With Travis Kelce already missing Thursday Night Football and other top tight ends George Kittle and Mark Andrews listed as questionable, fantasy football managers are sweating over Darren Waller’s injury status.
Let’s take a look at Waller’s latest injury status, whether or not he is expected to play today, and his fantasy value this week.
Latest News Surrounding Darren Waller
Waller started the week practicing in full before popping up on the injury report late this week. Waller practiced on Wednesday and Thursday in full but logged a limited practice on Friday due to a hamstring injury. He is officially listed as questionable going into Week 1.
However, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported Sunday morning that Darren Waller “is expected to play today.”
Will Waller Play This Week?
It looks like Waller will play this week. He only logged one limited practice and apparently did not miss too many snaps. It appears the Giants were just being cautious with his outlook, given his recent injury history over the past couple of seasons.
It would take a setback during the warmups for him to miss the game. Last season, while playing for the Las Vegas Raiders, Waller was placed on IR with a Grade 2 hamstring strain, meaning he missed 8 games in 2022. He suffered the injury after only playing eight snaps in a 30-29 loss to the eventual Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5.
Waller finished as the TE31 in PPR scoring in 2022.
What Does This Mean for Waller’s Fantasy Ranking?
It’s safe to assume that Waller will be active in Week 1. In the PFN Consensus Rankings, Waller is currently ranked at TE2 and the 19th-ranked player overall.
This week, Waller faces the Dallas Cowboys, who ranked third-best against tight ends in 2022. They only conceded one touchdown to tight ends in 2022. Cole Kmet of the Chicago Bears was the only tight end to score against the Cowboys last season.
There is a concern that due to the recurring hamstring injury, Waller could be restricted or hampered by the injury. However, in the eight games in managed last year, he finished in the top 12 of PPR, scoring at the tight end position five times. He also finished twice in the top five of the position, including as the TE2 in Week 2 of the 2022 season versus Arizona.
While the Cowboys’ defense has shut up shop against tight ends in recent times, Waller has proven in his NFL career he is an elite tight end option. If he is good to start today, then season-long fantasy managers must start Waller on Sunday, especially with the position being decimated this week. He will have a significant advantage over the rest of the position, barring maybe George Kittle and T.J. Hockenson.
However, if you are playing DFS, then with the niggling injury, it might be a smart play to fade Waller and look at some cheaper options at the tight-end position. Luke Musgrave and Hayden Hurst might be a good option to see some salary relief at a position decimated by injury to open up the 2023 NFL season.