Scoring Zone's Take
Darren Waller's one-year deal with Carolina is a legitimate fantasy storyline heading into draft prep. Waller carries real name value as a former Pro Bowl tight end, and the Panthers clearly signed him to address a position that's been unproductive — that's an opportunity vacuum he's stepping into, not a crowded depth chart he has to fight through. If he's healthy, Waller should be viewed as a potential streaming or late-round TE option with QB2/TE2 upside in single-QB leagues, and worth a speculative add in dynasty or deeper redraft formats once camp battles play out.
The flip side hits Tommy Tremble and Ja'Tavion Sanders hard. Both were competing for real snaps and receiving work in Carolina's offense, and Waller's arrival as a "veteran presence" signals the team wanted an upgrade over what those two provided. Sanders, in particular, likely takes the bigger dent since he was the more explicit passing-game piece; Tremble has historically leaned more on blocking value, which may let him hang onto some usage, but neither should be drafted with confidence right now. Treat both as bench stashes at best — hold if you already have them for depth, but don't invest draft capital expecting standalone value until roles clarify in camp.
Confidence here is high on the transaction itself — both sources confirm the signing with full confidence. The uncertainty is all about role distribution: how camp reps and target share shake out among Waller, Tremble, and Sanders. Monitor beat reports through August before locking in draft rankings, but for now, Waller is the buy, and the incumbents are the fade.
Former Pro Bowl TE Darren Waller signing one-year deal with Panthers
Watch the best plays from Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Wallers two-touchdown game against the Pittsburgh Steelers during Week 15 of the 2025 NFL season.
Darren Waller's comeback from retirement isn't ending with a swansong for the Miami Dolphins.
Waller is signing a one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers, ESPN Insider Adam Schefter reported on Wednesday night.
Waller has played for the Baltimore Ravens, Raiders, New York Giants and, last year, with the Dolphins.
A Pro Bowler in 2020 for the Raiders, Waller retired and did not play in 2024, but returned last season with the Fins and found surprising success with six touchdowns in nine games, proving to be a stellar red zone talent.
He should fill a rather large need for the Panthers, who haven't had a plus-pass catcher at tight end since the days of Greg Olsen. The last tight end with 50-plus catches in a season for the Panthers was Olsen in 2019.
In 2025, Tommy Tremble and Ja'Tavion Sanders combined for 56 catches in Carolina.
Waller had 24 in his aforementioned nine games and his six TDs were more than Tremble (two), Sanders (one) and Mitchell Evans (two) had at the Panthers TE spot combined.
Giving quarterback Bryce Young a veteran option at tight end in a pivotal campaign for the quarterback could be a huge confidence and production booster.
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· by Grant Gordon
· Aug 13, 2026
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