After five seasons in Dallas, Dalton Schultz signed a one-year deal with the Houston Texans, giving them a veteran target to pair with rookie quarterback CJ Stroud. Schultz has been one of the more reliable fantasy tight ends over the last few seasons, though he did experience a drop-off in 2022. By staying in the Lone Star State, albeit with a new team, Schultz has an opportunity to capitalize on a high volume of targets from the start.
Fantasy Football analysis: Texans TE Dalton Schultz
Schultz is coming off a down year, by his standards, with 57 receptions for 577 yards and five touchdowns. He did miss two games in 2022, but nonetheless, every category marked a decrease from what was a career year in 2021. In PPR leagues he finished as TE10 with an average of 9.5 fantasy points per game, while in standard leagues he averaged 7.2 fantasy points per game.
Start or sit in Week 1 PPR leagues?
Despite a down year for Schultz in 2022, he still boasts a strong 70.1 percent catch rate and has averaged 2.8 receptions per game for his five-year career. His highest volume came in 2021 when he averaged 4.6 receptions per game, and given the lack of depth at receiver, I’m curious if he could step into a leading receiver role at the start. With a rookie quarterback, there could be a chance that Schultz becomes a security blanket at the start for Stroud.
In smaller leagues, Schultz should be considered no more than a backup option. But in larger leagues where the top-heavy reality of tight ends proves to be an obstacle, Schultz is worth a start for Week 1.
Start or sit in Week 1 standard leagues?
Sit. Given that most tight ends are generally boom or bust when it comes to fantasy production, Schultz is still worth taking a flyer on in standard leagues. The added factor in his favor is that he’s arguably the most decorated, or better yet established, receiver option in a room that needs to sort out who is WR1. If you’re in smaller leagues chances are you can find a more reliable option than Schultz. But in larger leagues, he’s surely worth consideration given the limited number of reliable players at his position.
Player(s) you would start ahead of Dalton Schultz
Pat Freiermuth and Tyler Higbee are also names to consider here, and the benefit they have over Schultz is that they still remain with their teams from last season. Both have a projected fantasy point total of eight points in Week 1, which would match Schultz, but they also have more seasoned quarterbacks in the pocket with Kenny Pickett and Matthew Stafford.