Darren Waller vs Cade Otton
Who should you start in Week 7? This week's matchups and projections.
Who to start in Week 7
This week is a coin flip. The model leans Cade Otton by 0.5 projected points (7.3 vs 6.8), close enough that either call is defensible.
Cade Otton faces CAR, the 9th-friendliest matchup a TE can draw this week. Darren Waller faces NYJ, the 25th-friendliest matchup a TE can draw this week.
Season-long, the model still ranks Darren Waller ahead. This is a matchup call for Week 7, not a change of heart about the rest of the year.
This-week points are each player's projected per-game scoring rate adjusted for the matchup.
The season-long call
The model takes Darren Waller: a clear but modest edge of 7.4 points of value over replacement (-67.0 vs -74.4).
The draft market hasn't priced this matchup yet, so treat it as a pure model call.
| Darren WallerMIA | Cade OttonTAM | Edge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 7 opponent | NYJ | CAR | |
| Projected Week 7 points | 6.8 | 7.3 | Otton +0.5 pts |
| Matchup rank (TE vs defense, of 28) | #25 | #9 | |
| Projected 2026 points (PPR) | 125.3 | 117.9 | Waller +7.4 pts |
| Points per game | 7.4 | 6.9 | |
| Value over replacement (VBD) | -67.0 | -74.4 | Waller +7.4 |
| Overall rank | #152 | #167 | Waller by 15 |
| Position rank | TE25 | TE27 | |
| Market ADP | - | - | |
| Typical round (12-team) | - | - | |
| Bye week | 6 | 10 |
Should I start Darren Waller or Cade Otton in Week 7?
This week is a coin flip. The model leans Cade Otton by 0.5 projected points (7.3 vs 6.8), close enough that either call is defensible.
Should I draft Darren Waller or Cade Otton in 2026 fantasy football?
Darren Waller. He projects 125.3 fantasy points with -67.0 value over replacement, vs 117.9 points and -74.4 for Cade Otton (TE, PPR).