Dalton Schultz vs Darnell Washington: Who Should You Start?
Deciding between Dalton Schultz and Darnell Washington is a common lineup dilemma for fantasy managers. The Houston Texans tight end put up 8.0 PPG in 2025 over 17 games; Darnell Washington of the Pittsburgh Steelers averaged 3.6 in 16. A 4.4-point margin that could shift on any given week.
The per-game difference of 4.4 points favors Dalton Schultz, though savvy managers know that gap can shrink or widen depending on the weekly slate. Defensive matchup, recent scoring trends, and health status all shift the calculus from one tight end to the other.
Dalton Schultz is the volume tight end in this matchup with 82 receptions for 777 yards, while Darnell Washington profiles as a more touchdown-dependent spike play (1 scores on 31 catches). In weeks where Darnell Washington finds the end zone he out-scores Dalton Schultz, but the floor gap is real.
Dalton Schultz has his bye in Week 14, and Darnell Washington rests in Week 9. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at tight end for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.
