There are currently three elite tight ends in the NFL; Travis Kelce, George Kittle and Darren Waller.
What makes Kelce so dangerous is his route running and just overwhelming size and quickness for smaller defenders. Pairing him with Patrick Mahomes makes him nearly unstoppable in the middle of the field.
Kittle is a little bit unique as most of his best work comes on the move, at or behind the line of scrimmage. He can line up anywhere in the formation and he’s an elite blocker, which teams have to account for on every snap.
But what’s Waller’s trump card? On top of his freakish athleticism, he’s the league’s best tight end after the catch. Once he reels in a pass, he can quickly dip his hips and get upfield. When he is in space, he’s often far too big and athletic for linebackers and safeties to bring down by themselves.
According to Pro Football Focus, only Alvin Kamara had more yards after the catch than Waller last season. That is absolutely incredible for a player who is 6-6, 265 pounds.
Most yards after catch last season
🌪️ Alvin Kamara – 729
🌪️ Darren Waller – 594 pic.twitter.com/cIfCCxGY1y— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) May 10, 2021
One of the best decisions Jon Gruden made over the last two years is building an offense around Waller. Players like Henry Ruggs and John Brown will help open up the middle of the field even more for Waller, making him even more dangerous.
Waller is one of the league’s best pass weapons right now and he is only a few years into learning the position. Expect an even better version of Waller during the 2021 season.
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