Dallas let Dalton Schultz leave in free agency, and that opens up a major opportunity in the team's offense. Schultz has been a top-12 tight end in PPR leagues three years in a row, and while the team has a new coordinator, the position will probably remain a key target for Dak Prescott. Question is who will benefit.
Many will probably look at second-rounder Luke Schoonmaker, but it can be tough for rookie tight ends to step right in with a significant impact. Schoonmaker is also starting out behind the eight ball after suffering a foot injury of some sort at OTAs; he was spotted in a walking boot a week ago.
A better bet seems like one of the team's second-year tight ends, either fourth-rounder Jake Ferguson or undrafted Peyton Hendershot. Each caught 2 TDs a year ago, which combined with Schultz's 5 makes for 9 from the position last season. Draft capital favors Ferguson, and that's also the lean of Jon Machota in a story at The Athletic. The new offense might not use the position as much, but Ferguson definitely should be on people's radar.
Ferguson was a featured part of the passing game all four seasons at Wisconsin, averaging 36 catches for 4o5 yards and 3 TDs. Not dynamic numbers, but it wasn't a high-powered passing game. And he was very efficient with his opportunities as a rookie for Dallas.
He caught just 19 passes, but that was on only 22 targets. His catch rate of over 86% was better than all but two tight ends (minimum of 20 targets). That alone doesn't make a player a fantasy option (Johnny Mundt tops the list, a blocker mostly catching short passes near the line of scrimmage), but it shows a degree of competence, and maybe a rapport with Prescott. Contrast that with Schultz, who caught just 64 percent of the balls sent his way.
| TIGHT END CATCH RATE, 2022 (MINIMUM 20 TARGETS) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Tgt | No | Rec | Avg | TD | Catch |
| Johnny Mundt, Min. | 21 | 19 | 140 | 7.4 | 1 | 90.5% |
| Will Dissly, Sea. | 38 | 34 | 349 | 10.3 | 3 | 89.5% |
| Jake Ferguson, Dall. | 22 | 19 | 174 | 9.2 | 2 | 86.4% |
| Daniel Bellinger, NYG | 35 | 30 | 268 | 8.9 | 2 | 85.7% |
| Zach Gentry, Pitt. | 23 | 19 | 132 | 6.9 | 0 | 82.6% |
| Noah Gray, K.C. | 34 | 28 | 299 | 10.7 | 1 | 82.4% |
| Adam Trautman, N.O. | 22 | 18 | 207 | 11.5 | 1 | 81.8% |
| Dallas Goedert, Phil. | 69 | 55 | 702 | 12.8 | 3 | 79.7% |
| Noah Fant, Sea. | 63 | 50 | 486 | 9.7 | 4 | 79.4% |
| Robert Tonyan, G.B. | 67 | 53 | 470 | 8.9 | 2 | 79.1% |
| C.J. Uzomah, NYJ | 27 | 21 | 232 | 11.0 | 2 | 77.8% |
| Kylen Granson, Ind. | 40 | 31 | 302 | 9.7 | 0 | 77.5% |
| Hayden Hurst, Cin. | 68 | 52 | 414 | 8.0 | 2 | 76.5% |
| MyCole Pruitt, Atl. | 21 | 16 | 150 | 9.4 | 4 | 76.2% |
| Brock Wright, Det. | 24 | 18 | 216 | 12.0 | 4 | 75.0% |
| Durham Smythe, Mia. | 20 | 15 | 129 | 8.6 | 1 | 75.0% |
| Evan Engram, Jac. | 98 | 73 | 766 | 10.5 | 4 | 74.5% |
