Darren Waller is a 2022 fantasy football draft sleeper at tight end and an ADP draft value. Target Waller as an undervalued TE in fantasy football drafts.
BALLER MOVE: Target Around ~45 Overall
CURRENT ADP: ~50
ANALYSIS: Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller has always been Derek Carr's No. 1 option in the passing game in his first three seasons as a starter. He's averaged 8.4 targets per game across 46 fully healthy games. But 2022 will be different. Not only did the Raiders trade for one of the best receivers in the league in Davante Adams, but they also have an ascending homegrown talent in Hunter Renfrow.
Last season, Waller, Adams, and Renfrow combined to average nearly 27 targets per game. Luckily for all three guys, the Raiders did throw the ball almost 37 times per game last season. There's a new coaching staff this season with Josh McDaniels at the helm, but the Raiders are still likely to be throwing a lot, given the high-powered offenses in the AFC West. The target funnel is sure to be narrow, with the following best-receiving options being Demarcus Robinson and Keelan Cole Sr.
Still, we should expect some regression from all three of the top pass-catchers, including Waller. By default, Waller isn't going to average 8.4 targets (and 1.5 red-zone targets) per game like he has the last two seasons, but he still shouldn't have any trouble producing as a mid-range TE1.
In 2021, we discussed Waller competing with Travis Kelce for the overall TE1 spot. In 2022, Kelce, Mark Andrews, Kyle Pitts, George Kittle, and maybe even Dalton Schultz could all realistically finish higher than Waller.
More Fantasy Football Values and Sleepers
Jerry Jeudy, Luther Burden III, Jayden Reed: Must-Add Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 15 Fantasy?
It's Week 15, which is the first week of the fantasy football playoffs in most leagues. Whether you made it in and want to win a championship, or are just looking to avoid your league's last place spot, there's still reason to work the waiver wire. Even if you're out of the playoffs, it makes […]
Blake Corum, Devin Neal, Bam Knight: Must-Add Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 15 Fantasy?
The fantasy football playoffs have arrived as we hit Week 15 of the NFL season. Fantasy championships will be on the line over the next three weeks, and these late-season decisions can be the difference between winning and losing. In this article, we'll look at three running backs listed in this piece who have all […]
Trey Benson, Bam Knight, Bhayshul Tuten: Must-Add Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 14 Fantasy?
Let's say you're one of the many fantasy football managers who drafted Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton (ankle). Maybe you chose Cardinals RB James Conner (ankle). Perhaps you selected Titans tailback Tony Pollard. If you chose any of these players, you've probably been hurting at RB for most of the season. The same […]
Mike Evans, Christian Watson, Jayden Higgins: Must-Add Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 14 Fantasy?
The wide receiver position is just a little bit more forgiving than the running back position in terms of finding talent on the waiver wire. It's hard to find players that will be consistently good moving forward, though. Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (collarbone), Green Bay Packers wideout Christian Watson, and Houston Texans […]
Kyle Monangai, Chris Rodriguez, Devin Neal: Must-Add Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 14 Fantasy?
We are entering the home stretch of the fantasy football season, as managers look to fill their available roster spots with players that are ready to make an impact. Fantasy championships are on the line, and making the best decisions for your team is going to be the difference between winning and losing. The three […]
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!
Check out RotoBaller's famous fantasy football draft sleepers and waiver wire pickups list, updated regularly!
RADIO



