Tag: Dalton Schultz

Dalton Schultz injury update: Texans TE returns, scores TD vs. Jaguars

Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz left during the third quarter of Week 13’s game with a shoulder injury.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

The Houston Texans are looking to secure their seventh consecutive road win over the Jacksonville Jaguars entering the fourth quarter, but the offense could be missing a signature player.

Tight end Dalton Schultz left during the third quarter with a shoulder injury and could be out for the rest of the game, depending on further evaluation. The Texans need a win to secure a 4-1 record in conference play before next week’s bye.

Here’s the latest on the Texans’ veteran tight end.

Dalton Schultz injury update

During the third quarter, Schultz suffered a shoulder injury when he hurdled a defender trying to pick up a first down. He remained down on the ground for a moment and was slow to get up before heading to the sidelines.

The Texans listed the tight end as questionable to return, though he managed to be healthy enough to come back in for the fourth quarter. He hauled in a 22-yard touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud for his first scoring opportunity of the regular season.

Losing him for an extensive period of time would have been a concern because the Texans are short of tight ends.

Following the scoring drive, Schultz has caught five passes for 61 yards.

Texans TE depth chart

If Schultz were to miss the rest of the game, Houston would be limited to rookie Cade Stover and former Alabama star Irv Smith Jr. Stover has mostly seen action as the team’s H-back or in 12-personnel this season after being drafted out of Ohio State last April.

Texans TE trolls former team on Twitter following win over Cowboys

Dalton Schultz isn’t missing his chance to troll the Dallas Cowboys following Monday’s win

Dalton Schultz made it clear that he wanted to be with the Houston Texans after a promising 2022 season.

After spending five seasons in the hectic mess with the Dallas Cowboys, he enjoyed the low-down lifestyle in Houston.

It’s clear following Monday’s 34-10 win over the NFC East franchise that Schultz is loving life in Houston. That was only justified after he rubbed in the win on social media Tuesday morning.

Schultz posted a video of him pouring milk into two cups of coffee on his X account. Through the cups, there revealed a hidden message: “The Houston Texans are the best team in Texas!”

Mic drop. The end.

Schultz has been a vital piece to C.J. Stroud’s growth during his two seasons at NRG Stadium. Last year, the 28-year-old hauled in 59 passes for 635 yards and five touchdowns while serving as Stroud’s security blanket across the middle of the field.

That eventually led to a new three-year, $36 million extension this offseason, keeping the tight end in Houston through 2026. While Schultz hasn’t been a touchdown machine this season, he remains a top target for the AFC South favorites, catching 34 passes for 343 yards.

The Texans return home for another bragging rights battle against a former Texas-based team as the Tennessee Titans come to NRG Stadium this Sunday at noon CT.

Texans receive positive update surrounding Dalton Schultz’s status for Sunday Night Football

Tight end Dalton Schultz is back for the Houston Texans on Sunday Night Football.

Dalton Schultz is trending in the right direction for the Houston Texans heading into Sunday Night Football.

The veteran tight end returned to practice for the first time all week after dealing with an ankle injury following a 29-27 win against the Indianapolis Colts. Since he wasn’t listed on the injury report, he’s expected to play on Sunday against the Chicago Bears.

Schultz caught three passes for 16 yards at Lucas Oil Stadium and picked up two first downs.

Schultz’s return could be massive for the Texans across the middle against Chicago’s linebacking corps. He’s Hosuton’s most consistent tight end in space and was a security blanket for C.J. Stroud during his rookie season.

The former Dallas Cowboys star had 59 catches for 635 yards and five touchdowns last season. Houston rewarded him this offseason with a three-year extension.

While Schultz returned to practice, Juice Scruggs and Dameon Pierce went from limited to out. Scruggs, a 2023 second-round pick out of Penn State, is dealing with a groin injury, while Peirce is dealing with a hamstring injury.

Houston still feels confident in its backups should Pierce and Scruggs miss Sunday’s kickoff against the NFC North franchise. Running back Cam Akers, who was inactive last week on the road, was the preseason star. He totaled 112 yards on 24 attempts and a touchdown.

