Head to Head

Updated May 14, 2026 from live stats

Darren Waller vs Gunnar Helm

Fantasy Football Comparison for the 2026 NFL Season

The Bottom Line

Darren Waller is the better fantasy play this season.

Darren Waller is clearly the better fantasy option heading into 2026. With 9.6 PPG and 287 total yards in 2025, the production separation is too wide to overcome on matchup alone. Gunnar Helm (4.4 PPG) is a hold, not a sell, but roster Darren Waller as the starter and Gunnar Helm as depth.

High confidence: stats strongly favor the leader, and the gap is unlikely to close on matchup alone.

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TEMiami Dolphins#8PPG LEADER

Darren Waller

PPG

9.6

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

283

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 12

TETennessee Titans#40

Gunnar Helm

PPG

4.4

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

357

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 10

The Edge Chart

Darren Waller

Gunnar Helm

Head to Head

9.6 PPG4.4 PPG

8 GP16 GP

Bye: Week 12Bye: Week 10

Fantasy Tiers

Darren Waller: Tier 2 (Strong Starter) TE (ranked #8 at the position). Gunnar Helm: Tier 5 (Deep League) TE (ranked #40 at the position). Among the top 30 tight ends this season, Darren Waller is producing at 44% of elite pace and Gunnar Helm at 20%. That ranking gap means Darren Waller carries more trade value and a higher draft cost in 2026.

Darren Waller vs Gunnar Helm: Who Should You Start?

Two tight ends who will land on plenty of the same rosters in 2026. Darren Waller (Miami Dolphins) finished the 2025 season averaging 9.6 fantasy points per game in 8 games. Gunnar Helm (Tennessee Titans) came in at 4.4 PPG over 16 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.

Darren Waller carries a 5.2-point PPG advantage from the 2025 season. That baseline matters, but it is one input among several. Matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and injury reports move the needle week to week, which is why the best answer changes depending on when you are asking.

Gunnar Helm is the volume tight end in this matchup with 44 receptions for 357 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 Gunnar Helm, but the floor gap is real.

One scheduling note: Darren Waller is off Week 12 and Gunnar Helm Week 10. If these two are on your roster, you will need a fill-in tight end for both weeks. DraftCall flags bye conflicts so you can plan ahead rather than panic on waivers.

Trade Value + Dynasty Outlook

If you can acquire Darren Waller at a discount because your league-mates undervalue tight end production, do it. Gunnar Helm is a reasonable sell-high candidate if his recent games have spiked above his season average. Dynasty outlook: Darren Waller (age 33) is in the later years of production. Still a redraft asset, but dynasty value is declining. Gunnar Helm (age 23) has years of prime production ahead. Buy-and-hold dynasty asset.

Did You Know?

•Darren Waller outscored Gunnar Helm by a projected 88 total fantasy points over a full 17-game season.
•Gunnar Helm played 16 games in 2025 compared to Darren Waller's 8. That durability gap means Gunnar Helm contributed more total fantasy points even before you look at per-game averages.
•Darren Waller scored 6 total touchdowns in 2025 (0.8 per game), making him one of the more reliable scoring options at tight end.
•Gunnar Helm saw 55 targets in 2025. Target volume is the single strongest predictor of weekly PPR production at the tight end position.
•Gunnar Helm is 10 years younger than Darren Waller (23 vs 33), which significantly impacts dynasty league trade value.

Detailed Stat Breakdown▾

StatWallerHelm

PPG (Half-PPR)9.64.4

Games Played816

Total Fantasy Pts (est.)7770

Receptions2444

Rec/Game3.02.8

Receiving Yards283357

Rec Yds/Game35.422.3

Receiving TDs62

Targets3455

Target Share/Game4.33.4

Age3323

Experience10 yrs-

Bye WeekWeek 12Week 10

Summary

Based on 2025 production, Darren Waller holds the PPG edge with low-end output at 9.6 points per game. Gunnar Helm averaged 4.4 PPG. Season averages are a starting point, not the final word. For a full AI analysis factoring matchup quality, recent form, injury impact, and game script, download DraftCall and get a verdict backed by real data.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should I start Darren Waller or Gunnar Helm in fantasy football?▾

Based on 2025 season averages, Darren Waller has the edge at 9.6 PPG compared to Gunnar Helm's 4.4 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 Darren Waller and Gunnar Helm average in 2025?▾

Darren Waller averaged 9.6 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) across 8 games in 2025. Gunnar Helm averaged 4.4 PPG over 16 games. That is a difference of 5.2 points per game.

When are Darren Waller and Gunnar Helm's bye weeks in 2026?▾

Darren Waller (MIA) has a bye in Week 12, and Gunnar Helm (TEN) has a bye in Week 10. Plan your roster accordingly if you are carrying both players.

Is Darren Waller or Gunnar Helm a better fantasy tight end in 2026?▾

Darren Waller outscored Gunnar Helm by 5.2 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.