Who Should I Start? Dalton Schultz or Drew Sample

Tuesday, March 5, 2:09 PM

The Houston Texans agreed to a three-year, $36 million deal to re-sign tight end Dalton Schultz on Tuesday with $23.5 million fully guaranteed at signing, according to sources. Schultz will now remain a key weapon for second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud. Schultz was the top tight end scheduled to be a free agent this year, but the Texans made sure he wouldn't make it to the open market. The 27-year-old was a bit inconsistent for fantasy managers in 2023 in his first year in Houston, but his fantasy arrow is pointing up now that he's staying in Houston with Stroud, who looked like a seasoned veteran in his rookie year. In 15 regular-season games last year, Schultz finished as the No. 10 tight end in half-point PPR scoring, securing 59 of his 88 targets for 635 yards and five touchdowns.

Monday, March 11, 4:49 PM

The Cincinnati Bengals re-signed tight end Drew Sample to a three-year, $10.5 million contract extension on Monday, according to a source. Sample will receive $3.5 million in 2024. In his fifth year with the Bengals in 2023, Sample had 22 catches on 27 targets for 163 yards and a career-high two touchdowns in 17 games (10 starts). Tanner Hudson, Mitchell Wilcox and Irv Smith Jr. are all free agents, but one or more of them could be retained or the Bengals could add competition at the position through the NFL draft. The 27-year-old Sample has accumulated just 80 receptions (103 targets) for 621 yards and three touchdowns in his five years in the NFL with Cincy, so it would be unrealistic to expect the Bengals to utilize him as their unquestioned No. 1 pass-catching TE in 2024.