The New York Giants made a splash in the offseason to bring in a new pass-catcher in the offseason. But is Darren Waller playing in Week 1? The star tight end picked up an injury tag on Friday for a hamstring issue. Let’s look at the most recent Darren Waller injury updates as we assess whether he will be available in Week 1 for Sunday Night Football.
Update at 8:27 a.m. (ET): The latest Darren Waller injury update has the star tight end expected to play on Sunday.
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Darren Waller Injury Update: Is New York’s Star Playing Sunday?
Darren Waller Injury Update
The Giants listed Darren Waller as questionable for Sunday’s game with a hamstring issue. Waller had not appeared on the injury report before picking up the tag. Apparently, Waller had been suffering with some hamstring tightness all week, but the issue wasn’t severe enough for the Giants to note it until Friday.
It’s usually a bad sign if a previously uninjured player picks up a tag late in the week, but this may be the exception to the rule. Waller was still a limited participant in practice, and according to local beat reporters, looked good in the open portion of Friday’s session.
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Is Darren Waller Playing for New York in Week 1?
So is Darren Waller playing for New York in Week 1? The Giants have a date with the Dallas Cowboys on tap, which is obviously a meaningful game for the NFC East race. The Cowboys were trading as 3-point favorites at FanDuel Sportsbook before the news came out, but the line has since moved to 3.5. That movement isn’t entirely unfair.
Waller’s availability matters a lot for New York’s offense. Although he wasn’t in town last season, quarterback Daniel Jones struggled to move the ball due to his mediocre supporting cast, which is anchored by the likes of Sterling Shepard, Isaiah Hodgins and Darius Slayton. Jones and Saquon Barkley accounted for the second-most and most yards from scrimmage for New York for most of last season, respectively.
Still, the news out of New York suggests that Waller should be available and that the tag was a precautionary measure. The fact he logged two full practice sessions is encouraging, as is the fact he had been dealing with the issue before Friday. I suspect the new tight end will play, and that could move the spread back to the key number of 3.
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