Will tight end Dalton Schultz power through for the Dallas Cowboys in the 2022 NFL season?
Prior to 2022, it is difficult to consider anyone else as a top-five tight end. Who, specifically, would you replace?
The go-tos are Travis Kelce, George Kittle, Darren Waller, Mark Andrews, and Kyle Pitts.
Cowboys TE Dalton Schultz has a strong case of potentially surpassing one of those names and into the top five. He was actually one last season in all fantasy formats, scoring at the TE5 rate per game.
MOJO MOMENT: :02 left on the clock, Cowboys down 4.
Dak Prescott gets flushed out of the pocket, rolls out to his right, and finds Dalton Schultz in the end zone for the game-winning touchdown. pic.twitter.com/3A5vFJbCoD
— Mike Leslie (@MikeLeslieWFAA) August 2, 2022
Remember that in 2021, Schultz burst onto the limelight, establishing career highs in all relevant statistics, including efficiency measurements. With Amari Cooper gone, a greater role could now be available. Schultz has the potential to do even better than he did in 2021 if he is up to the challenge of being the No. 2 option in the Cowboys offense.
PFF has also given Schultz a TE8 ranking going into this season. That means there's tangible belief that he could really be among the league's best in 2022. In early NFFC drafts, Schultz has been a top-six tight end who is worth a selection as early as Round 6.
Dalton Schultz 2022 Fantasy Football Outlook
Over the past two seasons, Dalton Schultz has been among the most effective tight ends. In terms of overall fantasy points, Schultz is the fourth tight end overall and one of just three to have scored more than 200 points in a single season. Schultz was actually given franchise-level confidence by the Cowboys organization, which equates to a $10.9 million, one-year contract. At
26 years old, Schultz is definitely eager to sign a multi-year contract in 2023 and is coming off a season in which he finished third at his position in catches (78). He will likely stop at nothing to prove he's worthy of that kind of contract. That's a good sign for his prospective fantasy owners.
The big question, of course, is if can he live up to these high standards and expectations. Could Schultz's value decline given that Tony Pollard is anticipated to see more targets while playing on one of the league's top offenses?
The #DallasCowboys have officially placed their franchise tag on Dalton Schultz. pic.twitter.com/AKVxREd5F5
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) March 8, 2022
One factor in Schultz's favor is having both Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson, two wide receivers, gone now. That means 205 targets are suddenly available for the taking. Schultz's goal volume ought to make up for any decline in efficiency. Despite playing eight games with former tight end Blake Jarwin, he rated Top 10 in deep targets and collected 14 red zone targets. Schultz does lack the potential of some other tight ends who may be selected earlier in fantasy drafts. Still, his role in the Cowboys offense offers the most secure output ceiling.
Some experts do believe that Schultz is going to have a fantastic season again. His anticipated fantasy productivity is projected to climb across the board with Cooper's departure. Cooper was the Cowboys' primary wide receiver last season. He accounted for 17 targets in the end zone in 2021. This coming season, as the Cowboys draw closer to the goal zone, they will probably take advantage of Schultz's large size. Experts project that the Cowboys will give him more high-priority targets.
That said, despite Schultz's playing a big part in the Cowboys offense, CeeDee Lamb is the frontrunner to be the top overall receiver. In addition, other mouths to feed on offense include Michael Gallup, Ezekiel Elliott, Tony Pollard, and newcomer Jalen Tolbert. Schultz should have command of the starting tight end job. As such, he will probably be the team's top target in the end zone and on third down.
The TE position is quite top-heavy. In fact, guys like Travis Kelce, Darren Waller, and George Kittle have dominated it for the past few seasons. Alongside youngster Kyle Pitts, Mark Andrews has also recently made a name for himself. These elite tight ends have cost fantasy owners a lot of money in the early rounds. Consequently, fantasy owners have chosen to select TEs later in the draft if they are unable to snag one of these top flight players.
For his part, Schultz will likely fall somewhere in the middle of the sixth round in a 10-team league with an ADP of 65. Fantasy owners may be better off picking a quarterback like Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts, Tom Brady, or even fellow Cowboy Dak Prescott than creating depth at running back or wide out. Managers can still select a lot of well-known names when Schultz's ADP presents itself. Fantasy owners may gain more by securing the quarterback spot, taking a chance on a sleeper like Adam Thielen or Michael Thomas, or even adding depth at the running back slot, which is getting increasingly weak.
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