Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller's pectoral injury is not season-ending, according to head coach Mike McDaniel. Waller suffered a pectoral injury in the Week 7 loss to the Cleveland Browns and was placed on Injured Reserve on Wednesday, but he should be able to make it back this season. However, the 33-year-old veteran will need to miss at least four games and will not be eligible to return for Miami until Week 13. In the meantime, the team will have to make due with a combination of Julian Hill (ankle), Tanner Conner, and Greg Dulcich at the position in an offense that already lost star receiver Tyreek Hill (knee) for the year. Fantasy managers should be avoiding Miami's TE situation until Waller can return. Waller, who came out of retirement after not playing at all in 2024, got a late start in 2025 due to another injury, but he scored four touchdowns in his first three games before getting injured in Week 7.
Oct 24, 2025 1:09 PM EST
The Miami Dolphins placed tight end Darren Waller (pectoral) on Injured Reserve on Wednesday due to the pectoral injury he suffered in the Week 7 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Waller will now be sidelined for at least the next four games. In a corresponding move, the Dolphins promoted tight end Greg Dulcich to the active 53-man roster. Waller won't be eligible to come off IR until after the team's Week 12 bye to face the New Orleans Saints in Week 13 on Sunday, Nov. 30. In the meantime, the 1-6 Dolphins will try to get by with Julian Hill, Tanner Conner, and Dulcich at the TE position. None of them are really worthwhile waiver targets in standard-sized fantasy leagues in the Dolphins' struggling offense. The 33-year-old Waller got a late start to the season after coming out of retirement, but he scored four touchdowns in his first three games before injuring his pec last Sunday.
Oct 22, 2025 12:48 PM EST
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (pectoral) managed only 16 snaps before leaving Sunday's game against the Browns with a chest injury. A Monday MRI revealed that the 33-year-old veteran suffered a pectoral strain, and he is now considered week-to-week. There were fears that he had suffered a full tear, which could have ended his season, so the news is positive for the fantasy surprise who came out of retirement this offseason to score four touchdowns in his first three games. With six teams on a Week 8 bye, fantasy managers without an IR spot might find it difficult to keep Waller stashed, but for contenders who can manage to keep him rostered, his upside at the position is worth holding onto.
Oct 20, 2025 2:12 PM EST
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (pectoral) was diagnosed with a pectoral strain following Sunday's Week 7 loss to the Cleveland Browns, according to agent Drew Rosenhaus. Waller will undergo an MRI on Monday morning. Both the team and player are hoping to avoid the worst-case scenario, which is a torn pectoral that would sideline him for the rest of the season. If the injury is less severe, Waller could miss a shorter period of time and would perhaps be able to avoid an injured reserve stint. Regardless, it does appear as though Waller is at risk of missing at least some time. Julian Hill and Tanner Conner are the next tight ends on the depth chart, but neither player possesses significant fantasy relevance.
Oct 20, 2025 12:13 AM EST
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (pectoral) has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's Week 7 contest against the Cleveland Browns. He exited in the second quarter and had not registered a statistic at the time of his departure. The veteran tight end had found success in recent weeks, though, catching 10 passes for 117 yards and four touchdowns over his last four games. Julian Hill and Tanner Conner will take over as Miami's primary tight ends until Waller is healthy enough to play again.
Oct 19, 2025 3:29 PM EST
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (pectoral) is currently considered questionable to return to Sunday's Week 7 contest against the Cleveland Browns. Waller appears to have suffered a pectoral injury and wasn't on the field for the final drive before halftime. Waller hasn't done anything on the field as he wasn't targeted in the game before exiting. If he remains out, Tanner Conner and Julian Hill should see expanded roles in the second half.
Oct 19, 2025 2:50 PM EST
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller has made an instant impression with his new team after missing the first three weeks of the season, and he's quickly become one of Tua Tagovailoa's top targets. He and the Dolphins visit the Browns in Week 7 in a matchup of two 1-5 teams. Waller has played more snaps each week and worked up to a 69% snap share last week against the Chargers. He only had two catches for 12 yards, but had another good fantasy day since he found the end zone for the fourth time in three contests. In his three games, he has 10 catches for 117 yards to go with his four scores, and that production is enough to make him RotoBaller's TE10 this week as he faces the Browns, who rank in the middle of the pack against tight ends.
