| Player: Barner, AJ Position: TE Team: SEA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| News for Barner, AJ |
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AJ Barner caught 5-of-9 targets for 69 yards in the Seahawks’ Week 3 loss to the Commanders. 2026-09-27 17:00:03 It was easily Barner’s best receiving day of the year, although he was unable to find the end zone. His nine targets were second on the team behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s 14, and it’s clear he and Sam Darnold have more of a connection than he did with Drew Lock. Barner will be on the TE1 precipice for Week 4 against the Chargers, but this was encouraging. |
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A.J. Barner caught both of his targets for 13 yards in the Seahawks’ Week 1 win over the Patriots. 2026-09-10 01:00:02 Barner also had a tush push attempt that was called back by a penalty. With Jaxon Smith-Njigba soaking up 11 targets on just 24 team pass attempts, there wasn’t much volume to go around for the rest of the Seattle pass-catchers. Barner only topped four catches in 20 combined regular and postseason appearances last year. If Week 1 is any indication, he won’t be putting up big box scores very often this season either. He will barely crack the TE2 ranks when Seattle takes on Arizona next week. |
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Seahawks TE AJ Barner (oblique) is practicing in full for Week 1 against the Patriots. 2026-09-06 20:00:02 The Seahawks’ starting tight end is firmly on track to play in the 2026 season opener on Wednesday night. Barner is reportedly set to handle a bigger role than he did last year, when he finished as the PPR TE14. He can only be viewed as a borderline TE1/2 early on, though. |
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The Athletic’s Andrew Destin believes Seahawks TE AJ Barner “will likely see an uptick in production, as should backup TE Elijah Arroyo” this year. 2026-09-03 16:00:03 Destin notes that new Seahawks OC Brian Fleury served as the 49ers’ TE coach for four seasons “and is expected to feature the position prominently.” Aside from that, and an increase in shifts and motion, he thinks the offense is “going to look very similar” to last year. Barner underwent two offseason surgeries, one of which was to address a nagging ankle injury that Barner said he initially suffered during the 2024 Senior Bowl before the Seahawks drafted him. After turning in the PPR TE14 performance last season, Barner might have a shot to crack the position’s top 12. |
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ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler believes AJ Barner is an “ascending” player in the Seahawks offense. 2026-08-11 10:00:02 Fowlers said the team expects Barner to be more involved as a pass catcher in 2026 after recording 52 receptions for 519 yards and six touchdowns last season (while being targeted on 19 percent of his routes). Barner, following multiple offseason surgeries to clean up nagging injuries, is fully healthy and ready for a more prominent role in Seattle’s offense. New Seahawks offensive coordinator Brian Fleury, meanwhile, is expected to use plenty of two tight end sets in 2026, meaning TE Elijah Arroyo could see an increase in snaps and routes. Barner has a little bit of extra hidden upside as the Seahawks’ primary tush push option near the goal line. |