Who Should I Start? Darren Waller or Dawson Knox


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Darren Waller News

Darren Waller Reaches Agreement With Panthers on One-Year Deal

Wednesday, August 12, 5:00 PM

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.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
4.6 0.0 0.0 1.7 19.3 0.2

Dawson Knox News

Dawson Knox Needs Touchdowns to Matter in Redraft

Sunday, August 9, 11:46 AM

Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox stayed involved last season, catching 36 passes for 417 yards and four touchdowns across 17 games. He was especially useful near the goal line, drawing 12 red-zone targets and scoring on four of them. The issue is what happens if Dalton Kincaid gets a healthier season and a larger role. Kincaid managed 39 catches for 571 yards and five scores in only 12 games in 2025, and he said this spring that he feels better physically than he has in years. Buffalo also picked up Kincaid's fifth-year option. Knox isn't going anywhere after agreeing to a new deal through 2028, and his blocking keeps him on the field plenty. That does not guarantee enough targets for fantasy. RotoBaller has Knox 255th overall in half-PPR, which is deep-draft territory. Unless Kincaid misses time, Knox looks more like a touchdown-dependent TE3 than someone to target in standard redraft leagues.


Darren Waller vs. Dawson Knox

Still trying to decide between Waller and Knox? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Darren Waller is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Dawson Knox is projected to score 4.6 points.