Things are complicated now for Waller after Tua Tagovailoa was benched in favor of rookie Quinn Ewers. Can we trust Waller even in a dream matchup against the Bengals? He just had a breakout game at the right time in Week 15 at Pittsburgh with seven catches for 66 yards and two touchdowns on eight targets. He now gets to face Cincinnati in Week 16, and the Bengals are No. 1 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends. I'll still use Waller as a low-end starter in all leagues. Hopefully, he and Ewers can develop a quick rapport, and 13 tight ends have scored at least 10.7 PPR points against Cincinnati this season.
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Dolphins' Darren Waller: Sleeper TEs
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Things are complicated now for Waller after Tua Tagovailoa was benched in favor of rookie Quinn Ewers. Can we trust Waller even in a dream matchup against the Bengals? He just had a breakout game at the right time in Week 15 at Pittsburgh with seven catches for 66 yards and two touchdowns on eight targets. He now gets to face Cincinnati in Week 16, and the Bengals are No. 1 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends. I'll still use Waller as a low-end starter in all leagues. Hopefully, he and Ewers can develop a quick rapport, and 13 tight ends have scored at least 10.7 PPR points against Cincinnati this season.
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Dolphins' Darren Waller: Set for Week 16
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Waller (rest/knee) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game versus the Bengals, David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.
Waller was listed as limited Wednesday and Thursday with rest/knee, but his return to all activity Friday clears him for Week 16 action. He'll be working with a new signal-caller Sunday, as rookie Quinn Ewers is taking over for Tua Tagovailoa. Nevertheless, in his seven appearances this season, Waller has had a knack for finding the end zone, as evidenced by his 20-243-6 line on 26 targets.
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Dolphins' Darren Waller: Limited in practice Thursday
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Waller (knee/rest) was a limited participation in Thursday's practice, Jay Morrison of SI.com reports.
Waller continues to have his practice reps managed, as has been standard for the veteran tight end all season. Barring any setbacks, there's not yet any reason to believe Waller's status is in much genuine doubt for Sunday's matchup against the Bengals. Waller is fresh off a two-TD performance on Monday Night Football against the Steelers and now faces an exceptional matchup against the league's worst-rank defense against opposing TEs, but Miami's overall passing game carries an air of uncertainty heading into what will be the first regular-season start of rookie Quinn Ewers' career.
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Dolphins' Darren Waller: Estimated as limited in practice
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Waller (rest/knee) was listed as limited on Wednesday's practice estimate, David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.
Waller logged a 54 percent snap share in Monday's 28-15 loss to the Steelers en route to catching seven of his eight targets for 66 yards and two touchdowns in the contest. Given that the Dolphins held a walk-through Wednesday, Thursday's injury report should add more relevant context to the tight end's Week 16 status, but so far there's nothing to suggest that he'll miss this weekend's game against the Bengals, which will mark QB Quinn Ewers' first regular-season start.
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Dolphins' Darren Waller: Pair of TD grabs in loss
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Waller secured seven of eight targets for 66 yards and two touchdowns in the Dolphins' 28-15 loss to the Steelers on Monday.
The veteran tight end set the pace in receptions and targets on the night for Miami, and he was just a yard behind De'Von Achane for the team lead in receiving yards. Waller also was on the receiving end of both of Tua Tagovailoa's touchdown passes, recording six- and 13-yard scoring grabs in the fourth quarter. Waller has been productive and displayed a knack for the end zone on the rare occasions he's been healthy this season, and he'll head into a highly favorable Week 16 home matchup against the Bengals with a 20-243-6 line on 26 targets across seven games.
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Dolphins' Darren Waller: One catch against Jets
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Waller caught one of three targets for 13 yards and added a four-yard carry in Sunday's 34-10 win over the Jets.
Waller was outplayed by Greg Dulcich, who caught all three of his targets for 41 yards. The last time Waller had more than three targets in a game was his second appearance for the Dolphins in Week 5, though Waller has been limited to only four subsequent appearances by a pectoral injury that led to a stint on injured reserve. Up next for Waller and the Dolphins is a Week 15 trip to Pittsburgh.
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Dolphins' Darren Waller: Sleeper TEs
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Waller returned in Week 13 against New Orleans from a four-game absence with a pectoral injury, and he had two catches for 47 yards on three targets. Prior to getting hurt, Waller had scored at least 9.2 PPR points in three games in a row, with four touchdowns over that span, and I'm hopeful he'll get back on track in Week 14 against the Jets. Four tight ends have scored at least 8.4 PPR points against the Jets in the past three games with David Njoku, Harold Fannin Jr., Hunter Henry, and Kyle Pitts, and I like Waller as a low-end starter in all leagues in this matchup.
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Dolphins' Darren Waller: Contrarian DFS Play
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Waller was disappointing in his return, but he is still seeing downfield targets and end zone targets. That's the recipe for a big day on low volume. If you choose to go cheap at tight end, he is the most likely cheap tight end to post top-five numbers at the position.
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Dolphins' Darren Waller: Questionable, still on IR
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Waller (pectoral) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Saints, Travis Wingfield of the Dolphins' official site reports.
Miami designated Waller for return from injured reserve Wednesday, after which he cobbled together three straight limited practices. Per David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel, coach Mike McDaniel said Friday regarding Waller's chances to suit up this weekend that "if there's not a setback, I'm feeling optimistic." The Dolphins will need to activate Waller from IR by Saturday afternoon for him to have a chance to be active for Sunday's 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff.
