Raiders' Darren Waller's Knee Injury Diagnosed as Strained Iliotibial Band

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller reportedly avoided a serious injury in Thursday's win over the Dallas Cowboys.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the injury that knocked Waller out of the game was a strained iliotibial band in his knee.

Rapoport characterized the diagnosis as "very good news" since Waller didn't suffer a season-ending injury such as a torn ACL.

The 29-year-old, who was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time last season, has been one of the NFL's top tight ends once again in 2021.

Through 10 games, Waller has reeled in 53 receptions for 643 yards and two touchdowns, and he is second on the team in both receptions and receiving yardage behind only wide receiver Hunter Renfrow.

Waller left Thursday's game after getting tackled during a second-quarter reception. He did not return to action and finished the contest with two grabs for 33 yards.

Despite Waller's absence, the Raiders scored an upset victory in Dallas by a 36-33 score in overtime.

The win improved Vegas' record to 6-5 and put it back in the thick of the playoff race in the AFC, but continuing to play winning football could be a challenge if Waller misses any additional time.

Should Waller be unavailable for Sunday's home game against the Washington Football Team, the Raiders will turn to Foster Moreau as their starting tight end.

The third-year man out of LSU has played well in a reserve role behind Waller this season, making 12 catches for 135 yards and three touchdowns.