Who Should I Start? Darren Waller or Mike Gesicki

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.

Tuesday, December 30, 3:00 PM

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki has seen his snap share drop steadily over the past three games. Now, with nothing but divisional pride on the line in a Week 18 matchup with the Browns, there is no guarantee of playing time for the 30-year-old veteran in the first year of the three-year deal he signed this offseason. For fantasy managers still playing into Week 18, there are more alluring names to be found on the waiver wire, with a pleasant number of NFL teams still playing for something in the final week of the regular season. Gesicki did finish as the TE2 as recently as Week 14, so he does represent a ceiling uncommon to the waiver wire, but with an unclear picture of how the Bengals are approaching the end of the season, he is best viewed as a desperation-only play in deeper leagues.