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Go To: FlashUpdate / August Update Main Page
| Houston Texans | |||||||
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Go To: Off-season Team Review
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| Most Recent News Updates: | |||||||
| HOU -- Stroud Officially Named Week 1 Starter After Win Over Saints (8/28/00:01 CT) | |||||||
| HOU -- Collins, Woods, Brown Working As Top Three WRs (8/27/17:55 CT) | |||||||
| HOU -- Stroud Not Worried That He Hasn't Been Names Starter Yet (8/25/01:02 CT) | |||||||
| HOU -- Stroud To Start Final Preseason Game (8/23/14:03 CT) | |||||||
| HOU -- Stroud On Track To Start Week 1, But It's Not Official... Yet (8/21/10:21 CT) | |||||||
| HOU -- Ryans Sees Growth From Stroud In Exhibition Game 2 (8/20/11:58 CT) | |||||||
| HOU -- Stroud Shows Signs Of Improving Vs. Dolphins (8/19/21:12 CT) | |||||||
| HOU -- Texans Sign RB Rountree (8/18/19:12 CT) | |||||||
| HOU -- Stroud To Start Vs. Dolphins This Weekend (8/17/11:30 CT) | |||||||
| HOU -- Stroud Needs To Work On Getting Rid Of Football (8/15/06:12 CT) | |||||||
| HOU -- Texans Sign WR Humphries (8/13/17:08 CT) | |||||||
| HOU -- Tank Dell Off To Fast Start; Stroud Not So Much (8/11/10:01 CT) | |||||||
| HOU -- Slowik: Tank Dell An Elite Separator (8/10/00:28 CT) | |||||||
| HOU -- Keenum Impressed With Stroud (8/09/01:13 CT) | |||||||
| HOU -- Initial Issues And Injuries Of Note (8/08/00:00 CT) | |||||||
Current News Updates
8/28 HC DeMeco Ryan said No. 4 overall pick C.J. Stroud officially will be Houston’s opening-day starting QB against the Baltimore Ravens after Sunday night's exhibition closing win over the Saints. ... If we hadn't already assumed this, we should have. Otherwise, as Profootballtalk.com suggested, the team surely would have played Stroud more than they played him this preseason. He finished his three-game preseason Sunday night with two series and nine plays against the Saints before calling it a day. Stroud played 12 plays in the first preseason game and 22 in the second. Ready or not, the No. 2 overall pick will be under center for Week 1. The Texans had 46 yards in the two series with Stroud, scoring a touchdown on a six-play, 43-yard drive. He threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Nico Collins, his first touchdown throw of the preseason. ... Stroud went 2-for-4 for 16 yards and a 100.0 passer rating. One of his incompletions was a long pass to Collins that was right on the money, but rookie cornerback Alontae Taylor got a hand on the ball to knock it out of Collins’ hands before the receiver could secure it. ... For the preseason, he completed 11 of 20 passes for 89 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Now he'll begin preparing for that Week 1 start in earnest. ... Also, as NFL.com's Coral Smith noted, a lot of the preseason focus has rightfully gone to the QB situation, but Houston's running back room has also drawn a considerable amount of interest due to its depth and versatility going into 2023. And that talent was on display in the Texan's preseason game all the way down the depth chart, with players showcasing both consistency and big-play ability. Starter Dameon Pierce was lined up for all nine snaps the starters were on the field for, and averaged 6.0 yards per carry on five rushes, including a 13-yard run. Devin Singletary followed that with a respectable 22 yards on seven totes, and then Mike Boone finished out the game with a 51-yard showing. Boone had a 21-yard carry in the third quarter, and later in the drive spun both directions as he shed tackles en route to an 11-yard touchdown run. He also tacked on four catches for 26 yards and a 25-yard kickoff return. ... You can access complete stats for Saturday's Week 3 exhibition finale via our exclusive Fantasy BoxScore.8/27 As ESPN.com's DJ Bien-Aime notes, throughout camp, the starting receivers appear to be Robert Woods, Noah Brown and Nico Collins. Tank Dell has shown the tantalizing traits that show why he didn't get past Day 2 in the draft. There's a chance midway through the season he becomes a starter. The remaining receivers are John Metchie III, who will make his NFL debut after a bout with cancer kept him sidelined for his entire rookie season, and Xavier Hutchinson -- who has sometimes run with the starting offense. ... Also according to Bien-Aime, the Texans have showcased Dameon Pierce as their lead back throughout camp, but Devin Singletary is the No. 2 back and will take some carries from Pierce. Expect both to get a lot of touches in the Texans' run-first offense. 8/25 It seems fairly obvious that rookie C.J. Stroud will be the texans’ starting quarterback when the regular season commences. For whatever reason, HC DeMeco Ryans has not made it official. Stroud, for his part, isn’t concerned. “I ain’t tripping,” Stroud said Thursday, via DJ Bien-Ame of ESPN.com. “Just do what’s on my plate. I’m not worried about anybody else’s plate. I got to focus on what we got going on in this locker room. And just getting better every day. It’s not about any of that stuff. It’s about competing every day and just getting better. That’s not my job. My job is to go out there and play. I got the fun stuff to do.” There’s no reason to think it won’t be Stroud on September 10, when the Texans face the Ravens. The Texans saw fit to use the second pick in the draft on Stroud. The need to see fit to use him now. Both he and the Texans will be better for it, later. According to Pro Football Talk, Texans QB C.J. Stroud will start in the Texans final preseason game. 8/21 HC DeMeco Ryans is “proud” of rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. But apparently not proud enough to admit what seems to be obvious — that Stroud will be the regular-season starter. Asked by reporters after Saturday’s preseason game whether Ryans has seen enough to make Stroud the QB1 for WK1, against the Ravens. “We’ll have a starter in Baltimore,” Ryans said. “It’s the same as I said previously. You guys will see the starter when we get to Baltimore.” As Profootballtalk.com notes, the Texans have no obligation to announce a starter in advance of the first game. As some point, however, they’ll be expected to publish an official depth chart. Unless they play to go with “or,” it will be Stroud — who is already he starter on the unofficial preseason depth chart. 