Darren Waller

Carolina Panthers
Tight End
FANTASY NEWS STATS INJURY

Darren Waller News RotoBaller

Darren Waller a Premier Tight End Streamer Ahead of Week 4

Carolina Panthers tight end Darren Waller was heavily involved in his team's passing game in their Week 3 loss to the Cleveland Browns, recording five catches for 51 yards on eight targets. The 34-year-old has gotten off to a solid start to the season, hauling in 10 receptions for 112 yards and two touchdowns on 13 targets across three games. Waller's increased usage came after Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker (quad) left the game with a quad strain. Coker reportedly avoided serious injury, but his status for Carolina's Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions is up in the air. Even if Coker plays, Waller could be in position for a big game in Week 4. The Lions' pass defense has really struggled to begin 2026 and has already given up six receiving touchdowns to tight ends this season. In leagues where he's available on the waiver wire, Waller profiles as a priority tight end streamer for fantasy managers.

Sep 28, 2026 5:09 PM EST

Darren Waller a Red-Zone Threat in Week 3

Carolina Panthers tight end Darren Waller is a touchdown threat in Week 3 against the Cleveland Browns. Waller's receiving volume figures to stay low, but if you are in dire need of a start at the position, Waller could deliver. The Panthers should find themselves in scoring position often on Sunday, and the team clearly wants to get Waller heavily involved around the goal line. He scored two touchdowns in Week 2 and had a touchdown called back due to a penalty in Week 1. Waller has yet to earn more than three targets in a game this season, so he is very touchdown-dependent. However, he is about as good a bet as anyone to score a touchdown in Week 3. Additionally, Cleveland has allowed at least 8.8 fantasy points to the opposing team's starting tight end in each game this season. If you are struggling with poor play at tight end, Waller could provide streaming value this week.

Sep 25, 2026 2:41 PM EST

Darren Waller Showing Great Red Zone Chemistry with Bryce Young

Carolina Panthers tight end Darren Waller has shown a strong connection with Bryce Young in his first two games with the Panthers, making an immediate impact after joining the team in August. He didn't play in the preseason, but when the games started to count, he became a prime option for Carolina in the red zone. Waller had a short touchdown called back due to a penalty in Week 1, but he found the end zone twice in Week 2. The 34-year-old caught all five of his targets for 61 yards in his two games and will continue to be a go-to option in the red zone due to his ability to win contested catches. He only played 35% of the team's snaps in Week 1 and 44% of the snaps in Week 2, so there is also the potential for more growth in other areas of the field as he settles into the team's offense. Waller is definitely a tight end on the rise and is a pickup to consider in all formats if you need tight end help. This week, he and the Panthers visit the Browns in Cleveland.

Sep 24, 2026 5:10 AM EST

Darren Waller Has Played His Way onto 12-Team Rosters

Carolina Panthers tight end Darren Waller made the most of limited work Sunday, catching all three of his targets for 33 yards and two touchdowns in a 34-3 win over Atlanta. The touchdowns will get the attention, but the role still needs some context. Waller played 29 offensive snaps, or 44%, while Tommy Tremble and Mitchell Evans both played more. That was still a step up from Week 1, when Waller logged 24 snaps and had a touchdown wiped out by penalty. Carolina clearly has a use for him near the goal line, and this is not new territory. Waller scored six times on only 24 catches for Miami last season. The volume may stay frustrating, but tight end is thin enough that those scoring chances matter. RotoBaller's Week 3 waiver coverage has him as an add in 12-team leagues, with one column calling him a must-add at that depth. He is worth picking up now, but managers should expect some low-target weeks along the way.

Sep 22, 2026 7:13 AM EST

Darren Waller a Boom-or-Bust Tight End Option Vs. Atlanta

Carolina Panthers tight end Darren Waller caught both of his targets for 28 receiving yards in last Sunday's 59-37 loss to the Chicago Bears. The 34-year-old did have a one-yard touchdown called back on a penalty. Waller signed a one-year, $1.3 million contract with the Panthers during training camp and did not play a preseason game. He will look to build chemistry with quarterback Bryce Young as he continues to learn Carolina's offense. The veteran TE is a boom-or-bust option in fantasy as he rotated with Tommy Tremble and Mitchell Evans throughout Week 1. Waller logged 24 snaps compared to Tremble's 34 and Evans' 27. Waller is touchdown-dependent and is an option in very deep leagues, and is RotoBaller's TE32 in the latest Week 2 rankings.