Jarrett Patterson started seven games last season at center and left guard before suffering a season-ending leg injury. He’s battled Scruggs for first-team reps but mostly has played with the backups in practice.

The game will be nationally televised on NBC.

Texans vs. Bears, Week 2 injury report: Thursday

For the second straight day, Dalton Schultz was not at Houston Texans practice.

Dalton Schultz’s status is looking bleaker by the moment heading into Sunday’s contest against the Chicago Bears.

For the second consecutive afternoon, the veteran tight end did not practice, putting his status as questionable for the Houston Texans’ home opener on NBC.

Schultz caught three passes for 16 yards in Week 1’s 29-27 win over the Indianapolis Colts.

If Schultz is unavailable, the Texans will lean on tight ends Brevin Jordan and Cade Stover. Both players saw action in Sunday’s victory at Lucas Oil Stadium, with Stover even taking reps at fullback for the first time in his career.

https://twitter.com/TexansPR/status/1834327826826240258

“Special shout-out to Stover,” running back Joe Mixon said postgame. “He made critical blocks. … I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen a fullback in front of me. It’s a hell of a feeling, man.”

If needed, Houston could also elevate Chris Myarick from the practice squad to fill his void.

Running back Dameon Pierce (hamstring), receiver Nico Collins (illness) and offensive lineman Juice Scruggs (groin) all were limited participants during drills. Defensive back M.J. Stewart (knee) also did not practice for the second consecutive day this week.

For Chicago, four players missed practice due to injury, including receivers Rome Odunze (knee) and Keenan Allen (heel).

Drafted ninth overall out of Washington, Oduzne suffered a Grade 1 MCL sprain and is currently day-to-day.  Allen, who reaggravated a heel injury in Sunday’s win over the Titans, was expected to return Thursday.

His status for Sunday’s game is now in jeopardy.

D.J. Moore was one of three receivers who practiced without issue, joining second-year target Tyler Scott and returner DeAndre Carter. Like John Metchie III, Scott was a healthy scratch in Sunday’s home opener. Carter, who previously played in Houston, played 13 total offensive snaps in place of Odunze.

Offensive linemen Ryan Bates (shoulder/elbow) and fullback Khari Blasingame (hand/knee) did not practice.

Fellow offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie (quad) was limited in drills. Defensive tackle Zacch Pickens, who didn’t play in Week 1 due to a groin injury, was a full participant at practice while defensive end DeMarcus Walker (ankle) also returned to practice in limited fashion.

Veteran Mercedes Lewis had a rest day.

Chicago Bears

Player Injury Wednesday Thursday Friday Game Status
WR Keenan Allen heel DNP DNP
OL Kiran Amegadjie quad LP LP
OL Ryan Bates shoulder/elbow LP DNP
FB Khari Blasingame hand/knee LP DNP
TE Marcedes Lewis veteran rest day — DNP
WR Rome Odunze knee DNP DNP
DL Zacch Pickens groin LP FP
DL DeMarcus Walker foot DNP LP

DNP: Did not practice; LP: Limited participation; FP: Full participation

Texans vs. Bears, Week 1 injury report: Wednesday

Dalton Schultz did not practice during Wednesday’s preparation to take on the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football.

The Houston Texans still remain for the most part healthy entering Sunday Night Football’s showdown against the Chicago Bears, though are missing a key weapon on offense.

Tight end Dalton Schultz did not workout during Wednesday’s practice due to an ankle injury. Defensive back M.J. Stewart, who missed last week’s 29-27 victory over the Indianapolis Colts due to a knee injury, also did not participate.

Schultz, who inked a three-year, $36 million extension this offseason, caught three passes for 16 yards and two first downs. If he’s inactive, the Texans likely would turn to Brevin Jordan and rookie Cade Stover.

For Chicago, there were a handful of players on the injury list, including most notably wide receivers Rome Odunze (knee) and Keenan Allen (heel). Odunze suffered a Grade 1 MCL sprain and is currently listed as day-to-day.

Allen, who was traded this offseason to Chicago from the Los Angeles Rams, reaggravated a heel injury in Sunday’s win over the Tennessee Titans. It was reported that Wednesday was a planned rest day.

