Even the less flashy moves can still prove to be meaningful in the NFL. We’ve seen plenty of under-the-radar signings create fantasy hidden gems. So, that begs the question; what free agents will prove to be great values in 2023? Today, we’ll take a look at if new Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz can be one of those guys.
Dalton Schultz & The Houston Texans
Following a breakout campaign in 2021 where he finished as the TE3 in standard and PPR, Schultz had a respectable albeit slightly underwhelming 2022 season, finishing with 57 catches for 577 yards and five touchdowns. This was still good for a TE1 finish, with Schultz ranked as the TE11 in PPR. Context helps Schultz as well, as he missed a couple of games and for a good chunk of the season, was catching passes from Cooper Rush with Dak Prescott sidelined. Overall, Schultz is coming off back-to-back good years. With the Cowboys’ cap situation beginning to tighten up, letting Schultz walk was more a financial decision, as he’s a good player and I’m sure they’d have loved to keep him around.
Schultz is a solid addition to a depleted Texans roster. Houston will be adding a rookie quarterback in this year’s draft, and as we’ve all seen in some recent years, it’s almost impossible for a young quarterback to develop while overcoming a mediocre supporting cast. Schultz will be a good safety outlet for whoever the Texans’ franchise guy may be. This signing bodes well for the development of that quarterback, as any investment in the offense will boost their chances of immediate success. Factoring the re-signing of Laremy Tunsil, the signing of Devin Singletary, and the projected early drafting of a rookie wide receiver, the Texans are setting up a nice infrastructure for a rookie quarterback to thrive. Schultz projects to be one of the top two or three options on offense for Houston and should have a safe floor due to some healthy volume. I like Schultz as a low-end TE1 once again.
The Dallas Cowboys
Suddenly, the Cowboys have a void to fill at the tight end position. With a couple of solid backups in place in Peyton Hendershot and Jake Ferguson, there’s maybe a world where the Cowboys sit on their hands and enter the 2023 season with their current stable.
But in such a loaded rookie tight end class, I find it unlikely that the Cowboys don’t spend at least a third-round selection on one of the many talented incoming players. This would be a fun pairing for any rookie, as Dak Prescott is still one of the better quarterbacks in the league and utilizes tight ends at a solid rate. Darnell Washington could be an awesome addition to this offense, with his combination of run blocking and athleticism. Dalton Kincaid would seamlessly fill the void left by Schultz right away, with a higher ceiling as well. There are tons of options in the later rounds as well, with guys like Zack Kuntz and Sam LaPorta being great players that could be available late. Look for Dallas to be one of the teams investing draft capital in an injection of youth at tight end.
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