Sep 18, 2026 7:47 PM EST

Darren Waller Active for Week 1 Season Opener

Carolina Panthers tight end Darren Waller is officially active for his debut with the Panthers in the Week 1 season opener on Sunday against the Chicago Bears, according to Darin Gantt of the team's official website. With Waller active, Ja'Tavion Sanders is the odd man out as a healthy inactive to begin the 2026 season. Waller said earlier this week that he was practicing as if he was going to play against the Bears, and that turns out to be the case. However, the 34-year-old veteran will most likely be on a snap count as the Panthers continue to ease him into their offense after signing him in training camp. The Panthers also have Tommy Tremble, Mitchell Evans, and Feleipe Franks active to help carry the workload at tight end on Sunday against Chicago. Waller certainly has the most fantasy football appeal of any tight end on Carolina's roster for his red-zone prowess, but durability is a major concern, and he should be left out of starting lineups in Week 1, even in two-TE leagues.

Sep 13, 2026 8:35 AM EST

If Active, Darren Waller a Dart Throw in Week 1 Vs. the Bears

Carolina Panthers tight end Darren Waller signed a one-year contract with the Panthers this offseason and is expected to be the team's starting tight end. Waller practiced all week and recently worked with the first-team offense, with the plan to play in Week 1 against the Chicago Bears. According to Steve Reed of the Associated Press, Waller is not on the injury report for Week 1, but continues to ramp up his conditioning after joining the team in mid-August. The 33-year-old caught 24 passes for 283 yards and six touchdowns in nine games for the Dolphins last season. He gives quarterback Bryce Young a red zone weapon, but the Bears were stingy against tight ends last year, allowing the second-fewest fantasy points to the position. Waller ranks 31st in our tight end rankings and is mainly an option in deep-league TE premium leagues heading into Week 1. Even if Waller is active, he should be left on the bench and is a dart throw at best for the regular season opener.

Sep 12, 2026 4:31 AM EST

Darren Waller Ready to Go But Still Up in the Air for Sunday

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said that tight end Darren Waller is ready to go, but he stopped short of saying whether he will be active on Sunday for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Chicago Bears, according to Steve Reed of The Associated Press. Waller is not on the injury report in Week 1, but the 33-year-old continues to ramp up his conditioning after joining the Panthers in the middle of training camp. He said earlier this week that he was preparing to play this Sunday against the Bears, but even if he is active, Waller will be a tough sell for starting fantasy lineups in single-TE leagues. After retiring in 2024, the former sixth-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in 2015 from Georgia Tech made a return last year to play for the Miami Dolphins, where he played in only nine games and caught 24 passes for 283 yards and six touchdowns. Waller is still an intriguing red-zone tight end because of his size when he's active, but with a likely short leash if he plays this weekend, we would caution against throwing Waller out there right away if he plays against Chicago.

Sep 11, 2026 10:22 AM EST

Darren Waller Making Smooth Transition to Carolina Panthers

Carolina Panthers tight end Darren Waller is receiving positive buzz from the Carolina coaching staff as he prepares to be ready for Week 1. Head coach Dave Canales had this to say about the veteran tight end, on Panthers Wire, "Big and fast. The offensive stuff, the playbook stuff has been really smooth, really easy for him. And we have totally different terminology then where he was at in Miami before. Intelligent guy, hard worker. So he's been great from a mental standpoint." Waller played in nine games for the Miami Dolphins last year and caught 24 passes on 34 targets for 283 yards and six touchdowns. At age 33, Waller is still in great shape and is a threat in the red zone. He could emerge as a big target for quarterback Bryce Young in the target areas. He could be an under-the-radar tight end option.

Sep 10, 2026 6:33 AM EST

Darren Waller Takes Part in Team Drills With First-Team Offense

Carolina Panthers veteran tight end Darren Waller continues to ramp up for the start of the 2026 season and was in full pads while taking part in team drills with the first-team offense in Wednesday's practice, according to Kassidy Hill of the team's official website. "It was good," head coach Dave Canales said of Waller's practice. "Just backed him off a little bit (Tuesday), let him go today. Got RVAs (routes versus air) in, had a couple of nice targets out there on the field, made one catch; another one, Bryce progressed to somebody else. But he looked fast. He looked huge. So it was good to see his big frame out there moving around." After signing late in training camp on Aug. 12, the 33-year-old Waller figures to be the team's top pass-catching tight end for quarterback Bryce Young if he can stay healthy. After coming out of retirement to play for the Miami Dolphins in 2025, Waller only played in nine games and caught 24 passes for 283 yards and six touchdowns. The former Pro Bowler had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2019 and 202, but Waller is not the same player as he was back then, and he will likely be eased into the offense in Week 1 against the Chicago Bears. Waller will for sure be a red-zone weapon for Young because of his size (6-foot-6, 245 pounds), but outside of two-TE leagues, he will probably go undrafted.

