Wide receivers and running backs dominate the early rounds of fantasy drafts with a few quarterbacks warranting an early round pick. One position that can be overlooked on draft night is tight end.
A sleeper who could be a great late round pick is new Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller. It’d be a boom-or-bust selection after Waller didn’t play last year due to a brief retirement. Nevertheless, he has a proven track record of being an asset to fantasy teams.
Why Darren Waller is a 2025 fantasy football sleeper
Waller was once one of the top tight ends in the league during his back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with the Raiders in 2019 and 2020. It was in 2020 when Waller scored the second most fantasy points for tight ends in standard and PPR formats behind only the Chiefs’ Travis Kelce.
Last season, the Dolphins prioritized involving the tight end in the passing game more than they ever have under Mike McDaniel, and it resulted in Jonnu Smith breaking a few franchise records for a tight end with 88 receptions, 884 yards, and eight touchdowns. Smith ended up scoring the fourth most fantasy points for tight ends in standard and PPR formats in 2024.
The fact the Dolphins gave up draft capital to make this move is another reason to believe Waller is a great fantasy sleeper. Chris Grier wouldn’t have moved a sixth-round pick and a conditional seventh-round pick if he and McDaniel didn’t intend to use Waller to his full potential. He’s a proven pass-catching tight end and will have a ton of opportunities this year to make an impact as defenses will have to account for the deep threats of Hill and Waddle.
ESPN currently has Waller as the 22nd ranked tight end for fantasy football. This is of course largely due to him coming out of a one-year retirement stint. This ranking has Waller listed low enough to project him going undrafted in leagues smaller than 12 teams.
Going into the season with Waller as your starter is probably too risky. But having him on your board as a late-round pick is a low-risk, high-reward move that worked out for anyone who had Smith last year. Considering Waller’s proven track record and fit on this Dolphins offense, he could certainly end up ranking amongst the top tight ends in football once again.
Darren Waller’s 2024 stats
Waller did not play last season due to a brief retirement. In 2023, his last season in the NFL, Waller caught 52 passes for 552 yards and one touchdown with the Giants.
Dolphins’ depth chart at tight end
Dolphins tight end depth in order after cutting down to the 53-man roster:
Miami also has Greg Dulcich and Hayden Rucci on the practice squad.
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This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Dolphins’ TE Darren Waller is a top fantasy football sleeper for 2025
Reporting by James Trefry, Dolphins Wire / Dolphins Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
