After a 2020 season that established him as one of the league’s premier tight ends, the hype surrounding Darren Waller of the Las Vegas Raiders couldn’t have been greater in 2021. A roller-coaster season for the veteran. Here’s how it all broke down.
Picking up where he left off
At the conclusion of the Raiders’ 2020 season, Darren Waller was unstoppable. He had over 100 receiving yards in four of the last five games and was targeted a whopping 55 times. Against the Baltimore Ravens in week one of 2021, it appeared as if he and Derek Carr were the only Raiders’ players on the field. On a staggering 19 targets, Waller had ten receptions for 105 yards and a touchdown. Going forward, however, he would play more of a complementary role. Through the next five weeks, Waller would have more than 60 receiving yards only once and score just one touchdown. Defenses had focused on eliminating him, which opened things up for the ascending Henry Ruggs III.
Then came the first injury of the season. He would miss the Week 7 game against the Eagles due to knee and ankle injuries. However, he would return after the bye week to face the New York Giants. In the first game since the Ruggs incident, Waller was needed more than ever. He responded with seven catches for 92 yards in one of his best games of the season, although the Raiders would lose this one. Two weeks later, he would have his best game of the season against the Bengals, with 116 receiving yards on seven receptions.
Injuries strike again
Unfortunately, in the midst of a good game, Waller would get injured the next week. On Thanksgiving Day, against the Dallas Cowboys, the star tight end went down with a knee injury. Of course, any time a player is dealing with leg injuries, fans feel the worst. Ruled as a strained IT band, it wasn’t quite clear when “83” would return to action. As it turned out, he would miss the next five games. However, Las Vegas would go 3-2 in his absence. He would return for the team’s season finale against the Los Angeles Chargers, where it appeared he was knocking some rust off as he could only corral two of his nine targets for 22 yards.
Although it did not end the way he would have preferred, Waller got his first taste of the NFL playoffs in 2021. In that game, he had a quality performance with seven catches for 76 yards. Overall, in 2021, Waller played in eleven games and had 55 catches for 655 yards and two touchdowns. Of course, these numbers are disappointing compared to seasons past. If his averages held true, he would have had 80 catches for 952 yards and three scores. When healthy, Waller is the best offensive player on the Raiders and truly one of the best players in the NFL. The next mission for the Raiders? That would be drafting up a new contract for their star player.
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