Who Should I Start? Darren Waller or Michael Mayer
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
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.2 | 21.3 | 0.1 |
Michael Mayer News
Friday, August 14, 4:55 PM
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer had a fast start to the preseason despite the 27-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Quarterback Kirk Cousins ended the first drive with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Mayer, who ended up with two receptions for 19 yards and that touchdown. With Raiders' TE1 Brock Bowers playing a single snap to start the game, Mayer had the opportunity to score. If Bowers were to miss any time this year, Mayer might have the best opportunity of his career to find success in what should be the best passing offense he has been a part of since entering the NFL. As RotoBaller's TE32 overall, Mayer likely won't be a major factor in redraft leagues but could prove to be an upside stash in dynasty leagues with this being the final year of his contract in Las Vegas.
Darren Waller vs. Michael Mayer
Still trying to decide between Waller and Mayer? 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 Michael Mayer is projected to score 5.0 points.
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