| Trey McBride, Ari. | 39 | 29 | 265 | 9.1 | 1 | 74.4% |
| Dawson Knox, Buff. | 65 | 48 | 517 | 10.8 | 6 | 73.8% |
| Harrison Bryant, Cle. | 42 | 31 | 239 | 7.7 | 1 | 73.8% |
| Colby Parkinson, Sea. | 34 | 25 | 322 | 12.9 | 2 | 73.5% |
| David Njoku, Cle. | 80 | 58 | 628 | 10.8 | 4 | 72.5% |
| Cole Kmet, Chi. | 69 | 50 | 544 | 10.9 | 7 | 72.5% |
| Travis Kelce, K.C. | 152 | 110 | 1338 | 12.2 | 12 | 72.4% |
| Jonnu Smith, N.E. | 38 | 27 | 245 | 9.1 | 0 | 71.1% |
| Ian Thomas, Car. | 30 | 21 | 197 | 9.4 | 0 | 70.0% |
| George Kittle, S.F. | 86 | 60 | 765 | 12.8 | 11 | 69.8% |
| Chigoziem Okonkwo, Ten. | 46 | 32 | 450 | 14.1 | 3 | 69.6% |
| Hunter Henry, N.E. | 59 | 41 | 509 | 12.4 | 2 | 69.5% |
| Irv Smith, Min. | 36 | 25 | 182 | 7.3 | 2 | 69.4% |
| Jordan Akins, Hou. | 54 | 37 | 495 | 13.4 | 5 | 68.5% |
| Austin Hooper, Ten. | 60 | 41 | 444 | 10.8 | 2 | 68.3% |
| Zach Ertz, Ari. | 69 | 47 | 406 | 8.6 | 4 | 68.1% |
| Mo Alie-Cox, Ind. | 28 | 19 | 189 | 9.9 | 3 | 67.9% |
| T.J. Hockenson, 2TM | 129 | 86 | 914 | 10.6 | 6 | 66.7% |
| Tyler Higbee, LAR | 108 | 72 | 620 | 8.6 | 3 | 66.7% |
| Gerald Everett, LAC | 87 | 58 | 555 | 9.6 | 4 | 66.7% |
| Tyler Conklin, NYJ | 87 | 58 | 552 | 9.5 | 3 | 66.7% |
| Darren Waller, L.V. | 43 | 28 | 388 | 13.9 | 3 | 65.1% |
| Juwan Johnson, N.O. | 65 | 42 | 508 | 12.1 | 7 | 64.6% |
| Cade Otton, T.B. | 65 | 42 | 391 | 9.3 | 2 | 64.6% |
| Mark Andrews, Balt. | 113 | 73 | 847 | 11.6 | 5 | 64.6% |
| Pat Freiermuth, Pitt. | 98 | 63 | 732 | 11.6 | 2 | 64.3% |
| Dalton Schultz, Dall. | 89 | 57 | 577 | 10.1 | 5 | 64.0% |
| Logan Thomas, Was. | 61 | 39 | 323 | 8.3 | 1 | 63.9% |
| John Bates, Was. | 22 | 14 | 108 | 7.7 | 1 | 63.6% |
| Jelani Woods, Ind. | 40 | 25 | 312 | 12.5 | 3 | 62.5% |
| Eric Saubert, Den. | 24 | 15 | 148 | 9.9 | 1 | 62.5% |
| Mike Gesicki, Mia. | 52 | 32 | 362 | 11.3 | 5 | 61.5% |
| Foster Moreau, L.V. | 54 | 33 | 420 | 12.7 | 2 | 61.1% |
| Isaiah Likely, Balt. | 60 | 36 | 373 | 10.4 | 3 | 60.0% |
| Greg Dulcich, Den. | 55 | 33 | 411 | 12.5 | 2 | 60.0% |
| Pharaoh Brown, 2TM | 20 | 12 | 117 | 9.8 | 0 | 60.0% |
| Tommy Tremble, Car. | 32 | 19 | 174 | 9.2 | 3 | 59.4% |
| Josh Oliver, Balt. | 25 | 14 | 149 | 10.6 | 2 | 56.0% |
| Cameron Brate, T.B. | 38 | 20 | 174 | 8.7 | 0 | 52.6% |
| Brevin Jordan, Hou. | 28 | 14 | 128 | 9.1 | 0 | 50.0% |
| Kyle Pitts, Atl. | 59 | 28 | 356 | 12.7 | 2 | 47.5% |
| O.J. Howard, Hou. | 23 | 10 | 145 | 14.5 | 2 | 43.5% |
It's June, making it too early to write off Schoonmaker or get too excited about Ferguson. It wouldn't be surprising if the team employed a committee involving all three tight ends, including Hendershot.
But I think we can go along with The Athletic and make Ferguson the current favorite to start at tight end. A player to watch in the preseason, see if he's making the position his own when the starters are on the field.
--Andy Richardson