D.J. Moore was one of three receivers who practiced without issue, joining second-year target Tyler Scott and returner DeAndre Carter. Like John Metchie III, Scott was a healthy scratch in Sunday’s home opener. Carter, who previously played in Houston, played 13 total offensive snaps in place of Odunze.

Defensive end DeMarcus Walker didn’t practice with a foot injury while offensive linemen Ryan Bates (shoulder/elbow) and Kiran Amegadjie (quad) were limited.

Defensive tackle Zacch Pickens, who didn’t play in Week 1 due to a groin injury, returned to practice for Chicago but in limited fashion.

Houston Texans

Player Injury Wednesday Thursday Friday Game status
TE Dalton Schultz Ankle DNP
DB M.J. Stewart Knee DNP

 

Chicago Bears

Player Injury Wednesday Thursday Friday Game Status
WR Keenan Allen heel DNP
OL Kiran Amegadjie quad LP
OL Ryan Bates shoulder/elbow LP
FB Khari Blasingame hand/knee LP
WR Rome Odunze knee DNP
DL Zacch Pickens groin LP
DL DeMarcus Walker foot DNP

DNP: Did not practice; LP: Limited participation; FP: Full participation

Fantasy Football: 5 sleeper tight ends for 2024 NFL season

Taysom Hill averaged 9.1 PPG last season (ninth among tight ends), but he’s being drafted as TE21 this summer.

The 2024 NFL season will kick off this week when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night. The return of the NFL’s regular season also marks the return of fantasy football.

Ahead of Thursday’s opener, we’ve put together a quick list of sleeper tight ends for the 2024 season. Sleepers, for our purposes, are players we believe will finish higher than their average draft position (ADP) this fall. They’re not necessarily unknown players, but they are being undervalued by fantasy managers this offseason.

1. Dalton Schultz (ADP 125): Schultz finished as TE11 last season so his being drafted as TE13 isn’t a huge discrepancy, but he should prove to be a good value pick for fantasy managers who opt to wait to draft a TE.

2. T.J. Hockenson (ADP 126): Please understand that this is not a recommendation to overdraft Hockenson, who will miss at least the first four games of the season. Hockenson will eventually return from an ACL injury, though, and when he does, he could rank among the top fantasy TEs to close out the season. Drafting Hockenson late and stashing him on IR could pay dividends later in the year.

3. Pat Freiermuth (ADP 129): Freiermuth still hasn’t returned to the seven-touchdown production of his rookie season, and a five-game injury hurt his 2023 campaign. Now healthy again, he’ll look to outperform his TE15 ADP in 2024.

4. Taysom Hill (APD 151): Hill is a feast-or-famine fantasy prospect because a three-touchdown game could be followed up by a 12-yard game. Despite his up-and-down nature, Hill averaged 9.1 points per game last fall, which ranked ninth among TEs. He’s being drafted as TE21.

5. Greg Dulcich (ADP 239): It’s now or never for Denver’s former third-round pick. He missed seven games due to injuries as a rookie in 2022 and was unavailable for 15 games last fall. Now finally healthy, Dulcich will look to utilize his speed to make plays in Sean Payton’s offense that has been friendly to TEs in the past. Dulcich is being drafted as TE29 (undrafted in most leagues), so there’s no need to reach for him, but he could be an early-season waiver-wire target.

For more fantasy football coverage, check out our fantasy football hub.

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Texans training camp: Tight ends fighting for playing time

The Houston Texans have a lot of offensive weapons including their tight ends, which have flown under the radar until Wednesday’s action.

The Texans’ receiver room is not just deep but also filled with quality contributors who could start elsewhere. Nico Collins, Tank Dell and newcomer acquired Stefon Diggs form a fearsome trio. Meanwhile, Noah Brown and John Metchie III serve as depth pieces.

The group has deservedly received its share of attention, but the Texans tight ends were a big part of the action at Wednesday’s practice.

 

Dalton Schultz, who bet on himself last offseason when he signed a one-year deal with Houston, re-upped with the team on a three-year, $36 million contract before the start of free agency.

