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The Dallas Cowboys had the second-best passing offense in the NFL last season at 4,800 yards, 282.4 per game. With CeeDee Lamb poised to be the primary receiving target after the departure of Amari Cooper, Dalton Schultz will continue to be QB Dak Prescott’s security blanket over the middle at tight end.
2021 season statistics & fantasy finish
Schultz finished the 2021 season as the overall TE3 in half-PPR fantasy football leagues, behind Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews. He posted the best line of his four-year career — 78 receptions on 104 targets for 808 yards and eight touchdowns.
Dallas Cowboys offseason moves
The most concerning offseason move by the Cowboys that could impact Schultz is their fourth-round draft selection of TE Jake Ferguson. The Wisconsin product has “turned heads” thus far in training camp, and could see some opportunities as the year progresses. They also added South Alabama WR Jalen Tolbert.
2022 best case scenario
The additions this offseason clearly pinpoint the Cowboys’ immediate desire to keep the football moving through the air in 2022. Schultz should be an integral part. He led all NFL tight ends in total snaps played, and lined up as a receiver over 50 percent of the time in his fifth campaign. There’s little doubt that he can open up advantages for head coach Mike McCarthy’s offense, and the same could be said for fantasy football lineups on a weekly basis.
2022 worst case scenario
The worst case scenario for Schultz is the Cowboys spread the ball around to their weapons on offense, and capsize his overall ceiling. They’re adamant about getting Ezekiel Elliott back to his true RB1 level in the rushing attack, as well as utilizing the coveted backup Tony Pollard in creative ways once again. Whether this hampers Schultz’s value in the red zone will certainly be something to monitor in the first few games of the year.
2022 prediction
Schultz beat out fellow tight end Blake Jarwin for the primary TE role by a landslide last season — tying Cooper for 104 team targets, and trailed only Lamb. With no timetable for the injured WR Michael Gallup, James Washington missing 6-10 weeks, and no surefire replacement at the position for the moment, Schultz’s fantasy appeal is soaring. The 26-year-old pass catcher is set to be Prescott’s go-to receiver as opposing defenses start keying in on Lamb. He’s currently the overall TE7 in half-PPR formats, per FantasyPros. We can go ahead and chalk that one up as a bargain in Rounds 4-5 of drafts, considering he was the third-best at his position in 2021.