Around the NFL

June 07, 2023

Darren Waller

Will newest Giant be a difference-maker?

Early reports have been favorable on new Giants tight end Darren Waller. The latest, from The Athletic, says it would be shocking if Waller doesn't lead the team in targets this year, which is also a statement about the team's iffy looking wide receiver group. Of course, the report has a caveat: "if healthy."

Waller has missed 6 and 8 games the last two seasons. Prior to last year he'd averaged 5-7 catches per game three years in a row, but last year it dipped to just 3 per game -- 28 catches in 9 contests -- in a disappointing season in Las Vegas. Fair to wonder if that former player is still there.

Waller will turn 31 before the start of the season, and some may discount him on that basis. If he's had trouble staying healthy at 29 and 30, perhaps he won't be any more likely to do so at 31. But it's an age where top tight ends have continued to produce in the past.

Since 2000, there have been 51 top-15 seasons by a tight end aged 31 or older, so about 2 per year. Granted, with Waller -- who's being drafted more in the 7-8 range at the position -- you're hoping for a little more. But 35 of those have been top-10 seasons. A lot have been by all-time greats (Travis Kelce, Tony Gonzalez), but plenty of Waller-level guys have done it too.

Table below shows all the top-15 fantasy seasons (PPR) by tight ends aged 31 or older this century.

TIGHT ENDS, AGED 31-PLUS, TOP 15 SEASONS (2000-PRESENT)
Year	Player	Age	Tgt	Rec	Yds	Avg	TD	PPR	Rk
2022	Travis Kelce, K.C.	33	152	110	1338	12.2	12	318.3	1
2021	Travis Kelce, K.C.	32	134	92	1125	12.2	10	264.8	2
2021	Zach Ertz, 2TM	31	112	74	763	10.3	5	180.7	5
2021	Rob Gronkowski, T.B.	32	89	55	802	14.6	6	171.2	7
2020	Travis Kelce, K.C.	31	145	105	1416	13.5	11	314.8	1
2020	Rob Gronkowski, T.B.	31	77	45	623	13.8	7	149.3	9
2020	Jimmy Graham, Chi.	34	76	50	456	9.1	8	143.6	14
2019	Jared Cook, N.O.	32	65	43	705	16.4	9	167.5	7
2019	Jason Witten, Dall.	37	83	63	529	8.4	4	141.9	11
2019	Greg Olsen, Car.	34	82	52	597	11.5	2	123.7	13
2018	Jared Cook, Oak.	31	101	68	896	13.2	6	193.6	5
2018	Jimmy Graham, G.B.	32	89	55	636	11.6	2	130.6	12
2017	Delanie Walker, Ten.	33	111	74	807	10.9	4	178.5	4
2017	Jimmy Graham, Sea.	31	96	57	520	9.1	10	171.0	7
2017	Jason Witten, Dall.	35	87	63	560	8.9	5	149.0	9
2017	Benjamin Watson, Balt.	37	79	61	522	8.6	4	137.2	11
2017	Vernon Davis, Was.	33	69	43	648	15.1	3	125.8	15
2016	Greg Olsen, Car.	31	129	80	1073	13.4	3	207.3	3
2016	Delanie Walker, Ten.	32	102	65	800	12.3	7	188.1	5
2016	Dennis Pitta, Balt.	31	121	86	729	8.5	2	170.9	8
2016	Jason Witten, Dall.	34	95	69	673	9.8	3	154.3	11
2016	Antonio Gates, S.D.	36	93	53	548	10.3	7	149.8	12
2015	Delanie Walker, Ten.	31	133	94	1088	11.6	6	244.4	3
2015	Benjamin Watson, N.O.	35	110	74	825	11.2	6	192.5	7
2015	Jason Witten, Dall.	33	104	77	713	9.3	3	166.3	10
2015	Antonio Gates, S.D.	35	85	56	630	11.3	5	149.0	12
2014	Antonio Gates, S.D.	34	98	69	821	11.9	12	223.1	3
2014	Jason Witten, Dall.	32	90	64	703	11.0	5	164.3	9
2014	Heath Miller, Pitt.	32	91	66	761	11.5	3	162.1	11
2013	Tony Gonzalez, Atl.	37	121	83	859	10.4	8	218.9	2
2013	Jason Witten, Dall.	31	111	73	851	11.7	8	206.1	6
2013	Antonio Gates, S.D.	33	114	77	872	11.3	4	188.2	9
2012	Tony Gonzalez, Atl.	36	124	93	930	10.0	8	234.0	2
2012	Antonio Gates, S.D.	32	80	49	538	11.0	7	144.8	13
2011	Tony Gonzalez, Atl.	35	116	80	875	10.9	7	209.5	4
2011	Antonio Gates, S.D.	31	88	64	778	12.2	7	183.8	7
2010	Tony Gonzalez, Atl.	34	108	70	656	9.4	6	171.6	6
2009	Tony Gonzalez, Atl.	33	134	83	867	10.5	6	205.7	6
2008	Tony Gonzalez, K.C.	32	155	96	1058	11.0	10	261.8	1
2007	Tony Gonzalez, K.C.	31	153	99	1172	11.8	5	246.2	2
2005	Marcus Pollard, Det.	33	79	46	516	11.2	3	115.6	15
2003	Shannon Sharpe, Den.	35	94	62	770	12.4	8	187.0	2
2003	Marcus Pollard, Ind.	31	57	40	541	13.5	3	112.1	10
2002	Shannon Sharpe, Den.	34	88	61	686	11.3	3	147.6	4
2002	Chad Lewis, Phil.	31	67	42	398	9.5	3	103.8	12
2002	Christian Fauria, N.E.	31	40	27	253	9.4	7	96.3	15
2001	Shannon Sharpe, Balt.	33	114	73	811	11.1	2	166.1	3
2001	Wesley Walls, Car.	35	73	43	452	10.5	5	118.2	11
2000	Shannon Sharpe, Balt.	32	105	67	810	12.1	5	178.0	2
2000	Jackie Harris, Dall.	32	56	39	306	7.9	5	101.6	10
2000	Wesley Walls, Car.	34	49	31	422	13.6	2	85.2	14

So I'm not going to let Waller's age bother me. The recent injury history, though, does a little bit. I suspect he'll be drafted earlier than I would take him in most leagues.

Having already written about my reservations on Kyle Pitts, it's starting to look like either I'll be drafting one of the top 5 tight ends, or waiting and throwing darts at a couple of different guys in the 12-15 range, hoping one pans out. The 6-10 area is probably going to be something I'll avoid in drafts.

--Andy Richardson

Darren Waller

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