Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said newly signed tight end Darren Waller is not injured, but rather taking things "cautiously," according to Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN. The veteran came out of retirement to sign with Miami, so the club has opted to take things slowly in practice as they approach the first week, according to Grier. Jonnu Smith had a breakout season playing for the Dolphins a year ago, piling up 88 catches and eight touchdowns, but was traded to Pittsburgh during the offseason. Waller figures to be the team's top receiving option from the tight end spot.
Aug 27, 2025 10:54 AM EST
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller "has continued his progression" and will be seen more and more this week, head coach Mike McDaniel told members of the media, including C. Isaiah Smalls II. Waller spent most of the summer on the PUP list as he underwent basic conditioning upon returning to the NFL. Acquired from the Giants this offseason, Waller unretired and is ramping up his participation in practice. At this rate, it seems likely that Waller will be available for the Dolphins' season opener Sept. 7 against the Indianapolis Colts. RotoBaller's NFL experts currently rank Waller as the TE26 heading into the 2025 fantasy football season.
Aug 26, 2025 12:00 AM EST
The Miami Dolphins have activated recently acquired tight end Darren Waller from the physically unable to perform list. The Dolphins traded a 2026 6th-round pick to the New York Giants in July for Waller and a conditional 7th. Waller came out of retirement to join the Dolphins after Miami traded incumbent tight end Jonnu Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Waller turns 33 in September, and he has been out of football for over a year, last seeing game action with the Giants in the 2023 season. Should the Dolphins' offense operate anything like it did last season, there will be ample opportunity for Waller to eventually work the short-to-intermediate area of the field where Smith saw the majority of his 109 targets, good enough for 4th amongst tight ends. While Waller's game was always at its best when his trademark athleticism was used to stretch the field, it remains to be seen just how much juice he has left. However, a safety valve role for Tua Tagovailoa could create enough of a floor to keep Waller fantasy relevant one more time.
Aug 20, 2025 10:46 AM EST
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said the team is targeting this week for the practice debut of tight end Darren Waller, though nothing is finalized. The 32-year-old hasn't played since 2023 with the Giants, when he caught 52 passes for 552 yards and one touchdown. Waller enters a wide-open tight end room in Miami and could push for immediate starting duties. If healthy, he adds another dynamic weapon to an already explosive offense featuring Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and De'Von Achane, making him a late-round fantasy sleeper.
Aug 18, 2025 7:43 PM EST
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller will not join the team for training camp practices this week, according to head coach Mike McDaniel. Waller began camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list due to conditioning issues after coming out of retirement, and McDaniel isn't ready to throw him iinto the fire during joint practices this week with the Detroit Lions. The 32-year-old veteran will continue to work on his conditioning after not playing at all in 2024, but he's unlikely to come off the PUP list and play in the second preseason game this Saturday against the Lions. Waller had back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons in 2019 and 2020 with the Raiders, but it's fair to wonder if he has that kind of production in him at this point in his career. He's worth a late-round flier as a TE2 given the weak nature of the position, but don't expect him to put up the numbers that Jonnu Smith did in Miami in 2024.
Aug 12, 2025 1:19 PM EST
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller is about a week away from practicing, according to Joe Schad of The Palm Beach Post. The veteran tight end has spent the start of training camp on the PUP list with an undisclosed injury. However, it appears the 32-year-old is nearing a return to the practice field. The Dolphins acquired Waller earlier in the offseason via trade with the Giants. Waller retired from football in June of 2024 but will now fill a vacancy in Miami after Jonnu Smith was shipped to Pittsburgh. Waller's last season in the NFL was in 2023 with the Giants. Across 12 games, he caught 52 passes for 552 yards. While he has dealt with numerous injuries during his career, he has flashed elite upside at times, especially with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders. Given that he will likely operate as the clear TE1 in Miami, he could be worth a look as a late-round TE2 in deeper formats.
Aug 6, 2025 9:08 AM EST
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller will be ready for Week 1, agent Drew Rosenhaus declared. "I don't think there's any doubt that Darren will be ready for the start of the regular season," Rosenhaus told Josh Moser. Waller sat out last season after announcing his retirement, but the Dolphins surprisingly acquired him in a trade with the New York Giants in July. The 32-year-old has since ended his retirement to play for Miami, but he's on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list and working back into game shape. Waller is expected to serve as Miami's No. 1 tight end, replacing the departed Jonnu Smith. The Dolphins heavily relied on Smith last year during an 88-catch, 111-target, eight-touchdown campaign. That could bode well for Waller if he's still capable of serving in a starting role. In 2023, his most recent season, he played in 12 games and caught 52 of 74 targets for 552 yards and a touchdown.
