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One of the most captivating tight ends in the NFL, Darren Waller, is on the verge of missing his second consecutive game. This has left fantasy managers confused and fearful of Waller's knee injury sustained against the Dallas Cowboys during their 36-33 Week 12 win on Thanksgiving.
Let's assess the current situation with the Las Vegas Raiders' tight end room heading into their Week 14 divisional road matchup against an improved Kansas City Chiefs defense.
Is Darren Waller playing in Week 14? Is he out for the season? Below we take a quick look at the updated injury status for Waller and attempt to answer questions about his availability and his potential replacement moving forward.
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Is Darren Waller Playing In Week 14 Against the Chiefs?
Updating our previous report below, Darren Waller has now officially been ruled out for the Week 14 game against the Chiefs. This will be Waller's second consecutive missed game:
Darren Waller initially injured his knee during a play against the Dallas Cowboys a couple of weeks ago on Thanksgiving but has also been designated with a back injury since being featured on the team's injury report. Waller has not practiced either day this week and will have one final practice session on Friday to attempt logging a limited session.
Darren Waller (knee/back) is still out for the #Raiders. So are Jalen Richard (reserve/COVID-19), Denzel Perryman (ankle) & Carl Nassib (knee).
— Tashan Reed (@tashanreed) December 9, 2021
Waller's continued absence from any type of practice activity indicates that the sixth-year tight end is likely to miss his second game in a row. His previous outing against Kansas City disappointed, as Waller was targeted seven times but only managed to finish with four receptions for 24 yards.
Is Darren Waller Out For the Season?
It's difficult to assess Waller's availability past Week 14 but previous reports indicated that the star tight end was improving from his knee injury.
Raiders TE Darren Waller (knee) is optimistic about a potential return this week vs the Chiefs, per source. Las Vegas will see how the week goes but team hopeful he’s making progress.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) December 6, 2021
The Raiders need Waller in an offense that resorted to more Josh Jacobs usage during a 17-15 loss to Washington. They remain in the hunt for an AFC Wild Card berth and will likely do everything in their power to get their star tight end back to help Derek Carr, who hasn't thrown two touchdown passes since Week 10.
Is Foster Moreau Worth Picking Up and Starting In Week 14?
Third-year tight end Foster Moreau appeared to be in a "smash spot" against Washington's defense in Week 13 but he failed to seize the opportunity, logging one 34-yard reception on three targets despite playing on 84 percent of snaps. Kansas City held Waller to under 30 yards in Week 10 and has been gaining momentum as a unit in recent weeks.
Trusting Moreau to deliver a double-digit performance at Arrowhead Stadium, even in full-PPR leagues, is a very risky decision. Kansas City is surrendering the ninth-most fantasy points to tight ends this season, so Moreau can be considered a desperate streaming option on an offense that has thrown at least 35 passes in three of its last four games. Pivot options like Evan Engram, Gerald Everett, and Tyler Higbee are safer prospects due to possessing a higher floor.
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