Darren Waller is one of the reasons why the Oakland Raiders still have a pulse and are playing a meaningful game in the last week of the regular season. For the team to pull a victory against the Denver Broncos and maybe qualify for the playoffs, they will need the tight end to be his usual self one more time.
TE Waller is Raiders not so Secret Weapon
Since day one of the 2019 season, Waller has played beyond what was expected from him. After 15 games, Pro Football Focus has given him an 83.6 overall grade. Also, he has 84 catches, 1,039 yards and three touchdowns. At this point, it’s fair to say that the Raiders secret weapon is not so secret anymore and should be featured against Denver.
Waller is far from the only weapon on offense but has been the most consistent one. Oakland also has Rookie of the Year candidate Josh Jacobs and wide receiver Hunter Renfrow. The difference is the tight end has not missed games the way the other two have. Jacobs had to miss a couple games because of a shoulder injury and Renfrow had his ribs broken, which caused him to be inactives for three matches.
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There’s also the X-Factor, wide receiver Tyrell Williams, who had four catches and 82 yards against the Los Angeles Chargers, but has been bothered by plantar fasciitis throughout most of the season. The scale could go either way with him and it isn’t something the Raiders should deposit their hopes on.
Oakland offensively has playmakers, but none have been as consistent as Waller. That’s why it’s imperative the Raiders feature their not so secret weapon against the Broncos.
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