Aug 5, 2025 8:49 PM EST
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said on Monday that tight end Darren Waller is in "tremendous shape," but the team isn't allowing that to "trick us into thinking he's in football shape." Waller was "very active" with tight ends coach Jon Embree on Monday, according to ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques. The 32-year-old isn't dealing with any type of injury, but the Dolphins placed him on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list to start training camp after he retired and sat out all of the 2024 campaign. Waller is back now and should serve as the team's top pass-catching TE after they traded Jonnu Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers. There's no guarantee that he'll be anything near the type of receiver he was in his peak seasons with the Raiders, but given the shallow fantasy position of TE, Waller is at least worthy of a TE2 dart throw.
Jul 28, 2025 6:11 PM EST
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller starting training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list is standard procedure for players coming out of retirement, according to head coach Mike McDaniel. "You're trying to be responsible. There's no gravity to it. This is a well-conditioned athlete who's in great shape. There's a 0 to 60 element in it that you try to be preventative and responsible as he gets his feet wet, that was our motivation," McDaniel said. The 32-year-old isn't dealing with a specific injury, but the Dolphins aren't going to throw Waller into the fire right away after he didn't play at all in 2024. When the regular season begins, Waller will be the team's top pass-catching tight end, although fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to necessarily put up the numbers Jonnu Smith did in a breakout year in 2024. Still, Waller will be attractive as a TE2 flier, especially in TE-premium leagues.
Jul 23, 2025 6:22 PM EST
The Miami Dolphins announced on Tuesday that they placed tight end Darren Waller (undisclosed) on the Physically Unable to Perform list with an undisclosed injury. Waller probably isn't dealing with any physical ailment, but the Dolphins will give him extra time at the start of training camp after coming out of retirement to join Miami in 2025. The 32-year-old veteran did not play at all in 2024 after catching 52 passes for 552 yards and only one touchdown on 74 targets with the New York Giants in 2023. Fantasy managers definitely shouldn't be expecting Waller to put up the numbers that Jonnu Smith did in Miami last year, but given the lack of enticing options at the TE position in fantasy, Waller is worth at least a late-round flier. He was a Pro Bowler in 2020 with the Raiders and had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with the Silver and Black in 2019-20.
Jul 22, 2025 6:17 PM EST
Miami Dolphins new tight end Darren Waller signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the organization this week. The veteran can earn an additional $3 million in incentives. Waller came out of retirement this offseason after sitting out the 2024 campaign and was dealt to the Dolphins from the New York Giants as part of a late-round NFL Draft pick swap. With Jonnu Smith now in Pittsburgh, Waller won't face much competition from Julian Hill, Pharaoh Brown, or Tanner Conner to secure the clear TE1 role in Miami. Although Waller's last season of at least 60 catches or 700 yards came in 2020, he could enter the fantasy football TE1 radar based on the usage Smith received a season ago. For now, he should be viewed as a mid-range TE2 option, but the former Pro Bowler has at least some intriguing upside as a potential go-to red zone target for Tua Tagovailoa.
Jul 16, 2025 2:58 PM EST
The Miami Dolphins have officially agreed to send a 2026 sixth-round draft selection in exchange for former New York Giants tight end Darren Waller and a conditional 2027 seventh-round pick, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. This trade seemingly came out of nowhere, directly following the announcement that Miami had traded Pro Bowl tight end Jonnu Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Waller posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2019 and 2020, but he did not eclipse 700 yards in 2021, 2022, and 2023 before taking the 2024 season off. While he should not be expected to be a high-end TE1, the tight end spot is always shallow, meaning he could find his way onto the fantasy football radar in 2025. A mid-range TE2 or even low-end TE1 season is not out of the realm of possibilities. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle present fierce target competition, but they also open the middle of the field up with their explosive skill sets.
Jul 8, 2025 2:02 PM EST
The Miami Dolphins are finalizing a trade with the New York Giants on Tuesday for former Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller, who is coming out of retirement, sources tell NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Waller retired last summer after catching 52 of his 74 targets for 552 yards and just one touchdown in 12 games (11 starts) with the G-Men in 2023. Miami was desperate for an addition at tight end after trading Jonnu Smith and cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. The Dolphins and Giants are also swapping late-round draft picks in the Waller trade. Waller will turn 33 in September and hasn't played more than 12 games since his Pro Bowl season in 2020, but he should automatically become Miami's top pass-catching tight end. The volume alone should make him at least a TE2 target with upside in fantasy, but don't expect him to replicate Smith's numbers from last year in Miami.
