Who Should I Start? Darren Waller or T.J. Hockenson

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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

Panthers Easing Darren Waller In

Monday, August 17, 4:49 PM

The Carolina Panthers are easing veteran tight end Darren Waller into action, according to Mike Kaye of ESPN.com. Waller signed with the Panthers five days ago, but he hasn't participated in a practice or game yet. Head coach Dave Canales said that he's not expected to get involved in the team's joint practices with the Jaguars that start Wednesday, but he might still get in uniform to participate in drills with quarterback Bryce Young. Waller is now 33 years old, so we're not too surprised that the Panthers are taking things slow and easing him in. His exact role and usage this season are uncertain, but he showed that he was still capable of producing last season, when he caught six touchdown passes across nine games with the Dolphins. He currently ranks as the TE35 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for 2026.

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Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.		 Rush.
Yds.		 Rush
TD		 Rec. Rec.
Yds.		 Rec
TD
8.4 0.0 0.0 3.8 33.8 0.2

T.J. Hockenson News

T.J. Hockenson Should be Viable TE2 Option

Wednesday, August 19, 5:13 PM

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson hasn't been the same on the field since tearing his ACL in January of 2024. Since returning from injury, Hockenson has 92 receptions for 893 receiving yards and three touchdowns across 25 games. He hasn't been horrible, but Hockenson used to be a top-five player at his position. It's tough to have success when J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer are offering subpar play at the quarterback spot. The hope is that the 29-year-old bounces back with Kyler Murray under center for the Vikings to begin the season. Murray had a ton of success when he was in Arizona with stud tight end Trey McBride. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect Hockenson to be a top option at his position, but he could offer viable TE2 value.

Darren Waller vs. T.J. Hockenson

Still trying to decide between Waller and Hockenson? 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 T.J. Hockenson is projected to score 8.4 points.