Head to Head

Updated May 14, 2026 from live stats

Brock Bowers vs Darren Waller

Fantasy Football Comparison for the 2026 NFL Season

The Bottom Line

Brock Bowers is the better fantasy play this season.

Brock Bowers has the edge, but it is not a runaway. The 2.4-PPG advantage is real (12.0 to 9.6), and Brock Bowers's 7 touchdowns show scoring upside. Darren Waller is the buy-low candidate if recent production has dipped, because the talent gap is smaller than the numbers suggest.

Moderate confidence: stats favor the leader, but matchup variance could flip this weekly.

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TELas Vegas Raiders#4PPG LEADER

Brock Bowers

PPG

12.0

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

680

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 8

TEMiami Dolphins#8

Darren Waller

PPG

9.6

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

283

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 12

The Edge Chart

Brock Bowers

Darren Waller

Head to Head

12.0 PPG9.6 PPG

12 GP8 GP

Bye: Week 8Bye: Week 12

Fantasy Tiers

Brock Bowers: Tier 1 (Elite) TE (ranked #4 at the position). Darren Waller: Tier 2 (Strong Starter) TE (ranked #8 at the position). Among the top 30 tight ends this season, Brock Bowers is producing at 55% of elite pace and Darren Waller at 44%. That ranking gap means Brock Bowers carries more trade value and a higher draft cost in 2026.

Brock Bowers vs Darren Waller: Who Should You Start?

Brock Bowers and Darren Waller are both viable fantasy tight ends heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Brock Bowers averaged 12.0 PPG across 12 games with the Las Vegas Raiders, while Darren Waller posted 9.6 PPG in 8 appearances for the Miami Dolphins.

A 2.4-PPG gap gives Brock Bowers the edge on paper, but paper does not account for Thursday night matchups, weather games, or a star defender returning from injury. The real question is not who was better in 2025, but who is the better start this specific week.

Brock Bowers is the volume tight end in this matchup with 64 receptions for 680 yards, while Darren Waller profiles as a more touchdown-dependent spike play (6 scores on 24 catches). In weeks where Darren Waller finds the end zone he out-scores Brock Bowers, but the floor gap is real.

Brock Bowers has his bye in Week 8, and Darren Waller rests in Week 12. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at tight end for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.

Trade Value + Dynasty Outlook

Both are in a similar trade value range. A straight swap would be fair in most leagues, with the tiebreaker going to whichever manager values schedule or bye week more. Dynasty outlook: Brock Bowers (age 23) has years of prime production ahead. Buy-and-hold dynasty asset. Darren Waller (age 33) is in the later years of production. Still a redraft asset, but dynasty value is declining.

Did You Know?

•Brock Bowers outscored Darren Waller by a projected 41 total fantasy points over a full 17-game season.
•Brock Bowers played 12 games in 2025 compared to Darren Waller's 8. That durability gap means Brock Bowers contributed more total fantasy points even before you look at per-game averages.
•Brock Bowers scored 7 total touchdowns in 2025 (0.6 per game), making him one of the more reliable scoring options at tight end.
•Brock Bowers saw 86 targets in 2025. Target volume is the single strongest predictor of weekly PPR production at the tight end position.
•Brock Bowers is 10 years younger than Darren Waller (23 vs 33), which significantly impacts dynasty league trade value.

Detailed Stat Breakdown▾

StatBowersWaller

PPG (Half-PPR)12.09.6

Games Played128

Total Fantasy Pts (est.)14477

Receptions6424

Rec/Game5.33.0

Receiving Yards680283

Rec Yds/Game56.735.4

Receiving TDs76

Targets8634

Target Share/Game7.24.3

Age2333

Experience1 yrs10 yrs

Bye WeekWeek 8Week 12

Summary

Brock Bowers outscored Darren Waller by 2.4 PPG in 2025 (12.0 to 9.6). That production gap is the baseline, but weekly context shifts the answer. DraftCall analyzes matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and health data to deliver a clear start or sit recommendation backed by real reasoning.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should I start Brock Bowers or Darren Waller in fantasy football?▾

Based on 2025 season averages, Brock Bowers has the edge at 12.0 PPG compared to Darren Waller's 9.6 PPG. However, the best start depends on weekly matchup, recent form, and injury status. DraftCall's app provides real-time AI-powered verdicts that factor in all of these variables.

How many fantasy points did Brock Bowers and Darren Waller average in 2025?▾

Brock Bowers averaged 12.0 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) across 12 games in 2025. Darren Waller averaged 9.6 PPG over 8 games. That is a difference of 2.4 points per game.

When are Brock Bowers and Darren Waller's bye weeks in 2026?▾

Brock Bowers (LV) has a bye in Week 8, and Darren Waller (MIA) has a bye in Week 12. Plan your roster accordingly if you are carrying both players.

Is Brock Bowers or Darren Waller a better fantasy tight end in 2026?▾

Brock Bowers outscored Darren Waller by 2.4 PPG in 2025, which gives him the edge heading into 2026. For a week-by-week verdict, DraftCall's AI analyzes matchup quality and recent trends in real time.