Darren Waller Unlikely to Be Impactful In Fantasy Football After Dolphins Trade

Michael Fabiano | Jul 1, 2025

The Dolphins have acquired Darren Waller in a trade with the Giants. Waller will come out of retirement to play in 2025. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins didn’t take too long to replace Jonnu Smith.

One day after trading Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Fins made a surprising move and will acquire Darren Waller in a trade with the New York Giants. Yes, that Darren Waller … the same one who left football after the 2023 season.

While NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero posted on X that Waller is feeling, “refreshed mentally and physically and ready to give it another shot,” I have doubts about the move and his chances of making a fantasy impact again.

Waller was one of the top tight ends in fantasy football during his time in Oakland, but that was back in 2019-2020. In the three following seasons, he failed to play more than 12 games and saw his fantasy production fall off a cliff. In fact, he averaged just 45 catches for 535 yards and a mere two touchdowns in those three seasons (32 games).

Now entering his age-33 season, Waller also has history working against him, too.

In the Super Bowl era (since 1966), a tight end age 33 or older has scored 150-plus fantasy points (what it would take to be a TE1 in fantasy leagues) 20 times. In those 20 times, only 11 tight ends have hit that mark. Among them is Tony Gonzalez (five times), Travis Kelce (three times), Jason Witten, Antonio Gates and Shannon Sharpe (two times each).

Waller was good, but he was never on their level … and none of them scored 150-plus points after missing a full year of football. So, while the trade that sent Smith to the Steel City did open up 111 targets in the Dolphins offense, Waller isn’t going to just suddenly absorb them all. This seems like an odd move for Miami, and I’d avoid Waller in drafts.