
Tight end AJ Barner made a catch over the middle and took off downfield during team drills, drawing defensive attention and contributing to one of the scuffles that broke out during practice.PositiveRoleJul 29, 2026
Tight end AJ Barner praised new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury, saying he 'does a great job of just being all about ball' and is 'a great fit here,' suggesting confidence in the offensive scheme change.PositiveRoleJul 29, 2026
Tight end AJ Barner praised new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury, saying Fleury 'does a great job of just being all about ball' and is 'a great fit here' for the Seahawks' scheme-focused approach.PositiveInjuryJul 28, 2026
Tight end Barner, who had offseason surgery, is on a managed return plan similar to Horton and other players who missed the spring program. Barner told media he is 'feeling really good' physically and mentally, saying 'I just really want to come out here and have a great mindset about attacking the day' and expressing excitement about his direction.PositiveInjuryJul 26, 2026
Tight end AJ Barner returned to on-field drills after sitting out the entire offseason program following two surgeries to repair lingering issues, indicating progress in his recovery.NegativeInjuryJul 24, 2026
The tight end was limited during the offseason program due to injuries from last season but reported to practice Friday. Barner underwent surgeries in the offseason to address those injuries and was shown in pictures on the team's website reporting to practice.NegativeInjuryJul 24, 2026
The tight end was limited during the offseason program after undergoing surgeries in the offseason to address injuries from last season. He reported to practice Friday, indicating he is progressing toward full participation.PositiveProjectionJul 22, 2026
Barner had one of the better seasons by a Seahawks tight end in team history last year and offseason surgeries to fix nagging injuries might allow him to be even better in Year Three, suggesting upside for increased production.PositiveProjectionJul 22, 2026
Barner had one of the better seasons by a Seahawks tight end in team history a year ago; offseason surgeries to fix nagging injuries might allow him to be even better in Year Three.