Head to Head

Updated June 3, 2026 from live stats

Darren Waller vs Luke MusgraveWho should you start in 2026 fantasy football?

Darren Waller is the better fantasy start for 2026, averaging 9.6 PPG to Luke Musgrave's 4.8 in 2025. Full head to head breakdown below.

The Bottom Line

Darren Waller is the better fantasy play this season.

Darren Waller has the edge, but it is not a runaway. The 4.8-PPG advantage is real (9.6 to 4.8), and Darren Waller's 6 touchdowns show scoring upside. Luke Musgrave is the buy-low candidate if recent production has dipped, because the talent gap is smaller than the numbers suggest.

Moderate confidence: stats favor the leader, but matchup variance could flip this weekly.

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TEMiami Dolphins#8PPG LEADER

Darren Waller

PPG

9.6

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

283

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 6

TEGreen Bay Packers#99

Luke Musgrave

PPG

4.8

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

335

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 10

The Edge Chart

Darren Waller

Luke Musgrave

Head to Head

9.6 PPG4.8 PPG

8 GP14 GP

Bye: Week 6Bye: Week 10

Fantasy Tiers

Darren Waller: Tier 2 (Strong Starter) TE (ranked #8 at the position). Luke Musgrave: Tier 5 (Deep League) TE (ranked #99 at the position). Among the top 30 tight ends this season, Darren Waller is producing at 44% of elite pace and Luke Musgrave at 22%. That ranking gap means Darren Waller carries more trade value and a higher draft cost in 2026.

Darren Waller vs Luke Musgrave: The Full Breakdown

Two tight ends who will land on plenty of the same rosters in 2026. Darren Waller (Miami Dolphins) finished the 2025 season averaging 9.6 fantasy points per game in 8 games. Luke Musgrave (Green Bay Packers) came in at 4.8 PPG over 14 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.

Darren Waller carries a 4.8-point PPG advantage from the 2025 season. That baseline matters, but it is one input among several. Matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and injury reports move the needle week to week, which is why the best answer changes depending on when you are asking.

Both see steady target volume for the tight end position. Darren Waller had 24 catches for 283 yards; Luke Musgrave posted 30 for 335. At a position where most starters barely clear 7 PPG, this class of tight end is where the fantasy advantage lives week to week.

Darren Waller has his bye in Week 6, and Luke Musgrave rests in Week 10. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at tight end for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.

Trade Value + Dynasty Outlook

If you can acquire Darren Waller at a discount because your league-mates undervalue tight end production, do it. Luke Musgrave is a reasonable sell-high candidate if his recent games have spiked above his season average. Dynasty outlook: Darren Waller (age 33) is in the later years of production. Still a redraft asset, but dynasty value is declining. Luke Musgrave (age 27) is in the middle of his productive window. Stable dynasty value.

Did You Know?

•Darren Waller outscored Luke Musgrave by a projected 82 total fantasy points over a full 17-game season.
•Luke Musgrave played 14 games in 2025 compared to Darren Waller's 8. That durability gap means Luke Musgrave contributed more total fantasy points even before you look at per-game averages.
•Darren Waller scored 6 total touchdowns in 2025 (0.8 per game), making him one of the more reliable scoring options at tight end.
•Luke Musgrave saw 42 targets in 2025. Target volume is the single strongest predictor of weekly PPR production at the tight end position.

Detailed Stat Breakdown

Darren Waller vs Luke Musgrave: 2025 fantasy football stat comparison in the half-PPR scoring format.
Stat	Darren Waller	Luke Musgrave
PPG (Half-PPR)	9.6	4.8
Games Played	8	14
Total Fantasy Pts (est.)	77	67
Receptions	24	30
Rec/Game	3.0	2.1
Receiving Yards	283	335
Rec Yds/Game	35.4	23.9
Receiving TDs	6	2
Targets	34	42
Target Share/Game	4.3	3.0
Age	33	-
Experience	10 yrs	-
Bye Week	Week 6	Week 10

Summary

Based on 2025 production, Darren Waller holds the PPG edge with low-end output at 9.6 points per game. Luke Musgrave averaged 4.8 PPG. Season averages are a starting point, not the final word. For a full AI analysis factoring matchup quality, recent form, injury impact, and game script, download DraftCall and get a verdict backed by real data.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should I start Darren Waller or Luke Musgrave in fantasy football?▾

Based on 2025 season averages, Darren Waller has the edge at 9.6 PPG compared to Luke Musgrave's 4.8 PPG. However, the best start depends on weekly matchup, recent form, and injury status. DraftCall's app provides real-time AI-powered verdicts that factor in all of these variables.

How many fantasy points did Darren Waller and Luke Musgrave average in 2025?▾

Darren Waller averaged 9.6 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) across 8 games in 2025. Luke Musgrave averaged 4.8 PPG over 14 games. That is a difference of 4.8 points per game.

When are Darren Waller and Luke Musgrave's bye weeks in 2026?▾

Darren Waller (MIA) has a bye in Week 6, and Luke Musgrave (GB) has a bye in Week 10. Plan your roster accordingly if you are carrying both players.

Is Darren Waller or Luke Musgrave a better fantasy tight end in 2026?▾

Darren Waller outscored Luke Musgrave by 4.8 PPG in 2025, which gives him the edge heading into 2026. For a week-by-week verdict, DraftCall's AI analyzes matchup quality and recent trends in real time.