Who Should I Start? Darren Waller or Noah Gray

Tuesday, July 8, 2:02 PM

The Miami Dolphins have officially agreed to send a 2026 sixth-round draft selection in exchange for former New York Giants tight end Darren Waller and a conditional 2027 seventh-round pick, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. This trade seemingly came out of nowhere, directly following the announcement that Miami had traded Pro Bowl tight end Jonnu Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Waller posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2019 and 2020, but he did not eclipse 700 yards in 2021, 2022, and 2023 before taking the 2024 season off. While he should not be expected to be a high-end TE1, the tight end spot is always shallow, meaning he could find his way onto the fantasy football radar in 2025. A mid-range TE2 or even low-end TE1 season is not out of the realm of possibilities. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle present fierce target competition, but they also open the middle of the field up with their explosive skill sets.

Saturday, January 25, 10:05 PM

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Noah Gray is a low-floor desperation play in this Sunday's Conference Championship bout with the Buffalo Bills. Gray had a stretch of four games in the middle of the season when he snagged four touchdowns and nabbed at least four passes per contest. However, he's since caught just eight balls while seeing his snap percentage drop roughly 10-20% per outing. The drop in playing time coincides with the return of wide receiver Marquise Brown, so it makes sense that the 25-year-old has had his work cut some. He'll still be eligible to catch a short-area TD or two, but by and large, is tough to trust from a volume standpoint in a passing attack that hasn't been all that effective this season. Gray can be safely avoided for fantasy purposes, even in a game that should feature a healthy amount of points.