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In 2019, Dalton Schultz was the Dallas Cowboys’ third tight end, an afterthought for fantasy purposes. But he was thrust into the spotlight last season, moving into the No. 1 role after Blake Jarwin tore his ACL in Week 1. Schultz turned out to be one of the most productive tight ends in the NFL in 2020, catching 63 passes on 89 targets for 615 yards and four touchdowns.
Jarwin is a better natural receiving tight end. Schultz held on to his job prior to last season, in part, by being such an effective blocker. But with Jarwin healthy and Schultz’s undeniable production last season, it sets up an intriguing position battle for spot that sees a lot of targets in Dallas’ offense. It’s also worth pointing out that Schultz is in a contract year.
Latest camp news
Week 2 preseason recap: Both tight ends got one reception on one target. Jarwin tallied more yards, but this is still an open competition. Schultz had the production last season, but Jarwin is the better receiver. It’s an intriguing battle and it’s going to come down to the wire.
Week 1 preseason recap: Jarwin got one target against the Cardinals, while Schultz failed to register even that. It looks like the Cowboys aren’t going to take much of a chance with any of their starters in the preseason. Neither player has been able to create separation, but both should be factors in the offense this year.
August 10: Jarwin sat out the Hall of Fame game last week. Schultz played a little, catching one pass for 15 yards. There hasn’t been much news out of camp since the Hall of Fame game indicating an advantage for one player or another, so this week’s preseason tilt will be important.
Week 3 preseason game: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Both tight ends are going to get run, but the Cowboys are likely going to use both of them as the season rolls around. There hasn’t been enough to separate one tight end from the other and frankly, Dallas has enough weapons to worry about which tight end will start. Expect both players to snaps during Week 3 and eventually, the regular season.
Fantasy football verdict
Week 2 preseason: Jarwin might get more action in receiving sets, but Schultz’s production from last year cannot be ignored. He’s in a contract year, so he’ll be determined to put up numbers before he hits the market. Both players are going to get snaps, but the exact split remains to be seen. Neither is a viable fantasy option at the moment unless you’re in a deep league, but one could emerge given Dallas’ potent passing attack.