AJ Barner or Colston Loveland: Who Should You Start?

2026 Week 3 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.

Start Loveland — the consensus rank and projection edges are too wide to ignore.

Colston Loveland is the higher consensus play (TE3 to TE25) and projects 9.7 to Barner's 6.6. Barner's edge is the game script, 25.0 implied points to 24.0. The gap is wide.

AJ Barner

AJ Barner

TE25SEAvs WSH

Projected Points

Sit
Colston Loveland

Colston Loveland

TE3CHIvs PHI

Projected Points

Sit

AJ Barner’s market

REC
O/U 2.5
-122 / -104
Receptions Props →
REC YDS
O/U 22.5
-120 / -111
Receiving Yards Props →
ATD
Anytime TD
+310
Anytime Touchdown Props →

Colston Loveland’s market

REC
O/U 2.5
-148 / +112
Receptions Props →
REC YDS
O/U 29.5
-114 / -114
Receiving Yards Props →
ATD
Anytime TD
+400
Anytime Touchdown Props →
SEA@
WSHSun, Sep 27, 1:00 PM ETView the game →
PHI@
CHIMon, Sep 28, 8:15 PM ETView the game →

Why AJ Barner

Sit

TE1 with dual-role value. Willing blocker who emerged as a red-zone target with six TDs on 52 catches.

Sit — bench-tier TE at consensus TE25: 25.0 implied team total, 6% target share.

  • WSH ranks 20 of 32 against TEs (a middle-of-the-road matchup, 2-game sample).
  • Vegas implies 25.0 team points as 3.5-point favorites.
  • Listed TE on the latest depth chart with a 84% snap share.

Why Colston Loveland

Sit

TE1 and pass-catching mismatch. Seam-stretching move tight end with flex alignment and rising target volume.

Sit — TE3 consensus, projects TE14 this week: PHI is the 2nd-toughest matchup vs TEs, 24.0 implied team total.

  • PHI ranks 2 of 32 against TEs (one of the tougher matchups, 2-game sample).
  • Vegas implies 24.0 team points as 1.5-point favorites.
  • Listed TE on the latest depth chart with a 87% snap share.

Latest on Loveland

Role

Loveland has been almost invisible through two games with just one catch for three yards on five targets, and his primary role has instead been as a blocker, including being responsible for the block on the game-ending sack allowed against Minnesota.

SI.com (Bears On SI) · Sep 22, 2026
'No block, no rock' is not just a mantra for Bears' offense

When even the "little guys" are getting a hat on a hat, it's that much easier to post 59 points and over 500 yards.

ESPN · Sep 16, 2026
Colston Loveland's Week 2 preview
VideoESPN · Sep 16, 2026

Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.

Head-to-head stats

MetricAJ BarnerColston Loveland
Projected points
Consensus rankTE25TE3
Opponent vs positionWSH · 20 of 322-game samplePHI · 2 of 322-game sample
Receptions9 of 323 of 32
Receiving Yards25 of 322 of 32
Receiving TDs31 of 321 of 32
Targets3 of 323 of 32
Anytime TD31 of 321 of 32
Target share6%9%
Reception share8%2%
Implied total · spread25.0-3.524.0-1.5
Depth chartTE1TE1
Snap share84%87%

Recent form

AJ Barner — last 2 weeks

Week 2vs ARI
Week 1vs NE

Colston Loveland — last 2 weeks

Week 2vs MIN
Week 1vs CAR

Signal breakdown

  • 6.6 vs 9.7 projected PPR pointsColston Loveland +
  • Rank 25 vs 3Colston Loveland +
  • Opponent DvP rank 20 vs 2 (32 = softest)even
  • Implied 25.0 vs 24.0 team pointsAJ Barner +
  • No injury designationseven
  • 84% vs 87% snap shareColston Loveland +

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