Brian Thomas Jr. or Dalton Schultz: Who Should You Start?
2026 Week 3 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.
Schultz’s steady involvement edges Thomas’s bigger-play upside
Schultz’s TE1 role and 25% target share give you a sturdier path to production, even though Thomas has the slightly higher projection. Thomas is Jacksonville’s primary vertical threat, but his 45% snap share makes that upside less dependable week to week. The projection gap is small; Schultz’s advantage is the stronger involvement, not a clearly better matchup, since neither two-game DvP sample carries confidence. Schultz’s risk is volatility: his recent production has swung sharply from week to week.
What flips it: Thomas earning a fuller snap share while keeping his downfield target role.
AI editor
Brian Thomas Jr.
7.28.910.7 Projected Points
Dalton Schultz
5.37.49.5 Projected Points
Brian Thomas Jr.’s market
Dalton Schultz’s market
Why Brian Thomas Jr.
Toss-UpWR1 and primary vertical threat. Long-striding field-stretcher with contested-catch radius; bounce-back candidate after inefficient season.
Toss-up — WR40 consensus, projects WR47 this week: 22% target share, 10.7 PPR projected vs NE.
- Thomas’s field-stretching role gives him a path to a game-changing catch.
- The matchup looks more favorable on paper, but the two-game DvP sample offers no dependable edge.
Latest on Thomas
Thomas practiced limited all Week 2 prep week with a shoulder injury suffered in the Week 1 win over Cleveland, but carried no injury designation into the Week 2 game at Denver after being listed with no status on Friday's final injury report.
Jaguars.com · Sep 18, 2026Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers will compete for Trevor Lawrence's targets when the season starts Sunday vs. the Browns.
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Why Dalton Schultz
StartTE1 in high-volume pass-catching role. Reliable chain-mover over the middle with sure hands.
Start — TE21 consensus, projects TE15 this week: IND is the 10th-softest matchup vs TEs, 25% target share.
- Schultz’s chain-moving style fits a high-volume receiving role, not just a touchdown-dependent one.
- His much fuller snap role gives his target share a steadier foundation.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Brian Thomas Jr. | Dalton Schultz |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 7.28.910.7 | 5.37.49.5 |
| Consensus rank | WR40 | TE21 |
| Opponent vs position | NE · 15 of 322-game sample | IND · 23 of 322-game sample |
| Receptions | 21 of 32 | 29 of 32 |
| Receiving Yards | 11 of 32 | 29 of 32 |
| Receiving TDs | 7 of 32 | 15 of 32 |
| Targets | 28 of 32 | 29 of 32 |
| Anytime TD | 7 of 32 | 13 of 32 |
| Target share | 22% | 25% |
| Reception share | 17% | 29% |
| Implied total · spread | 23.5-1.5 | 23.5-1.5 |
| Depth chart | WR2 | TE1 |
| Snap share | 45% | 67% |
| Start/Sit record | 0–1 | — |
Recent form
Brian Thomas Jr. — last 2 weeks
| Week 2 | vs DEN | 4.05.57.0 |
| Week 1 | vs CLE | 4.05.57.0 |
Dalton Schultz — last 2 weeks
| Week 2 | vs CIN | 14.020.026.0 |
| Week 1 | vs BUF | 3.55.57.5 |
Signal breakdown
- 10.7 vs 9.5 projected PPR pointsBrian Thomas Jr. +
- Rank 40 vs 21Dalton Schultz +
- Opponent DvP rank 15 vs 23 (32 = softest)even
- Implied 23.5 vs 23.5 team pointseven
- No injury designationseven
- 45% vs 67% snap shareDalton Schultz +
Compare different players
Every fantasy-relevant player this week — search or filter by position.
