Dalton Schultz vs Isaiah Likely: Who Should You Start?
Two tight ends who will land on plenty of the same rosters in 2026. Dalton Schultz (Houston Texans) finished the 2025 season averaging 8.0 fantasy points per game in 17 games. Isaiah Likely (New York Giants) came in at 3.4 PPG over 14 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.
Dalton Schultz carries a 4.6-point PPG advantage from the 2025 season. That baseline matters, but it is one input among several. Matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and injury reports move the needle week to week, which is why the best answer changes depending on when you are asking.
Dalton Schultz is the volume tight end in this matchup with 82 receptions for 777 yards, while Isaiah Likely profiles as a more touchdown-dependent spike play (1 scores on 27 catches). In weeks where Isaiah Likely finds the end zone he out-scores Dalton Schultz, but the floor gap is real.
Bye weeks matter for roster construction: Dalton Schultz sits Week 14 while Isaiah Likely is off Week 11. If you are deciding between the two as a season-long roster hold, the staggered byes actually work in your favor.
