Widely regarded as one of the top potential free agent signings of 2022, TE Dalton Schultz put together a phenomenal season last year, which helped his dynasty fantasy football value skyrocket heading into the offseason. Now that Schultz has been franchise tagged by the Dallas Cowboys, what will his impact be on the team moving forwards?
Dalton Schultz’s dynasty fantasy outlook
What Schultz did last season was impressive. However, his ascension into a household name started in 2020. With Blake Jarwin out due to a torn ACL in Week 1, Schultz had an impressive season, recording 63 receptions on 89 targets for 615 yards and 4 touchdowns. He was the TE11 on the year, but no one seemed to pay all that much attention to him as all eyes were focused on Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup.
In 2021, Schultz took his game to another level and showed his output was not a fluke. Playing in 17 games, Schultz caught 78 passes for 808 yards and 8 touchdowns on a staggering 104 targets. Among tight ends, Schultz ranked sixth in targets and yards, third in receptions, and second in touchdowns. That performance helped place him as the TE3 on the season in points per game with 12.3. He also finished as a TE1 or better in 11 of 17 games in 2022 despite playing in a loaded offense.
A TE1 in dynasty going forward
Schultz went from a somewhat under-the-radar name to a TE1 for the 2022 fantasy season and in dynasty. Not bad for a player who had 19 targets in his first two years.
Schultz was arguably the most attractive name in a decent tight end market alongside names like Zach Ertz, Mike Gesicki, Robert Tonyan, David Njoku, and C.J. Uzomah. So to see him tagged by the Cowboys is not a massive surprise given the upside he brings to an offense.
Schultz is not only a decent and willing blocker, but he’s also a dangerous threat in the passing game. Is there a chance we saw the ceiling for Schultz last season? Perhaps. But consistency is what matters in dynasty. And it appears Schultz is here to stay as a focal point of the Cowboys’ offense.
A nearly guaranteed TE1 is a rare thing to find in dynasty given the instability and lack of ceiling at the position. Those who were able to snag Schultz prior to last season not only received a massive bargain, but they have a locked-in TE with top-five fantasy upside as long as he sees the requisite volume. Something I personally don’t see being a problem in 2022.
Schultz’s fantasy impact on Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Amari Cooper
The Cowboys’ move to franchise tag Schultz isn’t all that surprising. Given the expected release of Cooper and the pending free agency status of Gallup, making sure Schultz was back on the roster was a top priority. It also gives the Cowboys protection at the position.
According to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, Jarwin underwent surgery for a hip injury last month and is not expected to be ready for the start of the season. Jarwin played the first seven games of the 2021 season before going on IR due to the injury. He returned late in the season but saw limited action. Given Jarwin’s inability to stay on the field, and Schultz taking the next step in his development, tagging the latter was the logical move, and it allows the team time to agree on a multi-year deal.
The return of Schultz is a positive move for Prescott’s upside
Placing the tag on Schultz was imperative for Dak Prescott. Over the last two seasons, the veteran TE has become one of Prescott’s most reliable targets, accounting for 22.5% of his passing yards and 9.1% of his touchdowns.
Schultz really stands out in the red zone, as he is second on the team in red-zone targets over the last two seasons (15). The player ahead of him is Cooper with 22. As noted, Cooper is likely out the door. Thus, retaining Schultz was important to stabilize Prescott’s value as a mid-tier QB1 for 2022.
Lamb’s fantasy value is more impacted by other pending moves
As far as Lamb is concerned, the more significant impact will come from decisions made on Cooper or Gallup. If anything, it’s a good thing Schultz is back. It means teams need to consider multiple options anytime Prescott drops back.
However, in terms of overall volume and long-term impact, the expected release of Cooper is what will elevate Lamb’s game and place him as the WR3 in dynasty. There’s an argument to be made that once Cooper is released, Lamb will join the Tier 1 range of dynasty receivers alongside Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase.
Coming off a season where he posted 79 receptions on 120 targets for 1,102 yards and 6 TDs, the expected increase in volume (especially inside the red zone) could allow Lamb to finish as the No. 1 WR overall for fantasy in 2022.
Cooper is all but out the door in Dallas
I feel this is also the end of Cooper’s time in Dallas. The improved play of Cedrick Wilson (who also needs to be re-signed) and the return of Schultz allow the Cowboys to maintain a plethora of options on offense and free up much-needed salary-cap space.
While Cooper has been a massively successful player since his acquisition in 2019 (292 receptions, 3,893 yards, and 27 TDS), the Cowboys simply did not manage their money correctly after dolling out massive contracts, especially to Ezekiel Elliott (six years, $90 million).
Cooper is still in the prime of his career, as receivers maintain their value for longer. But it’s hard to imagine a more advantageous situation than what he currently has in Dallas. While he can go and be the No. 1 target, his value will depend on the quality of those targets and who is throwing him the ball. More than likely, we will see a drop in Cooper’s dynasty value, at least until we see where he will play.