One player on the Raiders that could stand to benefit the most from the hiring of Josh McDaniels is none other than Darren Waller. The Pro Bowl tight end had a down year last season due to injuries, but 2022 could be his best season yet.
In a recent article by Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report, he wrote about how Waller could be used in McDaniels’ offense. Knox compared Waller’s potential usage to Rob Gronkowski under McDaniels. Here is a snippet of his thoughts on Waller heading into the year:
“Gronkowski was a five-time Pro Bowler with the New England Patriots and frequently among the league’s top fantasy tight ends. Four of his five Pro Bowl campaigns came under McDaniels, who frequently moved Gronkowski around the field to create mismatches.
If Waller is indeed utilized in the same manner, his fantasy value will remain high, even with Adams serving as the top perimeter target.”
Knox was discussing Waller’s fantasy value in the piece, but the overall point is the same. Waller will likely be used all of the formation to create mismatches. And with Davante Adams playing on the outside, it should allow for more one-on-one matchups for Waller in the middle of the field.
McDaniels has historically built his passing offense from inside out. So don’t be surprised if Waller gets peppered with even more targets this year than we are used to seeing.