Fantasy football managers have grown comfortable with Dalton Schultz over the years. He caught a career-high 82 balls last season, earning 85+ targets for a sixth straight season. But is there enough upside in this profile?
With the tight end position getting deeper by way of recent draft classes, Schultz’s reasonable floor isn’t as valuable as it once was, and that has his stock trending in the wrong direction.
Should You Draft Dalton Schultz in Fantasy Football?
There is something to be said for availability, and with just four DNP’s over the past six seasons, Schultz certainly checks that box. That’s a good start, but what is the upside here?
The Texans may lack proven pass-catching talent behind Nico Collins, but it’s not for a lack of effort, and that effort should tell you something about how they feel about their starting tight end sustaining the volume from a year ago.
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In April, they spent a second-round pick on Michigan’s Marlin Klein (only 38 receptions in three seasons as a Wolverine), and while he may not be an immediate target threat, this is draft capital being spent on the same position, and that’s never ideal.
Tank Dell is expected back, Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel are in their sophomore seasons, and David Montgomery brings a hard-nosed style to this running game that was absent for most of last season. This is an offense with some optionality and Schultz is going to have a hard time thriving if his volume shifts from a strength to average.
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Despite limited options, this team hasn’t schemed up looks for Schultz in the most valuable part of the field (96th of 109 qualifiers in red-zone target rate since the start of 2024). Or Schultz is incapable of posting up and giving CJ Stroud a spot to put the ball in those spots. I don’t really care where you lay the blame; the result is the same — low-TD equity.
If Houston manages to develop any of their young offensive weapons, this thin Schultz profile is at risk of collapsing in short order. In a best-case scenario, I see a poor man’s version of what we got from Jake Ferguson last season here: an early-season peak with a second-half fall-off as the other weapons gain traction.
Schultz’s Dynasty Fantasy Football Value
With this being his age-30 season, Schultz is even less appealing in dynasty formats. A player like Chig Okonkwo has a shorter resume, but he’s younger and experiencing an offensive change.
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That’s enough room for growth that I’d rather throw a dart on that profile than grind out a season, or set of seasons, from Schultz that offers very little in terms of a ceiling.
This Texans roster can be interesting when it comes to dynasty stashes due to the lack of target hierarchy, but Schultz isn’t a part of that mix in my eyes, even at a onesie position.
