Raiders report: Darren Waller to miss Sunday’s game

Raiders star tight end Darren Waller won’t play against the Texans on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium.

Waller did not practice in any of the team’s three sessions this week after suffering a hamstring injury during the first quarter of a Week 5 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on “Monday Night Football.” He was listed as out on Friday’s injury report.

The Raiders had a bye last week.

Waller missed most of training camp with a lingering hamstring injury but has played in all five games. He lasted only eight snaps against the Chiefs before aggravating the injury.

Coach Josh McDaniels offered a bit of optimism before Friday’s practice, saying Waller was “moving in the right direction.” But he was not on the practice field.

There was better news on wide receiver Hunter Renfrow, who missed Thursday’s practice with a hip injury.

Renfrow practiced in a limited capacity Friday and is listed as questionable, but he indicated to reporters he is likely to play.

The absence of Waller could open more opportunities for tight end Foster Moreau, expected to return after missing two games with a knee injury. He has six catches on eight targets in three games playing behind Waller.

Moreau got in a full practice Friday after being limited the previous two sessions and does not have an injury designation.

Wide receiver Mack Hollins (heel) and linebacker Jayon Brown (hamstring) are listed as questionable after getting in three limited practice sessions this week.

Offensive lineman Dylan Parham missed practice with an illness but doesn’t carry an injury designation.

Also, McDaniels indicated that defensive back Anthony Averett will be activated from injured reserve before the game and could be asked to play a substantial role.

Sibling rivalry

The McDaniels’ family will have a de facto reunion this weekend.

Josh’s younger brother Ben McDaniels is the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator for the Texans.

“We won’t talk a whole lot about football this week,’ Josh McDaniels said jokingly.

Several family members will be in town, including their parents.

“These are always interesting,” Josh McDaniels said. “I’ve got a lot of respect and admiration for my brother and the job he does. He’s a very good coach, and these are fun things to look back on years from now talking about when we’ve played each other and coached against one another. I’ve tried to recruit my mom and dad to silver and black for sure this week, which I think I’m winning that war right now.”

McDaniels later confirmed his parents are expected to be in Raiders colors when they attend the game at Allegiant Stadium.

Good luck

Raiders safety Matthias Farley believes the UNLV football team, which shares Allegiant Stadium with the Raiders, are in for an unforgettable experience Saturday.

The Rebels play at Notre Dame, where Farley played from 2011 to 2015.

“It’s one of, if not the most, historic college venue you could ever play in,” Farley said of Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. “If you enjoy competition and the game of football, you want to play in those environments, so it’s probably going to be an awesome experience for those guys.”

Farley is one of three former Notre Dame players on the Raiders’ roster. The group attended an Irish game when they played Brigham Young on Oct. 8 at Allegiant Stadium.

“It was really, really cool,” Farley said of going to the game with offensive lineman Alex Bars and practice squad defensive back Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa. “The fans travel incredibly well. It was so cool to be all the way across the country and see the fans come out like that.”

As for Saturday’s game, Farley doesn’t expect the Rebels to have an entirely good trip.

“Those players will have an amazing experience … until the game’s over and they leave with an ‘L,’” he said.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.