Through five weeks of the 2022 NFL season, the Dallas Cowboys have been one of the league's biggest surprises. Many claimed that Dallas' season was over after starting quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a hand injury in a Week 1 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that has kept him out for multiple weeks. Instead, the Cowboys have not just survived without their quarterback, but thrived.

The offense has adapted well without Prescott, and is playing well enough to win games. Backup quarterback Cooper Rush has four touchdowns with no interceptions, and that ball security is exactly what Dallas has needed from him. With two solid running backs in Ezekiel Elliot and Tony Pollard, the Cowboys' offense is rolling along just fine.

However, the defense has been the true star of the show in Dallas. The Cowboys sit near the top of the league in many defensive stats, and they have yet to allow 20 points in any game this season. Micah Parsons has had an outstanding start to the season with six sacks already, and he is a heavy favorite for Defensive Player of the Year.

With Prescott returning soon, Dallas is in a great position to make a return to the playoffs. The Cowboys could even take the NFC East lead if they upset the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night. All in all, it's hard to ask for much more from the Cowboys so far.

However, one player in particular has had a disappointing season. This player came into the season with high expectations, and due to injuries and underperformance, he has failed to meet them so far.

Cowboys' biggest disappointment in 2022

Succeeding the legendary Jason Witten was always going to be a tough task. With nearly 13,000 receiving yards, the tight end is Dallas' all-time leading receiver, and his 72 career touchdowns sit just one behind Dez Bryant's franchise record. Witten played 16 seasons in Dallas, and his departure after the 2019 season left a big hole.

Fortunately for the Cowboys, they already had a strong replacement waiting in the wings. Dalton Schultz had a very solid 2020 season, with 63 catches for 615 yards and four touchdowns. He played great in his first season as the starter, and would only improve in his second.

In 2021, Schultz had an outstanding season with 78 catches for 808 yards and eight touchdowns. He finished sixth in receiving yards among tight ends and fifth in touchdowns. Many expected Schultz to continue his upward trajectory in 2022, and some had him as a top five tight end.

The Cowboys were probably counting on him to take another step forward as well. After losing Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson Jr. this offseason, and Michael Gallup injured to start the season, Dallas needed pass catchers to step up. Many saw Schultz as the second option behind Ceedee Lamb, contributing to his high expectations.

Unfortunately for Schultz, he has had a very poor start to the season. It didn't seem so at first with a seven-catch, 62-yard performance in Week 1, but it started to go downhill the next week. Schultz had just two catches for 18 yards in Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals, but more importantly, he suffered a knee injury late in the game.

Thankfully, Schultz avoided a season-ending injury as initially feared. He did miss Week 3's game against the New York Giants, but returned against the Washington Commanders in Week 4. However, he hasn't looked quite right since returning.

In the two games since his return, Schultz has zero catches on only four targets. Yes, he is still recovering from that injury, so it's fair to expect a bit of a dip in production. However, not having a single catch is extremely concerning.

Even worse, Schultz suffered another injury in the Cowboys' win over the Los Angeles Rams. He stayed in the game but played very sparingly. He played just three snaps in the second half, serving as a blocker on all of them.

Considering Schultz's track record, him dealing with multiple injuries already this season is cause for concern. He played in every game between 2019 and 2021 and stayed off the injury report nearly the entire time.

What's truly most concerning though is Schultz's contract situation. Dallas used the franchise tag on Schultz, and the two sides failed to come to a long-term extension.

If Schultz doesn't turn his season around quickly, he may not be with the Cowboys much longer. He has the talent to get back on track, but if injuries continue to work against him, he may not have a fair chance.