Giants' Darren Waller Activated off IR, Will Return from Hamstring Injury vs. Saints

Darren Waller will return from a hamstring injury this week as the New York Giants take on the New Orleans Saints after he was activated off injured reserve on Saturday.

The tight end had his 21-day window to be activated opened this week and participated in practice on Thursday and Friday in a limited capacity. He took team reps in practice and was listed as questionable for the game.

Waller missed the last five games with a hamstring injury that he suffered in a loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Nov. 5. The former Pro Bowler has recorded 384 receiving yards and a touchdown on 36 receptions this season.

The Giants will take on the Saints on the road at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday with a chance to improve to 6-8 and continue their three-game win streak.

Waller is in his first season with the Giants this year. The eight-year veteran spent the last five seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders after spending his first two years in the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens. His best seasons came in 2019 and 2020, when he recorded 1,145 receiving yards and 1,196 receiving yards, respectively.

While he hasn't had the same kind of production this season with the Giants, he's managed to be a reliable option for New York's offense in the eight games he has played on this season.

The Giants are heating up as of late, winning their last three games against the Washington Commanders, the New England Patriots and the Green Bay Packers. The Giants chances of making the playoffs are slim at this point, but they have the chance to close out the season with some positive momentum. After taking on the Saints this week, they will have two meetings with the Philadelphia Eagles sandwiching a matchup with the Los Angeles Rams.

Part of the reason for the Giants' recent hot streak has been the play of rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito, who stepped in after Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor went down with injuries. He's been reliable leading the offense, and he's looking to continue winning fans over this week.

Sunday will be a chance for DeVito and Waller to play together for just the second time, and the two will be looking to form a connection that could carry into next season.