One of the league’s biggest surprises last season was just how quickly Darren Waller rose to stardom for the Oakland Raiders. After washing out with the Baltimore Ravens due to several suspensions, Waller finally turned his career around in Oakland, becoming one of the league’s most dynamic tight ends.
Entering the 2020 season, Waller is no longer an unknown. Instead, he’s considered one of the league’s best tight ends. In a recent article by Pro Football Focus, Waller was named the NFL’s fourth-best tight end heading into the year. Here is a quick snippet of PFF’s thoughts on the former Georgia Tech star:
Waller’s 594 yards after the catch nearly matched Kittle’s mark of 621 in 2019, and his 2.42 receiving yards per route run ranked fourth at the position — even outpacing Kelce (2.23). It’s not too early to say that Waller is one of the most dynamic receiving threats at the position, and he’ll be tasked with putting up big numbers again in 2020 as the Raiders move to Las Vegas.
The Raiders are now relying on Waller to carry the passing offense as they will likely have a ton of youth at receiver, including Henry Ruggs III, Bryan Edwards and Hunter Renfrow. Waller will be the team’s No. 1 target and will often draw the opponent’s best defensive back in coverage.
Waller could still stand to improve his blocking and overall route-running, but he’s already among the league’s most dynamic tight ends after the catch. Look for the former receiver to see over 100 targets once again this season as he is a solid bet to lead the Raiders in receptions, yards and touchdowns this year.
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