Darren Waller · Mike Gesicki · 2026 week 8

Darren Waller or Mike Gesicki?

Wondering who you should start this week — Darren Waller or Mike Gesicki? The start/sit call and the numbers behind it are below, plus who wins a straight-up trade. Rebuilt nightly.

Start Mike Gesicki — barelyThis one is a coin flip — the projections are within 0.6 points. The matchup leans Mike Gesicki (TEN allow the 24th-most TE points), but you can defend either call.

Player	Wk 8	Proj (PPR)	Matchup	Form L3	Trade value	Status
Darren Waller	@ GB	7.6	31st · tough	9.6	33	healthy
Mike Gesicki START	vs TEN	8.2	24th	9.3	37	healthy

TEs vs GB recently: Colston Loveland 1.9 pts (W5) · Brevyn Spann-Ford 3.5 pts (W6) · Sam LaPorta 1.8 pts (W7).

TEs vs TEN recently: Dalton Schultz 3 pts (W5) · Mo Alie-Cox 6.1 pts (W6) · Harold Fannin Jr. 7.1 pts (W7).

🎓 The coach's read

Projections are 0.6 apart — too close to call on projection alone.
Darren Waller has the higher floor (2.1) — the safer start if you are favoured.
Mike Gesicki has the higher ceiling (16) — the play if you need points.
Darren Waller faces GB, 31st most generous to TEs.
Mike Gesicki faces TEN, 24th most generous to TEs.

Who wins a straight-up trade?

Mike Gesicki carries the higher trade value — 37 against 33 (a 11% gap). In a one-for-one, the side receiving Mike Gesicki gets the most. Momentum: Darren Waller -309 and Mike Gesicki +22 over the last 30 days.

Open in Start/Sit (any scoring) Open in the Trade Analyzer

More TE decisions

Darren Waller or Dalton Schultz?Darren Waller or Terrance Ferguson?Mike Gesicki or Kenyon Sadiq?Mike Gesicki or Dalton Schultz?Mike Gesicki or Terrance Ferguson?

All numbers are the 2026 season, refreshed nightly.