The struggling Miami Dolphins are having a tough 2025-26 season, and tight end Darren Waller’s injury situation presents another puzzle for the team to solve. Waller recorded no stats in their 31-6 Week 7 beating by the Cleveland Browns on the road. What his status for Week 8 and beyond?
What Is the Latest on Darren Waller’s Injury?
Entering Week 8, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport revealed that Waller suffered a pec strain and not a full tear. This is good news, but the star tight end is still considered week-to-week.
Sources: #Dolphins TE Darren Waller suffered a pec strain, not a full tear, and he is considered week-to-week. Some good news after the MRI. pic.twitter.com/399fooqgjD
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 20, 2025
Unfortunately, some bad news followed. On Wednesday, the Dolphins placed Waller on injured reserve, meaning he must miss at least the next four regular-season games. This is a brutal blow for a Dolphins team that is looking for answers.
Waller’s first action this season came in Week 4, when the Dolphins beat the New York Jets 27-21. In that game, the tight end exploded onto the scene with a performance that included two receiving touchdowns.
After three weeks of reliable production, however, his health is again a concern. It remains to be seen when Waller will return.
When healthy, Waller is among the better tight ends in the league. His physicality and agility make him a threat to both defensive backs and linebackers. He missed the first three weeks of the campaign due to a hip injury but proved his value in Mike McDaniel’s offense upon his return.
In three straight weeks of play, he was one of the league’s most dangerous red-zone receivers, bagging four touchdowns. His Week 5 outing against the Carolina Panthers saw him put up 78 receiving yards in a 27-24 loss.
How Does This Impact a Struggling Dolphins Offense?
Waller’s health is a growing concern as the Dolphins’ struggles mount. He is a key part of an offense that is supposed to feature stars like Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and De’Von Achane.
However, Hill’s season-ending knee injury has only added to the problems of an already struggling team. While the offense has frequently shown it can stay in games, Miami has lost most of them.
In Week 2, they lost 33-27 to the Patriots. The next week, they lost 31-21 to the Buffalo Bills. In Week 5, they fell 27-24 to the Panthers. The week after that, they suffered a 29-27 defeat versus the Los Angeles Chargers.
Miami will aim to pick itself up in Week 8 against the Atlanta Falcons. As Atlanta has one of the most feared defenses in the league, Miami will have an extra tall task ahead with Waller now also sidelined.
Waller’s Fantasy Outlook
A pec strain kept Waller out of the second half last week against the Browns and now he’ll be sidelined for a while. Waller was a play for teams desperate for tight-end production, but outside of that, I’m steering clear of this passing game when given the opportunity.
Even when healthy, Waller is a streamer and nothing more, but his health concerns add some additional risk.
With six teams on a bye, some fantasy managers certainly could have used Waller as a bye-week fill-in. Now, it’s clear that he’ll be out for at least a month, so fantasy managers will have to pivot elsewhere.