Jul 1, 2025 12:10 PM EST
New York Giants tight end Darren Waller announced his retirement on Sunday. There was talk about this, so the news isn't surprising to many. The 2015 sixth-round pick spent his first two seasons in Baltimore before spending five seasons with Oakland/Las Vegas. It was with the Raiders where he made a name for himself, posting back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns and becoming widely known as one of the NFL's top tight ends. Unfortunately, Waller battled injuries over the years, and he finished his final season in the league with the Giants by amassing only 552 yards and a touchdown off 52 catches. But with Waller now out of the equation, Daniel Bellinger and rookie Theo Johnson are the favorites to fill the void at the position moving ahead, with both men likely battling throughout training camp for the right to sit atop the depth chart.
Jun 9, 2024 5:18 PM EST
New York Giants tight end Darren Waller is expected to make a decision on his 2024 playing status by next week's mini-camp, and people in and around the organization expect he will announce his retirement, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN. Waller has had a tough time staying healthy lately, as he's missed 19 games over the last three years with lingering lower-body injuries. The 31-year-old posted consecutive 1,000-yard seasons with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders in 2019 and 2020, but he hasn't reached 700 yards since. If Waller decides to call it a career, target competition for No. 6 overall pick Malik Nabers will be even further reduced. Meanwhile, Daniel Bellinger and rookie Theo Johnson will likely compete for TE1 duties. Either player will have limited upside in Daniel Jones' offense. Whether Waller continues to play or not, his career exceeded expectations considering he was a converted wide receiver and had fewer than 200 receiving yards to his name in the three years before his 2019 breakout season.
Jun 3, 2024 10:01 AM EST
New York Giants tight end Darren Waller, who has been contemplating retirement this offseason, has not been in attendance for the team's voluntary organized team activities this week, and there is no word on when he expects to join the team. All signs are pointing toward Waller hanging up his cleats after posting a disappointing 52 receptions for 552 yards and one touchdown on 74 targets in 12 starts in his first year in the Big Apple last year. The 31-year-old doesn't have any guarantees left on his contract, and the Giants could free up $11.625 million in salary cap space if he's a post-June 1 cut. He has missed at least five games due to injuries in each of the last three seasons. If Waller officially calls it quits, Daniel Bellinger figures to serve as the team's primary pass-catching tight end in 2024.
May 23, 2024 2:33 PM EST
New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen said on Thursday that he hasn't given tight end Darren Waller a deadline on his retirement decision this offseason. "Hopefully he's going to make a decision in the short term, but we're giving him time and space to make a decision on what he wants to do," Schoen said. Waller said in early March that he'd have a decision soon, but that hasn't come to fruition for the 31-year-old. A hamstring injury limited him to 12 games in 2023, and he finished with 52 catches for 552 yards and one touchdown. Waller is no longer in the prime of his career like he was with the Las Vegas Raiders and will be a pretty big injury risk as a low-end TE1 in fantasy if he decides to return for another season in 2024.
Apr 18, 2024 9:54 PM EST
New York Giants tight end Darren Waller said on Friday that he is "still undecided" on if he is going to continue his playing career in 2024. A previous report on Friday suggested that while Waller had considered retirement after last season, he was expected to return this year. The 31-year-old dealt with more hamstring issues in his first year in the Big Apple and finished with a disappointing 52 catches on 74 targets for 552 yards and only one touchdown in 12 games played. He's due to make $10.5 million in base salary in 2024 and count $14 million against the salary cap. The Giants have no intention of making him a cap casualty. The only other tight end on the roster with substantial playing time is Daniel Bellinger, who is set to enter his third season in 2024. At this point in his career, Waller is an extreme injury risk as a TE1 in fantasy.
Mar 2, 2024 2:40 PM EST
New York Giants tight end Darren Waller reportedly considered retirement after a disappointing first season in New York in 2023, according to sources. Waller was injured again last year and had just one touchdown in 12 games played in the Big Apple. The 31-year-old veteran will not walk away, though, and has chosen to return in 2024. He's due to make $10.5 million in base salary this year and count $14 million on the salary cap. Waller will not be an offseason cap casualty, according to a source. In 2019 and 2020, Waller had 197 catches, 2,341 yards and 12 touchdowns. But hamstring injuries caused him to miss 14 games in 2021 and 22 with the Raiders, and hamstring issues resurfaced again in 2023. He'll be a massive TE1 injury risk in fantasy this fall.
Mar 1, 2024 2:05 PM EST
New York Giants tight end Darren Waller caught five of his six targets for 45 yards in the team's Week 18 upset victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. His stat line was a microcosm for his 2023 campaign. Despite being the prized offseason addition for the G-Men, Waller rarely boomed for fantasy football. He was often just average, even in rare games when the Giants' passing offense was humming. The veteran did not post back-to-back double-digit PPR fantasy points games at all this season. Waller finishes the season with 52 catches for 552 yards and just one touchdown.
Jan 7, 2024 9:08 PM EST
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