Sep 2, 2026 6:02 PM EST

Darren Waller Playing With First Team, Seeing Snaps in the Slot

Carolina Panthers veteran tight end Darren Waller was seen lining up in the slot with the first-team offense in training camp practice on Wednesday, and per Kyle Bailey, it looks like Waller still has "some real burst off the line." The 33-year-old came out of retirement last year to join the Miami Dolphins, but he managed to play in only nine games while catching 24 of his 34 targets for 283 yards and six touchdowns. Fantasy managers should not be getting too excited yet about Waller in his new digs in Carolina, but it is notable that he is mixing in with the first-team offense in practices. The Panthers are going to continue to ease Waller into the fold, but if he is healthy, he figures to be their top pass-catching tight end option over Ja'Tavion Sanders, who could now be on the roster bubble. Waller is a former Pro Bowler who had two straight 1,000-yard seasons with 12 combined touchdowns in 2019 and 2020 with the Las Vegas Raiders. Durability is the biggest question mark for the oft-injured Waller as he embarks on his 10th NFL season in 2026. Right now, he is merely a sleeper at the position in two-TE fantasy leagues.

Aug 26, 2026 7:53 AM EST

Darren Waller Not Expected to Play in Preseason Finale

Carolina Panthers tight end Darren Waller is not expected to play in the preseason finale against the Houston Texans. Head coach Dave Canales said, "he'll pop into team drills, and we'll get him some exposure against the Texans in joint practices this week." Waller signed a one-year, $1.3 million contract with Carolina last week and appears to be in incredible shape heading into his tenth NFL season. Last season with the Miami Dolphins, Waller caught 24 of 34 targets for 283 yards and six touchdowns in nine games, ranking TE14 in half-PPR fantasy points per game. The former Raiders star tight end is currently ranked TE33 in RotoBaller's positional rankings and is unlikely to be a key fantasy contributor this season.

Aug 24, 2026 5:47 PM EST

Darren Waller in Phenomenal Shape Entering 2026 Season

Carolina Panthers tight end Darren Waller is in phenomenal shape heading into the 2026 season. Waller said his conditioning is "Night and day" compared to last season. Waller reportedly tore his quad two weeks after unretiring and signing with the Miami Dolphins last season, which kept him out for eight games in 2025. Despite the injuries and the Dolphins' lackluster passing attack, Waller still managed 283 yards and six touchdowns in nine games. Now in Carolina, head coach Dave Canales is excited about what Waller brings to the table, saying, "It's a unique element that he brings to whatever offense he's been a part of." Currently ranked TE35 in RotoBaller's positional rankings, Waller looks primed for a solid season that should surpass his ADP in 2026.

Aug 21, 2026 9:02 AM EST

Panthers Easing Darren Waller In

The Carolina Panthers are easing veteran tight end Darren Waller into action, according to Mike Kaye of ESPN.com. Waller signed with the Panthers five days ago, but he hasn't participated in a practice or game yet. Head coach Dave Canales said that he's not expected to get involved in the team's joint practices with the Jaguars that start Wednesday, but he might still get in uniform to participate in drills with quarterback Bryce Young. Waller is now 33 years old, so we're not too surprised that the Panthers are taking things slow and easing him in. His exact role and usage this season are uncertain, but he showed that he was still capable of producing last season, when he caught six touchdown passes across nine games with the Dolphins. He currently ranks as the TE35 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for 2026.

Aug 17, 2026 4:49 PM EST

Darren Waller Reaches Agreement With Panthers on One-Year Deal

Former Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller and the Carolina Panthers reached an agreement on Wednesday on an undisclosed one-year deal, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN. Waller, 33, will join a TE room in Carolina that already includes Ja'Tavion Sanders, Tommy Tremble, and Mitchell Evans. The former sixth-round pick out of Georgia Tech came out of retirement (after not playing in 2024) to play in nine games last year with the Miami Dolphins, catching 24 of 34 targets for 283 yards and six touchdowns. At 6-foot-6 and 238 pounds, Waller has always been a problem for defenses in the red zone, and he has 26 total touchdown catches in his nine years in the NFL. However, injuries were an issue for most of his career, and he missed time in 2025 with hip, groin, and pectoral issues. It's unclear right now how much of a role Waller will have with the Panthers, but his addition cannot be good news for Sanders' fantasy value. At best, Waller will be a touchdown-dependent, TE2 option in two-TE leagues in 2026 if he can actually stay on the field.

