Dalton Schultz or Gunnar Helm: Who Should You Start?

2026 Week 1 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.

Schultz's full-time role outweighs Helm's ceiling flashes

Schultz is on the field on almost every snap for Houston, and that kind of role turns even a modest implied total into a reliable catch-and-target floor. Helm is still splitting time as Tennessee eases him into blocking reps, so his big rookie-record game feels more like a peak than a baseline. The points gap here understates the real separation — usage is the whole story, and Schultz's is dramatically higher. Helm remains startable in shallow leagues, but he's more speculative than his rank suggests.

What flips it: Helm's snap share climbing toward every-down status, or Tennessee falling further behind and abandoning the run.

AI editor

Dalton Schultz

Dalton Schultz

TE21HOUvs BUF

Projected Points

Start
Gunnar Helm

Gunnar Helm

TE24TENvs NYJ

Projected Points

Toss-Up

Why Dalton Schultz

Start

Starting TE in pass-catching role. Reliable underneath/intermediate target with high-volume reception floor.

Start — TE21 consensus, projects TE17 this week: 19% target share in 2025, 8.3 PPR projected vs BUF.

  • Works essentially every snap, so even a tight game script doesn't threaten his target opportunities.
  • His underneath/intermediate role travels well against most coverages, minimizing matchup risk.

Why Gunnar Helm

Toss-Up

Second-year starting TE in pass-catching role. Move TE with seam-stretching reps and developing in-line blocking after a franchise-rookie-record 44 catches.

Toss-up — TE24 consensus, projects TE23 this week: 11% target share in 2025, 7.5 PPR projected vs NYJ.

  • Averaged a franchise-rookie-record 44 catches, so the receiving talent and rapport are real.
  • Trailing by a field goal could push Tennessee pass-heavy late, inflating his route count beyond usual.

Head-to-head stats

MetricDalton SchultzGunnar Helm
Projected points
Consensus rankTE21TE24
Opponent vs positionBUFno ranking yetNYJno ranking yet
Target share19%(2025)11%(2025)
Reception share23%(2025)14%(2025)
Implied total · spread22.0+1.521.3-3.0
Depth chartTE1TE1
Snap share71%(2025)53%(2025)

Signal breakdown

  • 8.3 vs 7.5 projected PPR pointsDalton Schultz +
  • Rank 21 vs 24Dalton Schultz +
  • Matchup (DvP composite)even
  • Implied 22.0 vs 21.3 team pointsDalton Schultz +
  • No injury designationseven
  • 71% vs 53% snap shareDalton Schultz +

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