His spot is secure after hauling in 59 passes for 635 yards with five touchdowns, but the Texans wanted more depth behind him. In the draft, they bolstered the room by selecting former Ohio State star and C.J. Stroud’s top red zone target in Cade Stover.

Stover, the No. 123 pick, is a front office favorite, as evidenced by general manager Nick Caserio’s gushing over the Buckeyes’ product after the draft.

He also has a rapport with Stroud from their time together at Ohio State. In 2022, he helped the future Offensive Rookie of the Year lead the Buckeyes back to the College Football Playoff while catching 36 passes for 406 yards and five scores.

“I was already on the phone with him before I got drafted that morning,” Stover told Texans TV host Drew Dougherty. “He was like, ‘Dude, we’re coming to get you. Tell me who likes you.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, these [teams] kind of like me, so if you could get in front of them, it would be real nice.”

Houston used multiple tight ends sparingly last season, running 12 personnel—one running back and two tight ends—on 9.1 percent of its plays, below the league average of 19.2 percent, according to Sumer Sports. 

Stover’s arrival adds to Houston’s offense’s versatility, providing an inline option at tight end. However, Brevin Jordan and Teagan Quitoriano aren’t letting Stover take over No. 2 duties without a fight.

A fifth-round pick of Miami in 2021, Jordan is coming off his best professional season. He had a career-best 219 receiving yards last year and made a game-altering play when he scored a 76-yard touchdown against the Cleveland Browns in Houston’s 45-14 wild-card round victory.

“I’m excited to see Brevin’s growth. Brevin is a young player that I think has even more in the tank,” Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said following Friday’s practice. 

Jordan is heading into a contract year and, by all accounts, had a strong offseason to prepare for another career campaign. 

Quitoriano has never been a huge target earner and has been more known for his blocking. He caught less than 20 passes at Oregon State in all four seasons. During his first two years with the Texans, he had 17 targets in the 16 games he appeared in.

Two trips to the IR also have factored into his limited progression.

Schultz will likely play sparingly in the preseason, allowing the three tight ends behind to see time and compete for a higher spot on the depth chart.

Houston opens its preseason next Thursday against the Bears at the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.

Texans: Dalton Schultz lands in top 10 of ESPN’s TE rankings

The Houston Texans star tight end landed at No. 10 after helping C.J. Stroud secure Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2023.

Dalton Schultz has played under the spotlight before joining the Houston Texans. During his five seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, he often was used as Dak Prescott’s security blanket. 

Last season at NRG Stadium, he was the same for the C.J. Stroud as Houston went from AFC laughing stock to contenders overnight. As a reward for his efforts, the Texans gave him a three-year contract worth $36 million to build off his promising first season with the other Lone Star franchise. 

Schultz, who caught 59 passes for 635 yards and five touchdowns en route to a division title, has been one of the league’s most consistent tight ends since coming out of Stanford in 2018. Even if his ceiling isn’t as high as George Kittle or Travis Kelce, teams know what to expect from the 28-year-old in the red zone. 

So do executives, who recently ranked Schultz as the No. 10 tight end entering 2024 in ESPN’s latest poll per Jeremy Fowler. 

“Schultz’s play isn’t flashy, but voters who value consistency value him greatly,” Fowler wrote. “He committed two drops on 88 targets, one of the top clips among tight ends.”

One AFC evaluator mentioned how Schultz’s consistency makes him an asset in any offense. He’s a jack-of-all-trades and a safe haven for quarterbacks when under pressure. 

“He’s just an all-around good player, consistent, blocks, can make contested receptions,” the evaluator told Folwer “He affects winning.”

Last season among tight ends, Schultz finished 12th in receptions and receiving and seventh in touchdowns. He also was a legitimate downfield option for Stroud, finishing fifth among tight ends in receiving yards on targets 10-plus yards from the line of scrimmage.

Schultz stepped up twice last season for Stroud in must-win moments. In Houston’s comeback victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9, he caught a career-high 10 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown. In the wild-card round win over the Cleveland Browns, Schultz hauled in a 37-yard touchdown pass from Stroud just before halftime to help the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year make postseason history. 

