Marlin Klein

Klein is listed fourth among Houston tight ends, behind Dalton Schultz, Foster Moreau and Cade Stover, and that alone tells you why nothing has come of him. Houston gave Schultz 19% of its targets last season while Nico Collins took 25%, so the tight end scraps behind Schultz were already thin before a rookie second-rounder arrived. Through the season's first three weeks he has one catch for 16 yards and 0.9 points a game. Weeks 4 and 5 of 2026 he did not play, and he carries an injury designation going into week 6, with his bye in week 8 still ahead.

We set him at 64 points for 2026 before the season, with most outcomes falling between 46 and 83. Our preseason pace was 4.9 a game over the 13 games we expected, and at 0.9 through three weeks he is nowhere near it. Even the range we set for his games ran from 6 to 17, and injuries are what drag the low end down, which is exactly how his season has opened. He went 59th overall in the 2026 draft, so Houston spent real draft capital, but the depth chart has not moved for him and there are no headlines saying it will.

Nick Caley keeps calling the plays and DeMeco Ryans keeps coaching, so nothing changes in front of him either. Houston threw on 56% of situation-neutral plays last year at 32.4 seconds a snap and won 12 games, so the offense is fine without feeding him. If you have rostered him this long, the wait is over: cut him for a tight end with a live role, and check back only if Schultz misses time.