Oct 18, 2025 6:39 AM EST
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller has been extremely productive since returning from his hip injury two weeks ago, and he'll be a solid starting option in Week 6 against the Chargers. Waller retired and did not play last year, and was sidelined by a hip issue for the first three weeks of 2025. He returned in Week 4 with two touchdowns and 27 yards against the Jets, and he built on that last week by hauling in all five of his targets for 78 yards and a third touchdown. His snap count doubled from 16 in Week 4 to 32 in Week 5, and he was a key contributor even at just a 58% snap share. If that number grows again this week, he should continue to progress and remain one of the focuses of the Dolphins' offense, which is now operating without Tyreek Hill (knee), leaving targets available from Tua Tagovailoa. Tua has looked Waller's way often and had great success, so Waller is the TE8 this week in RotoBaller's rankings and can be a very solid starter in standard-sized leagues.
Oct 11, 2025 6:28 AM EST
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller missed the first three games of the season with a hip injury, but he has made a huge impact in the last two weeks. He had two touchdowns against the Jets in his first game after returning following a year in retirement, and he found the end zone again in Week 5 against the Panthers. His snap count jumped from 16 (28%) in his debut to 32 (58%) in his second game back, and he should continue to get as much run as he can handle. Last year, Jonnu Smith was a productive tight end with Tua Tagovailoa, and Waller looks like he can be as he ramps up this season. Waller will help carry the load for Miami with Tyreek Hill (knee) out for the season, as Jaylen Waddle takes over the top receiver role. He's a fringe TE1 at this point, but if he stays healthy, it looks like he'll be able to be a solid standard-league starter in favorable matchups.
Oct 7, 2025 10:35 AM EST
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller hauled in all five of his targets for 78 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 27-24 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Waller was in line for a big afternoon, after all five of his receptions came in the first half, and his touchdown came from four yards out to put the Dolphins up 17-0 at the time. What is most encouraging is that he also hauled in a 34-yard and 21-yard reception, showing that he is more than just a red zone threat for his quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa. This marks his second straight game with a touchdown and demonstrates a reliable floor when healthy. With presumed increased volume, Waller belongs in the TE1 conversations and should be rostered based on his red-zone upside. In addition, he was third on the team in targets, behind Jaylen Waddle and De'Von Achane.
Oct 6, 2025 9:50 AM EST
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller caught all five of his targets for 78 yards and one touchdown during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the Carolina Panthers. The veteran pass catcher was primarily involved in the first half, as all five catches came within the first 20 minutes of the contest. We'd like to see him contribute steadily throughout the whole game, but we also know that fantasy managers won't complain about a 78-yard, one-touchdown showing from a tight end, regardless of the timestamps when he caught each pass. Waller has scored at least 17.7 fantasy points (PPR) in each of his first two games back from retirement, ranking as the overall TE2 in fantasy football over the last two weeks. His volume and scoring ability instantly make him a top streaming option for Week 6, as he should rank as a top-12 fantasy tight end in his matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Oct 6, 2025 1:07 AM EST
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller caught two touchdown passes in his season debut last week, but fantasy managers should temper expectations for the veteran pass catcher heading into Week 5 against the Carolina Panthers. After all, Waller only caught three passes on a 28 percent snap share last week. Not only is scoring two touchdowns on that level of volume very rare, but so is merely having fantasy relevance. He'd likely need to start playing at least half of the snaps before warranting some fantasy consideration, especially in Miami's subpar offense. Of course, there's a chance that his workload could increase this weekend. He has cleared the hurdle of playing his first game back from injury and could be more involved by necessity after fellow pass catcher Tyreek Hill (knee) was lost for the rest of the season. Managers in deeper leagues can justify stashing Waller on their benches, but he shouldn't be started in fantasy football if he's going to continue playing less than one-third of the snaps.
Oct 5, 2025 9:26 AM EST
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller made an immediate impact in Week 4 with three catches on four targets for 47 yards and two touchdowns. He'll look to continue his big contributions in Week 5 against the Panthers, who have been a favorable matchup for tight ends this season. Waller only played 16 snaps (28%) in his return from retirement, but he said he's ready for "a jump" in his snap count if that's what his coaches want. Without Tyreek Hill (knee), Waller could be the second option for Tua Tagovailoa behind top receiver Jaylen Waddle. He should find space to work against the Panthers, who have allowed the second-most yards per game to the position in the NFL. Waller is still volatile after just a one-week sample size, but he's a viable emergency option as RotoBaller's TE16 this week.
