Dalton

Schultz

The designation to return means that Dell is expected to contribute in some capacity this season, although he appears a ways off still. With Jaylin Noel still nursing an injury after experiencing a setback and Jayden Higgins lost for the season, recent acquisition Kayshon Boutte has all the runway to operate as the WR2 opposite Nico Collins to start the season. Xavier Hutchinson should also see an uptick in opportunities while tight end Dalton Schultz should see a significant boost in weekly volume.

Injuries thinned the Texans’ tight end depth last season. This offseason, the front office signed TE Foster Moreau and drafted TE Marlin Klein, who is currently sidelined by a hamstring injury. Starting TE Dalton Schultz should continue to play a lot of snaps, though he is likely just a high-end TE2. Increasing 12 personnel sets decreases the number of snaps available to the wide receiver position, which could be a problem if the coaching staff decides to employ a rotation at the WR2 spot.

Schultz has never seemed like a perfect solution for the Texans since joining the team in 2023, but they keep coming up with little in the way of alternatives. He’ll likely remain in the low-end TE1/high-end TE2 pool as he enters his age-30 season. It’s hard to say confidently based on early reporting what the long-term cap impact of this is, but the 2027 extension will clash with a void year so perhaps the Texans already felt committed to him for that season in some way.

Schultz left the Texans’ Divisional Round loss to the Patriots in the first quarter and did not return. The good news is that it doesn’t sound like the calf injury will affect his offseason routine much, if at all. Schultz quietly led the Texans with 82 receptions this year. He finished second on the team in yards at 777. Houston has several young receovers fighting to see more work in 2026, but Schultz has proven to be a reliable check-down option for C.J. Stroud over multiple years. He will remain a solid TE2 fantasy option for the upcoming season.

Schultz pulled up running a first quarter route in the Patriots’ end zone and walked off the field very gingerly. He then made his way to the locker room without assistance, but at a slow pace. He was ruled out in the second quarter. The Texans’ de facto No. 1 pass catcher with Nico Collins sidelined, Schultz’s loss is a potentially enormous blow. C.J. Stroud ended the drive following Schultz’s departure with a horrid pick, and has been struggling with turnovers ever since.

Schultz fell victim to a defensive struggle as the game entered the fourth quarter with the Texans nursing a 7-6 lead before two defensive scores broke things wide open. The veteran tight end has a good chance to step into increased usage considering the concussion suffered by alpha wide receiver Nico Collins, particularly considering the tight end-funnel matchup against the Patriots in the Divisional Round.

All of Schultz’s catches came before halftime, and he had a nice one-hander from C.J. Stroud in the first quarter that went for a big chunk gain. He’ll be in the DFS conversation in the Wild Card round.

Schultz did not have a good day, although it could have been worse. The Texans’ tight end got flagged for an unnecessary roughness penalty on his team’s fourth drive for shoving Chargers DT Teair Tart to the ground after Tart kneed him in the back and slapped his facemask, out of sight from the referee, at the tail end of a play. Later, on the Texans’ eighth drive, Chargers EDGE Khalil Mack punched the football out of Schultz’s hands at the end of an 11-yard gain via a screen pass. Fortunately, the ball rolled out of bounds just before another Chargers defender fell on it. Schultz is a boom-bust TE1 against the

Schultz was limited for Tuesday’s practice. That is standard fare for veterans this late in the year. A full practice today means he is good to go for Week 17. Schultz has finished as a TE1 in six of his past eight games. While his ceiling is relatively limited, he remains a high-floor TE1 bet for fantasy football championship week.

Schultz popped up on the injury report with a knee issue, but was still listed as a limited practice participant. Given it is the first practice of the week, it is possible the knee was just banged up in Sunday’s win over the Raiders. Fantasy managers should stay tuned for the rest of the week’ practice reports, but Schultz is still tracking to be on the TE1 borderline for Week 17 against the Chargers.