Darren Waller vs Darnell Washington
Who should you start in Week 3? This week's matchups and projections.
Who to start in Week 3
This week is a coin flip. The model leans Darnell Washington by 0.6 projected points (5.1 vs 4.5), close enough that either call is defensible.
Darnell Washington faces CIN, the 14th-friendliest matchup a TE can draw this week. Darren Waller faces KC, the 32nd-friendliest matchup a TE can draw this week.
Season-long, the model still ranks Darren Waller ahead. This is a matchup call for Week 3, 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
This one is a coin flip. The model leans Darren Waller by 4.0 points of value over replacement (-88.0 vs -92.0), close enough that your roster build should break the tie.
The draft market hasn't priced this matchup yet, so treat it as a pure model call.
| Darren WallerMIA | Darnell WashingtonPIT | Edge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 3 opponent | KC | CIN | |
| Projected Week 3 points | 4.5 | 5.1 | Washington +0.6 pts |
| Matchup rank (TE vs defense, of 32) | #32 | #14 | |
| Projected 2026 points (PPR) | 90.4 | 86.4 | Waller +4.0 pts |
| Points per game | 5.3 | 5.1 | |
| Value over replacement (VBD) | -88.0 | -92.0 | Waller +4.0 |
| Overall rank | #169 | #182 | Waller by 13 |
| Position rank | TE25 | TE26 | |
| Market ADP | - | - | |
| Typical round (12-team) | - | - | |
| Bye week | 6 | 9 |
Should I start Darren Waller or Darnell Washington in Week 3?
This week is a coin flip. The model leans Darnell Washington by 0.6 projected points (5.1 vs 4.5), close enough that either call is defensible.
Should I draft Darren Waller or Darnell Washington in 2026 fantasy football?
Darren Waller. He projects 90.4 fantasy points with -88.0 value over replacement, vs 86.4 points and -92.0 for Darnell Washington (TE, PPR). It's close enough to let roster needs decide.