Oct 4, 2025 11:25 AM EST
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (hip, rest) projects to become a more prominent figure in the team's pass attack following the injury to wide receiver Tyreek Hill (knee). Waller made his season debut in Week 4's win over the New York Jets, hauling in two touchdowns on 3-of-4 receiving in his first appearance since Week 18 of 2023. The veteran's volume should increase as the Fins continue ramping up his workload, but even more promising was his work in the red zone. Despite logging just 16 snaps on Monday, Waller's two targets inside the 20-yard line match him with two other players on the team behind Jaylen Waddle (five). Miami hasn't had a big, imposing target like the 33-year-old in recent history, making him an asset to monitor ahead of their outing with the hosting Carolina Panthers this weekend.
Oct 3, 2025 11:26 AM EST
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller said Wednesday that his snap count is likely to increase in the coming weeks, according to Miami reporter Barry Jackson. The veteran tight had quite a debut for the Dolphins in Week 4, catching three passes for 27 yards and two touchdowns on just four targets and 16 total snaps. Miami has eased Waller back into action this season, but he figures to keep gaining more time after Monday night. With receiver Tyreek Hill (knee) out for the foreseeable future, Waller could quickly become one of the team's top pass-catching options alongside receiver Jaylen Waddle and running back De'Von Achane.
Oct 2, 2025 9:56 AM EST
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller caught three of four targets for 27 yards and two touchdowns on Monday night against the Dolphins. In his first game since January 2024, Waller caught two touchdowns, including a highlight catch rising over Sauce Gardner. It was the third two-touchdown game of his career. The 33-year-old moved well and looked good for the most part after missing a lot of time. He played only 25% of the snaps in the first week back, but that number should increase as he gets conditioned and acclimated. With Tyreek Hill injured and likely out for the season, other Miami pass catchers will have to step up, which could open a window for Waller. His value as a red zone threat is clear, and his role in the offense could expand. He'll be a name to consider on waiver wires this week.
Sep 30, 2025 12:41 AM EST
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (hip) does not have an injury status for Monday Night Football against the Jets, setting him up for his first action of the season. The 33-year-old had a few huge years with the Raiders but has not played a game since the 2023 season. The Dolphins lured him out of retirement this year, but he hasn't been able to play due to a hip issue. It's very uncertain what he'll be ready to contribute on Monday Night Football against the Jets, who have been fairly good against tight ends this season. He is worth a stash from the waiver wire if you are desperate for a tight end solution. However, it seems unlikely that Waller will have a huge role right away. He's the TE37 in RotoBaller's Week 4 rankings, so he isn't an option to play this week, even though he is worth watching to evaluate his future potential.
Sep 28, 2025 7:27 AM EST
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (hip) doesn't carry an injury designation for Monday's Week 4 matchup against the New York Jets. Finally, Waller is ready to make his season debut after missing the first three games due to a hip issue. This marks the first time that Waller has played in a game since the 2023 season. That being said, fantasy managers can't be certain what they're going to get from the 33-year-old. Waller could be worth a stash for tight end needy fantasy managers. However, it's unlikely that Waller is going to have a huge role in the offense during his first game.
Sep 27, 2025 6:24 PM EST
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said tight end Darren Waller "looks firmly ready to contribute," according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The veteran tight end came out of retirement to sign with Miami, which has treaded cautiously with him prior to making his team debut. Waller, now 33, hasn't played a game in two years after sitting out all of 2024, but looks set to play Monday against the New York Jets. On a Miami offense that has looked lost for most of this year, Waller has an opportunity for targets right away, but his biggest value will likely be in deeper leagues that start two tight ends.
Sep 27, 2025 2:04 PM EST
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (hip) is expected to make his season debut on Monday Night Football against the Jets. Waller came out of retirement this offseason and was traded to Miami to help replace Jonnu Smith, who posted a strong 2024 campaign. However, injuries have kept Waller sidelined for the first three games of 2025. His return provides a boost of excitement for the Dolphins' offense, but expectations should be tempered. The Jets have been solid against tight ends, allowing the sixth-fewest receiving yards to the position this season. Combined with the likelihood of a limited snap count, Waller is not a startable option in Week 4, though he could develop into a streaming candidate if his role grows.
Sep 27, 2025 11:56 AM EST
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