Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller had two breakout seasons in 2019 and 2020. Both years, he saw over 1,100 receiving yards and was well on pace to do so again this season. However, an injury might play a key role in whether or not he can once again eclipse the 1,000-yard mark. After already missing a game earlier in the year, is Waller playing today against the Washington Football Team?
Is Darren Waller playing today?
After being listed as doubtful on Friday’s injury report, the Raiders wasted no time and announced that Waller would miss their Week 13 matchup due to a back and knee injury.
His injuries were sustained during Las Vegas’ 36-33 overtime win at the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving. He actually missed the second half of that game after trying to come back in multiple times during the second quarter.
Even though he had missed a game earlier this year with an ankle injury, Waller’s numbers have been impressive. His 53 receptions for 643 yards rank second on the Raiders, and his 2 TD catches are tied for third.
At the beginning of the season, the Raiders’ offense was one of the best in the NFL. For multiple weeks, they led the league in passing yards per game and touchdowns scored per game. However, that offensive prowess has slowed down a tad over the last few weeks. They still rank in the top 10 in yards per game (385.6) but are now in the bottom half of the league in points per game (23.5).
Will Foster Moreau step up in Waller’s absence?
Waller is a huge part of the Raiders’ offensive game plan on a week-to-week basis. Replacing him will be difficult, but the team does have a solid option in Foster Moreau.
Moreau has needed to step up when Waller has gone down in the past. When he started in Week 7, Moreau proved he could be a factor in this offense, catching 6 passes for 60 yards and a touchdown.
“We’ve kind of gone through this twice,” Raiders interim coach Rich Bisaccia said Friday, before Waller was ruled out. “We’ve gone through it when we didn’t have him for a game and certainly Foster stepped up in the plan that [offensive coordinator] Greg [Olson] had put together.”
Moreau will step in nicely to replace Waller. Additionally, he’s in a favorable matchup against one of the more underwhelming defenses in the NFL.