Who Should I Start? Darren Waller or Isaiah Likely

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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 Going on Injured Reserve

Friday, January 2, 12:55 PM

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.

Isaiah Likely - New York (TE)

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Week 1 Projections

Fant. Pts.	Rush. Yds.	Rush TD	Rec.	Rec. Yds.	Rec TD
9.0	0.0	0.0	3.4	37.7	0.3

Isaiah Likely News

Isaiah Likely the Number Two Option Behind Nabers

Monday, August 3, 5:52 AM

Despite a deep room of wide receivers on the New York Giants roster, NFL Insider Connor Hughes reports that it is tight end Isaiah Likely standing out as the number two option behind 2024 first-round pick Malik Nabers. Hughes calls Likely "more of a utility weapon than a traditional tight end" and points to his early chemistry with Jaxson Dart and the team's willingness to move him across the formation as indicators that a big year could be on the horizon. Likely has made plays at all three levels through the early days of training camp and could be in line for the heaviest target share of his young career after spending four seasons in Baltimore with All-Pro Mark Andrews. Likely is RotoBaller's TE14 and represents the exact type of upside that fantasy managers should be seeking in the later rounds of 2026 drafts.

Darren Waller vs. Isaiah Likely

Still trying to decide between Waller and Likely? 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 Isaiah Likely is projected to score 9.0 points.