More Thomas comparisons
More Schultz comparisons
This week’s toughest calls
- K. Walker IIIKenneth Walker IIIRBKCvs MIA
K. WilliamsKyren WilliamsRBLARvs DEN
- K. WilliamsKyren WilliamsRBLARvs DENQ. JudkinsQuinshon JudkinsRBCLEvs CAR
- Q. JudkinsQuinshon JudkinsRBCLEvs CARC. SkatteboCam SkatteboRBNYGvs TEN
- C. SkatteboCam SkatteboRBNYGvs TEND. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs PHI
- D. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs PHIB. TutenBhayshul TutenRBJAXvs NE
- B. TutenBhayshul TutenRBJAXvs NEB. IrvingBucky IrvingRBTBvs MIN
- T. HigginsTee HigginsWRCINvs PIT
D. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs DEN
- D. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs DENM. EvansMike EvansWRSFvs ARI
- M. EvansMike EvansWRSFvs ARIC. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs ATL
- C. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs ATLP. WashingtonParker WashingtonWRJAXvs NE
- P. WashingtonParker WashingtonWRJAXvs NEM. GoldenMatthew GoldenWRGBvs ATL
- M. GoldenMatthew GoldenWRGBvs ATLQ. JohnstonQuentin JohnstonWRLACvs BUF
- K. Pitts Sr.Kyle Pitts Sr.TEATLvs GB
G. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs ARI
- G. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs ARIS. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs NYJ
- S. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs NYJT. KraftTucker KraftTEGBvs ATL
- T. KraftTucker KraftTEGBvs ATLT. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs MIA
- T. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs MIAJ. FergusonJake FergusonTEDALvs BAL
- J. FergusonJake FergusonTEDALvs BALI. LikelyIsaiah LikelyTENYGvs TEN
- D. PrescottDak PrescottQBDALvs BAL
J. HerbertJustin HerbertQBLACvs BUF
- J. HerbertJustin HerbertQBLACvs BUFT. LawrenceTrevor LawrenceQBJAXvs NE
- T. LawrenceTrevor LawrenceQBJAXvs NEB. PurdyBrock PurdyQBSFvs ARI
- B. PurdyBrock PurdyQBSFvs ARIP. MahomesPatrick MahomesQBKCvs MIA
- P. MahomesPatrick MahomesQBKCvs MIAB. NixBo NixQBDENvs LAR
- B. NixBo NixQBDENvs LARM. StaffordMatthew StaffordQBLARvs DEN
- E. PineiroEddy PineiroKSFvs ARI
J. BatesJake BatesKDETvs NYJ
- J. BatesJake BatesKDETvs NYJH. ButkerHarrison ButkerKKCvs MIA
- H. ButkerHarrison ButkerKKCvs MIAT. LoopTyler LoopKBALvs DAL
- T. LoopTyler LoopKBALvs DALC. BoswellChris BoswellKPITvs CIN
- C. BoswellChris BoswellKPITvs CINC. McLaughlinChase McLaughlinKTBvs MIN
- C. McLaughlinChase McLaughlinKTBvs MINT. SmackTrey SmackKGBvs ATL
- 49ers D/ST49ers D/STDSTSFvs ARI
Panthers D/STPanthers D/STDSTCARvs CLE
- Panthers D/STPanthers D/STDSTCARvs CLELions D/STLions D/STDSTDETvs NYJ
- Lions D/STLions D/STDSTDETvs NYJGiants D/STGiants D/STDSTNYGvs TEN
- Giants D/STGiants D/STDSTNYGvs TENSaints D/STSaints D/STDSTNOvs LV
- Saints D/STSaints D/STDSTNOvs LVBengals D/STBengals D/STDSTCINvs PIT
- Bengals D/STBengals D/STDSTCINvs PITTitans D/STTitans D/STDSTTENvs NYG
- B. IrvingBucky IrvingRBTBvs MINP. WashingtonParker WashingtonWRJAXvs NE
- P. WashingtonParker WashingtonWRJAXvs NEC. HubbardChuba HubbardRBCARvs CLE
- C. HubbardChuba HubbardRBCARvs CLEC. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs ATL
- C. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs ATLC. SkatteboCam SkatteboRBNYGvs TEN
- C. SkatteboCam SkatteboRBNYGvs TENJ. CokerJalen CokerWRCARvs CLE
- D. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs DENQ. JudkinsQuinshon JudkinsRBCLEvs CAR
- J. WarrenJaylen WarrenRBPITvs CIN
T. HigginsTee HigginsWRCINvs PIT - T. HigginsTee HigginsWRCINvs PITD. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs PHI
Get a Start/Sit call on your whole roster →
Save your team once and see a Start, Sit, or Toss-Up verdict on every player, every week — with the matchup, usage and game-script evidence behind each call.
Add to My Team — freeOr browse this week’s NFL games or NFL player props.