Managers want a piece of this Houston Texans offense, and Dalton Schultz’s dynasty value hinges on C.J. Stroud taking this unit to the next level.
That said, with an alpha receiver in Nico Collins and an encouraging rookie season from Tank Dell, there may not be room for Schultz to benefit from this offense’s potential. Is he destined to be a part of the TE streamer tier?
Dalton Schultz’s Dynasty Outlook
Several dynasty managers confuse “age” with “value.” Yes, younger players receive a boost in this format, but don’t make the mistake of overlooking those with a few more reps on their NFL résumé.
Dalton Schultz with the smooth slide into the endzone on this TD pass from C.J. Stroud 👀#WeAreTexans
pic.twitter.com/LUZIo2UCaR— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) November 19, 2023
Schultz represents a cheap way to invest in Stroud’s promising trajectory, something all dynasty managers are tripping over themselves to do. In his first season with the Texans, Schultz was the TE11, logging three double-digit target games while setting a career-high in yards per catch.
There is no path to Schultz being the top performer at the position or even a Tier 1 option, and that’s fine. Much like a “real” NFL team, your dynasty team needs role players who can stabilize your weekly floor, which Schultz can be. At a position that proves to be tough to fill, that has value.
Scared about him being, at best, the third option in this passing game? Has that stopped you from drafting San Francisco 49ers TE George Kittle in years past? What about Philadelphia Eagles TE Dallas Goedert?
You could argue that Dallas Cowboys TE Jake Ferguson was the No. 3 option this season, but that didn’t stop him from breaking out.
Schultz isn’t going to cost you much — assuming he’s back in Houston next season, he’s a great low-risk, reasonable-reward acquisition right now.
Schultz’s Dynasty Ranking
Where does Schultz land in the dynasty TE landscape going into the 2024 offseason? Here are Kyle Soppe’s latest rankings, featuring where Schultz lands in comparison to other top names at the position.
Kyle Soppe’s Top TE Rankings
1) Sam LaPorta | DET
2) Trey McBride | ARI
3) George Kittle | SF
4) Mark Andrews | BAL
5) T.J. Hockenson | MIN
6) Evan Engram | JAX
7) Travis Kelce | KC
8) Jake Ferguson | DAL
9) Dalton Kincaid | BUF
10) Kyle Pitts | ATL
11) David Njoku | CLE
12) Dallas Goedert | PHI
13) Michael Mayer | LV
14) Dalton Schultz | HOU
15) Isaiah Likely | BAL
16) Darren Waller | NYG
17) Gerald Everett | LAC
18) Cole Kmet | CHI
19) Luke Musgrave | GB
20) Chigoziem Okonkwo | TEN
21) Greg Dulcich | DEN
22) Pat Freiermuth | PIT
23) Logan Thomas | WAS
24) Juwan Johnson | NO
25) Noah Fant | SEA
26) Taysom Hill | NO
27) Tucker Kraft | GB
28) Hunter Henry | NE
29) Cade Otton | TB
30) Irv Smith Jr. | CIN
31) Jelani Woods | IND
32) Tyler Higbee | LAR
33) Tyler Conklin | NYJ
34) Dawson Knox | BUF
35) Hayden Hurst | CAR
36) Mike Gesicki | NE
37) Brevin Jordan | HOU
38) Darnell Washington | PIT
39) Luke Schoonmaker | DAL
40) Donald Parham Jr. | LAC
41) Daniel Bellinger | NYG
42) Austin Hooper | LV
43) Jonnu Smith | ATL
44) Albert Okwuegbunam | PHI
45) Zach Ertz | DET
46) Adam Trautman | DEN
47) Noah Gray | KC
48) Mo Alie-Cox | IND
49) Robert Tonyan | CHI
50) Foster Moreau | NO
Should You Trade Schultz in Dynasty?
Are you considering trading Schultz? Our free PFN Trade Analyzer allows you to find the best trade offer to make in seconds!
He lacks excitement and upside, but you know exactly what Schultz is from a fantasy standpoint. He ran a route on 61.1% of his snaps last season, and over the past two seasons, he’s been targeted on 26.6% of his routes in the red zone (up from the 17.9% rate that he posted in the two seasons prior).
MORE: PFN’s Consensus Dynasty Rankings
Schultz isn’t flashy, but if he posts the annual numbers that he’s averaged over his past three (roughly 65 catches for 675 yards and six touchdowns) for the next few seasons, he’s going to be a valuable commodity given his current price. I’m holding onto Schultz if I have him and would explore acquiring him if I didn’t.