Head to Head

Updated June 3, 2026 from live stats

Darren Waller vs Theo JohnsonWho should you start in 2026 fantasy football?

Darren Waller is the better fantasy start for 2026, averaging 9.6 PPG to Theo Johnson's 7.0 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 2.6-PPG advantage is real (9.6 to 7.0), and Darren Waller's 6 touchdowns show scoring upside. Theo Johnson 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

TENew York Giants#24

Theo Johnson

PPG

7.0

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

528

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 8

The Edge Chart

Darren Waller

Theo Johnson

Head to Head

9.6 PPG7.0 PPG

8 GP15 GP

Bye: Week 6Bye: Week 8

Fantasy Tiers

Darren Waller: Tier 2 (Strong Starter) TE (ranked #8 at the position). Theo Johnson: Tier 3 (Flex/Starter) TE (ranked #24 at the position). Among the top 30 tight ends this season, Darren Waller is producing at 44% of elite pace and Theo Johnson at 32%. That ranking gap means Darren Waller carries more trade value and a higher draft cost in 2026.

Darren Waller vs Theo Johnson: 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. Theo Johnson (New York Giants) came in at 7.0 PPG over 15 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.

Darren Waller carries a 2.6-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.

Theo Johnson is the volume tight end in this matchup with 45 receptions for 528 yards, while Darren Waller profiles as a more touchdown-dependent spike play (6 scores on 24 catches). In weeks where Darren Waller finds the end zone he out-scores Theo Johnson, but the floor gap is real.

Darren Waller has his bye in Week 6, and Theo Johnson rests in Week 8. 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

Both are in a similar trade value range. A straight swap would be fair in most leagues, with the tiebreaker going to whichever manager values schedule or bye week more. Dynasty outlook: Darren Waller (age 33) is in the later years of production. Still a redraft asset, but dynasty value is declining. Theo Johnson (age 25) has years of prime production ahead. Buy-and-hold dynasty asset.

Did You Know?

•Darren Waller outscored Theo Johnson by a projected 44 total fantasy points over a full 17-game season.
•Theo Johnson played 15 games in 2025 compared to Darren Waller's 8. That durability gap means Theo Johnson 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.
•Theo Johnson saw 74 targets in 2025. Target volume is the single strongest predictor of weekly PPR production at the tight end position.
•Theo Johnson is 8 years younger than Darren Waller (25 vs 33), which significantly impacts dynasty league trade value.

Detailed Stat Breakdown

Darren Waller vs Theo Johnson: 2025 fantasy football stat comparison in the half-PPR scoring format.
Stat	Darren Waller	Theo Johnson
PPG (Half-PPR)	9.6	7.0
Games Played	8	15
Total Fantasy Pts (est.)	77	105
Receptions	24	45
Rec/Game	3.0	3.0
Receiving Yards	283	528
Rec Yds/Game	35.4	35.2
Receiving TDs	6	5
Targets	34	74
Target Share/Game	4.3	4.9
Age	33	25
Experience	10 yrs	1 yrs
Bye Week	Week 6	Week 8

Summary

Based on 2025 production, Darren Waller holds the PPG edge with low-end output at 9.6 points per game. Theo Johnson averaged 7.0 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 Theo Johnson in fantasy football?▾

Based on 2025 season averages, Darren Waller has the edge at 9.6 PPG compared to Theo Johnson's 7.0 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 Theo Johnson average in 2025?▾

Darren Waller averaged 9.6 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) across 8 games in 2025. Theo Johnson averaged 7.0 PPG over 15 games. That is a difference of 2.6 points per game.

When are Darren Waller and Theo Johnson's bye weeks in 2026?▾

Darren Waller (MIA) has a bye in Week 6, and Theo Johnson (NYG) has a bye in Week 8. Plan your roster accordingly if you are carrying both players.

Is Darren Waller or Theo Johnson a better fantasy tight end in 2026?▾

Darren Waller outscored Theo Johnson by 2.6 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.