Who Should I Start? Darren Waller or Caleb Williams

Friday, September 5, 5:07 PM

Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (hip) was unable to practice all week and was officially ruled out for the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, per Travis Wingfield of MiamiDolphins.com. Waller retired and did not play football in 2024 but came out of retirement to play for the Dolphins this season. Miami took it easy on him this summer in training camp as he worked his way back into football shape before suffering a setback with his hip before Thursday's practice. The 32-year-old veteran will now miss the season opener and could also be in danger of sitting out in Week 2 against the division-rival New England Patiots. At best, Waller is a bench stash as a TE2 in deeper leagues while he tries to get into shape and overcome a hip ailment. Fantasy managers should ignore Julian Hill and Tanner Conner, who will split TE duties with Waller sidelined.

Tuesday, September 9, 12:47 AM

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams completed 21 of 35 passes for 210 yards with one touchdown in a 27-24 loss against the Vikings. He also rushed for 58 yards on six carries with a touchdown. It was a smooth start for Williams and the new Bears offense under head coach Ben Johnson as they marched down the field for a touchdown on their opening drive. However, their offense scored only three points over their next nine drives. The run game with D'Andre Swift was largely inefficient, and Williams mostly took what the defense gave him. Williams found Rome Odunze for a touchdown right late in the fourth quarter to close the lead to three, but it was not enough. On a positive note, Williams looked very smooth and fast as a runner tonight, which is a key part of his fantasy appeal. It was a decent season debut for Williams as he builds his understanding of Johnson's offense, and he should be viewed as a low-end QB1 for fantasy purposes with his dual-threat ability.