Aug 12, 2026 5:00 PM EST

Darren Waller Going on Injured Reserve

Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (groin) will be placed on Injured Reserve on Friday, according to Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN. Waller will miss the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday versus the division-rival New England Patriots. The 33-year-old veteran came out of retirement to play for the Dolphins in 2025 and will finish with 24 catches for 283 yards and six touchdowns in only nine games played. Waller got a late start to the season as he worked his way into playing shape and also missed time with a hamstring injury. He was not the same player he was earlier in his career with the Raiders, but Waller still had plenty of red-zone prowess in his return this year. It remains to be seen if he'll attempt to return in 2026 with Miami or another organization. Greg Dulcich should be the Dolphins' top pass-catching TE in Week 18.

Jan 2, 2026 12:55 PM EST

Darren Waller Lays an Egg in Week 17, Falling Down the Fantasy Ranks for Week 18

Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (groin) had a rough showing in Week 17 for fantasy managers as he saw only three targets and hauled in one of them for zero yards. On a day where rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers only threw 22 times (for 172 yards), and Jaylen Waddle (ribs) left the game, it was Greg Dulcich who saw the majority of the targets in Week 17 and led the team with six targets. No other pass-catcher saw more than three targets outside of Dulcich. In the two games since Tua Tagovailoa got benched, Waller has only been able to produce four receptions for 40 yards with Ewers, and that was in two solid fantasy matchups against teams that allow a lot of fantasy points to the tight end position (Bengals and Buccaneers). Although Ewers has played solidly in his first two starts, it's hard to trust Waller moving forward as anything better than a low-end touchdown-dependent TE2 in fantasy football, making him fall in the rankings as fantasy managers head into Week 18.

Jan 2, 2026 9:42 AM EST

Darren Waller Still Managing Groin Injury

Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (groin) was held out of practice on Wednesday as he continues to manage a groin injury, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel's David Furones. Waller also missed practice last week on Wednesday before playing in the Week 17 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he played only 38% of the offensive snaps and caught one of his three targets for no gain. Meanwhile, fellow TE Greg Dulcich caught five of his six targets for 58 yards and a touchdown. The 33-year-old Waller came out of retirement in 2025 to join the Dolphins, and he has 24 receptions for 283 yards and six touchdowns in his nine games played. However, rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers has taken more of a liking to Dulcich since taking over as the starting QB in Miami. At best, Waller will be a touchdown-dependent TE2 streamer in fantasy in Week 18 if he's active.

Dec 31, 2025 5:26 PM EST

Darren Waller Can Be a TE Sleeper in Week 17

Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller is working with a rookie QB in Quinn Ewers, so he has a wide range of possible outcomes this week at home against the Buccaneers. Waller has shown he still has a nose for the end zone with six touchdowns in eight games, but Ewers is still looking for his first NFL touchdown as he makes his second career start. Last week, Waller was second on the team with five targets and finished with three catches for 40 yards. While he did miss some practice earlier this week to manage his workload, Waller has no injury designation this week against the Bucs, who have been a top-10 matchup for tight ends this season. Tight ends have six touchdowns in the last five weeks against Tampa and 10 touchdowns on the season. Waller is the No. 16 TE in RotoBaller's rankings this week, but he has the potential to be a starting option if he gets into the end zone again in this game against Tampa Bay.

Dec 27, 2025 7:55 AM EST

Darren Waller to Continue Late-Season Surge?

Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (rest, groin) could not find the end zone again in Week 16's 45-21 lopsided loss to the Bengals, but projects to be a useful fantasy asset for the remainder of the season. Waller and the rest of the Dolphins' skill players' value took a hit last Sunday when the team announced they'd turn to rookie signal-caller Quinn Ewers. The move was a response to teammate Tua Tagovailoa floundering in his role as a starter. For one game, at least, it was a downgrade for the Dolphins' offense. However, Waller remained involved, placing second on the team in targets (five) behind wide receiver Jaylen Waddle's nine. Waller's upside won't be the same with Ewers under center, but owners can still rely on him as a fringy TE1, particularly against a Buccaneers' defense that's allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per game to the position (15.65).

Dec 25, 2025 1:29 PM EST