8/20 Following up on the previous item. ... C.J. Stroud was better in Saturday’s game than he was in his first preseason outing and that was exactly what HC DeMeco Ryans wanted to see from the rookie. Stroud was 2-of-4 with an interception against the Patriots last week and he want 7-of-12 for 60 yards against the Dolphins on Saturday. As Profootballtalk.com notes, Stroud only led the team to three points while playing the entire first half, so it wasn’t a perfect outing for the second overall pick. It was enough for Ryans to say after the game that he saw growth from Stroud. “I think overall just with the operation of the offense, I thought C.J. was more efficient,” Ryans said, via the team’s website. “He felt more comfortable, and I think just everyone around him played better, which allowed him to play better. So I’m proud of the progression that C.J. took this week. That’s what we want to see.” Stroud said he feels “like I took a step” and he’ll try to take a few more before the Texans open the regular season in Baltimore on September 10. 8/19 According to ESPN.com's DJ Bien-Aime, rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud's performance against the Dolphins was much better than his preseason debut against the New England Patriots when he went 2-for-4 for 13 yards and threw a pick. This week, Stroud played the entire first half -- going 7-of-12 for 60 yards -- and led the offense to three points. Stroud had impressive throws to wide receivers Robert Woods and Noah Brown, resulting in first downs. The only disappointing series was the first one coming off an interception of Tagovailoa. The Texans' offense had the ball on the Miami 7-yard line, but Stroud went 0-for-2 before turning the ball over on downs. The most important aspect, according to NFL.com's Nick Shook, is how Stroud handled the speed of the game. Stroud's throws all looked a little different, coming at varying depths and even including one completed while rolling out. Almost all of them were equally impressive, much like his Ohio State highlight tape suggested he'd perform. The reasons Houston drafted him were evident in his play Saturday; now, they just need to work on finishing drives. 8/18 According to Pro Football Talk, the Texans have signed former Chargers RB Larry Rountree. 8/17 HC DeMeco Ryans said C.J. Stroud will start again against the Dolphins -- another step toward the No. 2 overall pick being Houston's QB1. 8/15 There's no need to panic over Houston QB C.J. Stroud's very brief, rough outing against New England. The No. 2 overall pick faced incredible pressure, although, as NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal points out, it's worth noting he held the ball too long and didn't make good decisions under pressure. That was his biggest issue at Ohio State, and injuries at center and right tackle have compromised an otherwise-promising Texans offensive line. 8/13 According to Pro Football Talk, the Texans have signed WR Adam Humphries. 8/11 As NFL.com suggested, rookie receiver Tank Dell spun Patriots defensive backs into a tizzy time after time in last night's exhibition opener. The 5-8 Houston product was a blur, using quick moves to gain separation and hitting another gear after the catch. In 17 routes run, Dell caught 5 of 8 targets for 65 yards and a touchdown. Even when he wasn't targeted, the rookie was open often. Dell was a menace on short routes, getting open off the line, giving the QB an easy target. On three of his five receptions, the wideout generated 3-plus yards of separation, per Next Gen Stats. Dell capped off his night with an acrobatic touchdown grab. The ball initially slipped through his hands, but the rookie stayed with the play, pinning the ball to his leg for the score before sliding out of bounds. In a Texans receiver corps highlighted by Nico Collins, Robert Woods, John Metchie III and Noah Brown, Dell could push for snaps, particularly from the slot. Houston moved him around Thursday (14 wide, three slot). The big question was always Dell's size. If he proves he can get off press coverage when the competition ramps up, he should be a guy who improves as the year wears on. ... Meanwhile, C.J. Stroud played just two series, throwing an interception on the opening drive. Stroud was under siege on his dropbacks and looked slow to pull the trigger. Davis Mills ran the offense with more rhythm. Stroud's first night under the NFL lights was a rough one thanks in large part to the Pats' pass rush. 8/10 Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik called rookie receiver Tank Dell an "elite separator." According to NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal, Dell has shown up daily in positive practice reports and has a legitimate chance to lead Houston in receptions in a wide-open position group. 