“He made play after play for us last year at very crucial moments,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said earlier this offseason. “I don’t think he gets enough credit for the leader that he is in the locker room and what he brings to our entire team.”

Even though Schultz isn’t regarded as one of the NFL’s elite tight ends, his production ranks among some of the league’s best. Since 2020, he’s one of five tight ends to rank in the top eight at the position in catches (257), yards (2,635) and touchdowns (22), joining Kittle, Kelce, Baltimore’s Mark Andrews and Minnesota’s T.J. Hockenson. 

Even in a loaded offense now headlined by breakout receiver Nico Collins and Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs, Schultz should continue to be a factor for Stroud and the passing attack. 

“People know C.J.’s a good quarterback, people know Nico’s a good receiver, Joe Mixon out of the backfield,” Schultz said. “Nobody’s coming into the game thinking, ‘All right, it’s just the Texans. We got this.’ We understand the work we’re putting in now is going to be crucial to our success later in the year.”

Texans DE Dylan Horton attends practice for first time since cancer remission

Dylan Horton beat Stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma and is looking to beat the odds of returning to the football field for the Houston Texans Week 1.

The Houston Texans received the best possible news last month surrounding defensive end Dylan Horton’s health.

After months of treatment for Stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma, Horton rang the bell a second time, signaling he was in remission. He’s now looking to ring a different bell come Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts.

Horton returned to practice for the first time in months after missing the final weeks of the 2023 regular season. While he didn’t participate in drills, he was spotted attentively watching the defensive line from the sideline.

“What a special moment for Dylan,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said last month after Horton returned to the locker room for the first time since the offseason. “For me to see him ring the bell — it brings a tear to your eye just to know a young man whose career is ahead of him — he is just going along playing football, and at the drop of a dime, that changes.”

The expectations are for Horton to work his way back to practice in July for the start of training camp. He might be limited revving up in rep count, but the Texans are pleased that any progress should be considered positive.

“Him being back around is great. It is great for morale,” tight end Dalton Schultz said last month. “Guys love him, and I am happy he is back in the building.”

A fourth-round pick out of TCU in 2023, Horton played 10 games last season prior to the diagnosis. He had 13 tackles and a fumble recovery.

Should he be cleared for live reps, Horton would add much-needed depth to the defensive end rotation behind Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson Jr., Pro Bowler Danielle Hunter, Derek Barnett and rookie Solomon Byrd.

Better than average: Tight Ends

Which tight ends were truly the best against specific defenses?

As always, there are so few difference-making tight ends that after the top five of the position, there’s only moderate to mediocre fantasy value in all the rest. But as with the other positions, here are how tight ends fared considering how they stacked up against all other tight ends that faced the same defense.

See Also: Better than average
Quarterbacks | Running backs | Wide receivers

Evan Engram has been the No. 2 and No. 4 fantasy tight end for his two seasons in Jacksonville and yet is drafted as the No. 6 or No. 7 tight end in drafts this summer. This despite how good he played in most games. He was the only tight end that turned in over half of his games as a Top-4 tight end.

The position holds so few difference-makers that this listing shows which tight ends receive enough volume to end with Top-8 games. Newcomer Sam LaPorta shattered what we expect from a rookie tight end, and now has to avoid becoming the next Kyle Pitts. That shouldn’t be a problem since he’ll still have Jared Goff throwing the ball instead of Desmond Ridder who limited Pitts.

It was also encouraging to see how highly David Njoku and Cole Kmet rated in this metric. Trey McBride is popular this season, but his stats were boosted by three big games as the No. 1 for that defense.

LaPorta was dazzling as a rookie, and it wasn’t a case of him being the only receiver for the Lions. Travis Kelce dropped from 2023 when he had six No. 1 performances, and all 17 games were Top-8 against that defense. The fall may have seemed Swift, but he still was No. 2 for those big games.

T.J. Hockenson has been a beast for the Lions but blew an ACL and won’t be up to speed to start the year. The biggest surprise in the No. 1 performances was David Njoku, who ended as the No. 5 fantasy tight end in 2023 and has been going as the No. 8 or No. 9 tight end this summer.