Who Should I Start? Darren Waller or Dalton Schultz

Friday, January 2, 12:55 PM

Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (groin) will be placed on Injured Reserve on Friday, according to Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN. Waller will miss the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday versus the division-rival New England Patriots. The 33-year-old veteran came out of retirement to play for the Dolphins in 2025 and will finish with 24 catches for 283 yards and six touchdowns in only nine games played. Waller got a late start to the season as he worked his way into playing shape and also missed time with a hamstring injury. He was not the same player he was earlier in his career with the Raiders, but Waller still had plenty of red-zone prowess in his return this year. It remains to be seen if he'll attempt to return in 2026 with Miami or another organization. Greg Dulcich should be the Dolphins' top pass-catching TE in Week 18.

Friday, January 16, 3:57 PM

Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz was held in check in his team's AFC Wild Card Round win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, recording just three catches for 12 yards on four targets. However, the 29-year-old could be in line for a larger role in the Divisional Round against the New England Patriots, as star Texans wideout Nico Collins (concussion) has been ruled out due to a concussion. Schultz established himself as a trusted option for Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud during the regular season, finishing the year with 82 receptions for 777 yards and three touchdowns on a career-high 106 targets. Outside of Collins and Schultz, no other Houston pass-catcher earned more than 68 targets in 2025. While Schultz may not carry explosive upside, he could be a good bet to function as Stroud's short-area security blanket in a tough matchup against New England. Fantasy managers should view Schultz as a solid tight end option in the Divisional Round, particularly in PPR-scoring formats.