Darren Waller vs Michael Mayer: Who Should You Start?
Darren Waller and Michael Mayer are both viable fantasy tight ends heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Darren Waller averaged 9.6 PPG across 8 games with the Miami Dolphins, while Michael Mayer posted 4.7 PPG in 12 appearances for the Las Vegas Raiders.
A 4.9-PPG gap gives Darren Waller 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.
Both see steady target volume for the tight end position. Darren Waller had 24 catches for 283 yards; Michael Mayer posted 35 for 328. At a position where most starters barely clear 7 PPG, this class of tight end is where the fantasy advantage lives week to week.
Darren Waller has his bye in Week 12, and Michael Mayer rests in Week 8. 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.
