Who Should I Start? Darren Waller or Gunnar Helm

Tuesday, July 1, 12:10 PM

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.

Wednesday, May 7, 3:12 PM

Tennessee Titans rookie wide receiver Elic Ayomanor and tight end Gunnar Helm were both fourth-round selections in the 2025 NFL Draft. While fourth-round picks are not guaranteed to make an impact right away, the Stanford and Texas products, respectively, "should have a path to contributing early," according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Many draft analysts had a Round 2 or Round 3 grade on Ayomanor, who posted 1,844 yards and 12 touchdowns in two collegiate seasons. The Titans' wide receiver group behind Calvin Ridley and the aging Tyler Lockett is underwhelming, so don't be surprised if Ayomanor is starting at the X-WR spot early in his rookie campaign. Meanwhile, Chig Okonkwo is still slotted in as the starter at tight end, but Helm, who caught 60 passes and scored seven touchdowns last season, could eat into his snaps and become a factor in 12-personnel. Neither pass-catcher is likely to be a consistent fantasy producer in an offense led by rookie quarterback Cam Ward, but they should be monitored throughout the season as potential waiver wire targets in deeper setups.