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Dolphins' Darren Waller: Could return this week
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Coach Mike McDaniel noted Friday that Waller (pectoral) is "in play" to return to action Sunday against the Saints, Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com reports.
At this stage, McDaniel indicated that he's optimistic about the tight end's Week 13 status but acknowledged that whether the Dolphins elect to activate Waller of IR is dependent on how things go for him in Friday's practice. Waller has logged back-to-back limited sessions since having his 21-day practice window opened.
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Dolphins' Darren Waller: Limited in return to practice
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Waller (pectoral) has had his 21-day practice window opened and was a limited participant in Wednesday's session, David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.
Waller is practicing for the first time since suffering a pectoral injury Week 7 versus the Browns and being placed on IR. While it's possible the veteran tight end could gain clearance to retake the field as early as Sunday's contest against the Saints, he may first need to prove an ability to handle full practice reps. Once back in action, Waller will join Jaylen Waddle (foot), Malik Washington and RB De'Von Achane as one of the Dolphins' top options in the passing game. In the event that Waller misses any more time, Greg Dulcich will continue to operate as Miami's top pass-catching tight end.
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Dolphins' Darren Waller: Expected back this season
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Waller's pectoral injury isn't expected to be season-ending, coach Mike McDaniel said Friday, David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.
Waller was placed on injured reserve Wednesday and won't return prior to Week 13. The Dolphins believe he will play again in 2025. Julian Hill, Tanner Conner and Greg Dulcich are set to fill in while Waller's sidelined.
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Dolphins' Darren Waller: Labeled week-to-week
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Waller is considered week-to-week due to a strained pectoral that the Dolphins do not believe will require surgery, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Waller was forced out of Miami's loss to the Browns in Week 7 after playing just 15 offensive snaps without recording a catch, and he now appears to be trending in the wrong direction for Sunday's matchup against the Falcons. With the Dolphins already without Tyreek Hill (torn ACL) for the rest of the season, an absence for any stretch of time on Waller's part will be a significant blow to a passing game that's already struggling. Tight ends Julian Hill and Tanner Conner will benefit from increased workloads Week 8 if Waller can't go, as will wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine in the No. 3 role behind Jaylen Waddle and Malik Washington. Head coach Mike McDaniel said Monday that Waller isn't expected to be available versus Atlanta or on Thursday Night Football against the Ravens in Week 9, per Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network.
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Dolphins' Darren Waller: Won't return Sunday
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Waller (pectoral) won't return to Sunday's game against the Browns.
Prior to his exit, Waller didn't record a catch. In his absence, Julian Hill and Tanner Conner will handle Miami's TE duties versus Cleveland. Waller's next chance to see game action will be next Sunday against the Falcons.
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Dolphins' Darren Waller: Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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Waller has been great for Fantasy managers so far in the three games he's played thanks to four touchdowns. But what happens if he doesn't score? We almost found out in Week 6 against the Chargers when he finished with two catches for 12 yards on three targets -- with a touchdown. This week, Waller is facing a Browns defense that has limited the production of Mark Andrews (1.4 PPR points), Tucker Kraft (5.9 PPR points), Sam LaPorta (6.9 PPR points) and T.J. Hockenson (9.8 PPR points). None of those tight ends found the end zone, and we'll see if Waller can keep his touchdown streak alive on the road. He's a low-end starter at best in the majority of leagues for Week 7.
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Dolphins' Darren Waller: Another limited practice
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Waller (hip/rest) was limited in practice Thursday, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.
Waller has consistently had his practice reps capped this season as part of a load management plan, so there's not yet any reason to worry that his availability for Sunday's game against the Browns is truly in jeopardy. It's possible that Waller could carry an injury designation for Week 7, but barring any actual setbacks the veteran tight end figures to take the field on the road versus Cleveland.
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Dolphins' Darren Waller: Limited Wednesday
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Waller (hip/rest) was limited in practice Wednesday, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.
Waller continues to have his practice reps capped due to a load management plan, though his gameday workload has now increased in three consecutive weeks. The veteran tight end handled a season-high 69 percent of offensive snaps during Miami's loss to the Chargers in Week 6, securing two of three targets for 12 yards and a touchdown. Waller has scored in all three of his appearances with the Dolphins this season. He'll face a challenge to keep up that streak on the road against the Browns' vaunted defense on Sunday, though if Cleveland's pass rush forces Tua Tagovailoa to rely heavily on short-area passes, it could result in increased target volume for Waller.
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Dolphins' Darren Waller: Cleared despite limited practices
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Waller (hip/rest) doesn't carry an injury designation into Sunday's game against the Chargers, David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.
Waller was a limited participant Thursday and Friday after failing to practice Wednesday, but he'll be available for Week 6 action. The veteran tight end has thrived since recovering from a hip injury that sidelined him through Week 3, posting eight catches for 105 yards and three touchdowns across two games since making his Dolphins debut.
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Dolphins' Darren Waller: Limited in practice Thursday
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Waller (hip/rest) was limited at practice Thursday, David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.
Waller was deemed a DNP on Wednesday, but his return to a limited session Thursday has him trending toward being available Sunday against the Chargers, and quite possibly without a Week 6 injury designation, as was the case last week after the tight end logged three straight limited listings. With that in mind, it's worth noting that Furones previously relayed via Dolphins TEs coach Jon Embree that Waller is a candidate to continue to see an uptick in playing time after increasing from 16 to 32 snaps between his first and second game back from being sidelined Weeks 1-3.
