Former Giants tight end Darren Waller has come out of retirement and been traded to the Dolphins.
This is a look at Darren Waller’s potential fantasy impact for next season and how this move affects other players in the Dolphins’ offense.
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Darren Waller traded to the Dolphins
It has been a fascinating past few seasons for Darren Waller. Waller broke out as one of the best tight ends in football in 2019 and signed a big extension with the Raiders in 2022. The following offseason, he was traded to the Giants and was expected to be a high-value player for them. However, the 32-year-old dealt with injuries throughout that season, and after playing just 32 games across three seasons, he decided to retire. After spending all of last season in retirement, the 2020 Pro-Bowler is apparently ready for a return. The Giants still owned his rights, so the Dolphins had to trade for them. They then signed him to a one-year, $5 million contract.
This move comes in the wake of the Dolphins trading their previous tight end, Jonnu Smith, to the Steelers. Smith had a career-best season in 2024-25, catching 88 balls for 884 yards. He finished fourth among all tight ends in receiving yards, and the Dolphins capitalized on his high value by trading him to Pittsburgh. They needed a new tight end and decided to call on Waller from his couch. If the vertical threat is still in good shape, he could be a good weapon for Tua Tagovailoa. Even though Waller struggled to stay on the field, he was still productive for both New York and Las Vegas.
The Dolphins have one of the most dynamic wide receiver duos in the NFL––Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. They will always be the primary options for Tagovailoa, and running back De’Von Achane is also a great weapon out of the backfield. With the amount of targets going elsewhere, and the fact that Waller hasn’t played more than 12 games since 2020, it’s hard to trust him from a fantasy perspective. The Dolphins should have a dynamic offense if Tagovailoa can stay healthy, but Waller is unlikely to replicate the Smith role from last season. Barring his health and shape heading into Week 1, he could be a fringe option for season-long fantasy. However, given his health history over the past few years, it’s risky.