8/09 Veteran quarterback Case Keenum went back to where it all began for him this offseason, signing a two-year deal with the Texans. At 35, Keenum is the elder statesman of a group that includes third-year QB Davis Mills and this year’s No. 2 overall pick, C.J. Stroud. Stroud has routinely been working with Houston’s first-team offense and is set to start the Texans’ first preseason game on Thursday against the Patriots. This week, Keenum said he’s been particularly impressed with the confidence Stroud’s displayed during training camp. “It hasn’t been perfect for many of us. We all want plays back, decisions back, reps back, but some of his best plays came after a mistake,” Keenum said in his press conference. “I think his confidence, his unwavering mindset of just trying to get better, trying to put the team in the best possible situation, the ball where it needs to go with a lot of pressures, you know? I’ve never been drafted as high as he was — I’ve never been drafted. So, I don’t know some of the pressures that go on there and other things that he’s dealing with, so I’ve been very impressed with his unwavering focus on getting better every day and his confidence in that. So, he’s done a great job. ...” Keenum noted that he’s been passing along plenty of things to Stroud and Mills in the building and on the field. “Quarterbacking tools, life tools — a lot of things,” Keenum said. “I always want to leave a place better than I found it. My dad told me that growing up — little nuggets like that. So, anything and everything. Everything I got.” 8/08 While publicly stating it's a true competition, those who follow the team closely expect rookie QB C.J. Stroud, the second-pick overall in the draft, to beat out Davis Mills (and Case Keenum) for the starting job. The franchise could benefit from the stability of a young star at the position. Over three turbulent seasons from 2020-22, the Texans employed four head coaches and saw five different QBs make at least one start. Houston fans (and fantasy fans) hope the carousel has stopped with the hiring of coach DeMeco Ryans and the arrival of Stroud as the new faces of the franchise. At Ohio State, the two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and two-time Heisman Trophy finalist averaged 325 passing yards, 3.4 touchdown passes and 0.5 INTs per game over the past two seasons. He set the conference career marks for passing efficiency rating, passing yards per attempt and total yards per play and looks to pump life into a Texans offense that finished 30th and 31st in points and yards in 2022, respectively, and 30th and 32nd in 2021. Houston lost WR Brandin Cooks but added WR Robert Woods, TE Dalton Schultz and RG Shaq Mason and extended LT Laremy Tunsil. C Juice Scruggs (second round) and WR Nathaniel Dell (third) arrived in the draft. ... Second-year receiver John Metchie III has returned from the cancer that sidelined him last year and has worked fully since camp opened.
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 Team Review
Fantasy Grade: D
]Every year in the NFL, there's a team or two that is bereft of fantasy-relevant talent They are a barren wasteland devoid of players of real value to fantasy managers. In 2023, that team is the Houston Texans. It doesn't help that the Texans will likely be breaking in a rookie quarterback in Ohio State's C.J. Stroud. For his part, Stroud told the Houston fan base that he intends to turn the Texans around. Its a new day in Indianapolis. There's a new head coach in Shane Steichen. A new quarterback in Anthony Richardson. And a boatload of enthusiasm and excitement. There's no guarantee that Richardson will be the Colts' Week 1 starter — he has limited starling experience. But if the youngster from Florida does win the job, Richardson's rushing ability could make him a fantasy force in the opinion of Rodger Sherman of the Ringer. "An exceptional athlete with a half-baked passing game can win in the NFL: he said. 'Arid if a quarterback with spectacular athleticism does figure things out as a passer? "My message to the Texans fan base, l'd say get ready. We bringing it, man; Stroud said. 1 don't know what its gonna look like when we first get there. but were gonna work. And I think that's what it's about. Putting in the work, making sure that when our numbers are called that we make the play. that we try to do as best we can to get back to the top like they were a couple years ago. We want to bring wins on wins on wins." What isn't going to help Stroud's chances of success is arguably the weakest wide receiver room in the league. After one disappointing season in Tennessee, Robert Woods signed with the Texans in free agency. Youngster John Metchie has talent but missed his entire rookie season. As a matter of fact, the most fantasy-rel-evant pass-catcher may wind up being tight end Dalton Schultz, who joined the Texans after five seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. The brightest spot for the Texans last year was running back Demean Pierce, who topped 900 rushing yards as a rookie. Per the team's website, Pierce has bigger and better things in mind for Year 2. "I just want to be a difference on the field when you see me play." Pierce said. "In terms of my development, my maturity on the field, and I just want to be a better ball player than I was last year. I just want to keep improv-ing and keep climbing. "l'in always trying to work. I'm just trying to take it in and be the best I can be because I know the better I am, the better everybody around me is going to be. And vice versa. Just try to have that good infectious energy in the locker room and around the building." However, the Texans backfield is also more crowded this year with the addition of veteran Devin Singletary, who is a better receiver and pass-protector than Pierce and who averaged more yards per carry with the Bills last season. At the very least, Singletary will likely siphon off some touches. At most, Singletary will win the lead job, and it will be Pierce who is relegated to a secondary role in 2423. | |||||||
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2023 Off-Season News & Views
Click here for Complete set of News & Views
Click here for earlier off-season items |
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