AJ Barner · Darren Waller · 2026 week 8

AJ Barner or Darren Waller?

Wondering who you should start this week — AJ Barner or Darren Waller? The start/sit call and the numbers behind it are below, plus who wins a straight-up trade. Rebuilt nightly.

Start AJ Barner — barelyThis one is a coin flip — the projections are within 0.8 points. The matchup leans AJ Barner (CHI allow the 15th-most TE points), but you can defend either call.

Player	Wk 8	Proj (PPR)	Matchup	Form L3	Trade value	Status
AJ Barner START	vs CHI	8.4	15th	6.1	12	healthy
Darren Waller	@ GB	7.6	31st · tough	9.6	33	healthy

TEs vs CHI recently: Tucker Kraft 6.6 pts (W5) · Kyle Pitts Sr. 18 pts (W6) · Eli Raridon 11.6 pts (W7).

TEs vs GB recently: Colston Loveland 1.9 pts (W5) · Brevyn Spann-Ford 3.5 pts (W6) · Sam LaPorta 1.8 pts (W7).

🎓 The coach's read

Projections are 0.8 apart — too close to call on projection alone.
AJ Barner has the higher floor (2.3) — the safer start if you are favoured.
AJ Barner has the higher ceiling (16.1) — the play if you need points.
AJ Barner faces CHI, 15th most generous to TEs.
Darren Waller faces GB, 31st most generous to TEs.

Who wins a straight-up trade?

Darren Waller carries the higher trade value — 33 against 12 (a 64% gap). In a one-for-one, the side receiving Darren Waller gets the most. Momentum: AJ Barner -3 and Darren Waller -309 over the last 30 days.

Open in Start/Sit (any scoring) Open in the Trade Analyzer

More TE decisions

AJ Barner or Terrance Ferguson?AJ Barner or Mike Gesicki?Darren Waller or Dalton Schultz?Darren Waller or Terrance Ferguson?Darren Waller or Mike Gesicki?

All numbers are the 2026 season, refreshed nightly.