2025 Houston Texans Fantasy Preview
2025 Houston Texans After winning consecutive AFC South titles in his first two seasons, changes are coming for DeMeco Ryans and the Houston Texans. A mere months after Bobby Slowik was a hot head coaching candidate, Ryans jettisoned his offensive coordinator after the unit dipped from seventh in passing in 2023 to 23rd. The offensive line was also a major problem. The Texans allowed the third-most sacks (54) a year ago. Worsening that concern was the club shipping off Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil to Washington and signing veteran castoffs to fill in. Second-round OT Aireontae Ersery is enormous and adds some youthful potential to the team’s biggest area of need. New offensive coordinator Nick Caley was the Rams’ passing game coordinator last season. His biggest task will be to recapture the magic that QB C.J. Stroud had in his 2023 rookie campaign. Stroud’s play regressed last season under Slowik, as constant pressure led to poorer decisions and more turnovers. Caley will also be dealing with a revamped receiving corps. The Texans traded for Christian Kirk to man the slot. Kirk replaces Stefon Diggs, who departed for New England. No. 1 wideout Nico Collins missed five games but ranked 10th in fantasy points per game. Collins topped 13 PPR points in seven of his final eight games and remains a locked-in WR1. The Texans also added Iowa State teammates Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft, giving the club a vastly improved supporting cast. Both rookies should see ample playing time as Tank Dell is expected to miss the season. In the backfield, Joe Mixon’s three-down role looks secure. Mixon topped 1,000 rushing yards and scored a dozen touchdowns in his first season with the club. His 17.2 PPR points per game ranked 10th at running back, and he accumulated that volume despite leading the NFL with (-94) tackle loss yards due to Houston’s haggard O-line. Mixon is a good fit in this scheme and boasts the volume to post fantasy RB1 numbers. Fourth-round USC rookie Woody Marks will contend with Dameon Pierce for backup duties. Dalton Schultz had his poorest showing at tight end since becoming a starter in 2020. Caley’s background is as a tight ends coach, but he also comes from a Sean McVay system that implemented a committee approach to the position. Houston used a fourth-rounder on Cam Stover in 2024 and ran ’12’ personnel on 31.4 percent of their snaps last season- the fourth-highest rate in football. That makes Schultz merely a middling TE2 option with limited fantasy upside. Fantasy Grade: B+ QB Stroud, C.J., HOU [QB1] After a dynamic debut, C.J. Stroud regressed in his sophomore season. It wasn’t all on Stroud, as he suffered the second-most sacks (52) in the league. But defenses caught up to Stroud, who dropped to 20 touchdowns and jumped from five to 12 picks in Year Two. Reinforcements are on the way. The Texans added OT Aireontae Ersery and a pair of promising Iowa State wideouts (Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel) in the 2025 NFL Draft. Houston also brought in Nick Caley from the Rams to run the offense after ranking 27th in pace of play. Stroud should be better in 2025. However, he’s outside QB1 range. ADVICE: Fantasy QB2 with limited ceiling. QB Mills, Davis, HOU [QB2] Mills is one of the better backups in the league. However, he has no fantasy value unless C.J. Stroud gets injured. Just a name to keep in mind in deep Superflex leagues. RB Mixon, Joe, HOU [RB1] Despite seeing an average of 6.8 defenders in the box (3rd most) running behind Houston’s 26th-ranked run-blocking line, Joe Mixon ranked 9th in PPR points per game. Mixon topped 1,000 rushing yards for the second straight season and posted seven top-10 fantasy weekly performances. Unfortunately, six of those RB1 outings came in Houston’s first eight games. But Mixon remained a force thanks to his superior volume (77.7 percent opportunity share ranked 7th) and 60 red-zone touches (6th). The Texans added receiving help and worked to improve their beleaguered O-line. Mixon remains a high-end RB2 in 2025. UPDATE: Mixon opened training camp on the non-football injury list. We’ve downgraded his projections. ADVICE: High-end RB2 with RB1 potential. RB Chubb, Nick, HOU [RB2] The Texans signed Chubb to a one-year, $2.5 million deal. Chubb has missed 24 games over the past two seasons, most of which occurred after his second major knee injury. When he did play last year, he had no explosiveness and averaged a career-worst 3.3 yards per tote. Maybe an extra offseason of noted viral workouts will help him regain his form. Joe Mixon is also dealing with injury, so if Chubb can rebound, he could cause the Texans to employ a committee backfield. Finally, view Chubb as a low-risk depth piece in the latter rounds. RB Pierce, Dameon, HOU [RB3] ADVICE: Pierce will open the season in his customary spot as Houston’s No. 2 back. However, he could lose snaps to rookie Woody Marks. RB Marks, Woody, HOU [RB4] ADVICE: Prolific pass-catching back (83 receptions for Mississippi State in 2021) who ran the most routes in college from 2021-2024. He’s also got a compact frame that evokes Maurice Jones-Drew comps. Marks is a change-of-pace option behind Joe Mixon. WR Collins, Nico, HOU [WR1] Collins had a nice 2024 with 68 catches for 1006 yards and 7 TDs in only 12 games, while ranking second among all wide receivers in yards per route run (2.86). He finished as the WR6 in points per game (14.9), despite missing four games due to a midseason calf injury. WR Tank Dell may miss all of 2025, and WR Stefon Diggs is in New England, leading to more reliance on Nico in the passing game. His strong rapport with C.J. Stroud, especially on deep routes and in the red zone, makes him a high-ceiling asset in one of the league’s top passing offenses. ADVICE: WR1 with top-5 upside; target
Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 9
Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 9 We enter the second half of the 2024 season with an AFC battle that has lost luster. The Houston Texans are 6-2 but are being hit hard by the injury bug. Meanwhile, the 2-6
We enter the second half of the 2024 season with an AFC battle that has lost luster. The Houston Texans are 6-2 but are being hit hard by the injury bug. Meanwhile, the 2-6 Jets are falling apart and against the wall. The FullTime Fantasy Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 9 breaks down everything fantasy football fans need to know about this week’s game.
Although the Texans are among the AFC favorites, they enter this contest severely depleted. Down Nico Collins and now Stefon Diggs, Bobby Slowik, and Houston’s offense will have little time to reinvent themselves against a strong Jets defense.
Speaking of the Jets, firing Robert Saleh didn’t fix New York’s issues. The Jets have lost five straight games to fall into last place in the weak AFC East. There is significant pressure on Aaron Rodgers and company to salvage what increasingly looks like a lost season.
The over/under opened at 45 but has fallen three points. Meanwhile, the Jets are oddly favored by 1.5 points.
Matchup
| TEAM | OFFENSE | PASS | RUSH | YDS/PLAY | POINTS |
| Houston Texans | 9 | 7 | 15 | 16 | 11 |
| New York Jets | 18 | 10 | 30 | 23 | 23 |
Despite the injuries, the Texans are still a top-10 overall offense. QB C.J. Stroud hasn’t been as effective as he was in Year One but Houston boasts a balanced offense just outside the elite scoring units.
However, injuries and poor offensive line play have been an issue for DeMeco Ryan’s club. Houston’s beleaguered O-line ranks 25th in pass-block win rate and 30th in run-block win rate. The latter is a particular concern against a New York defense that ranks fifth in run-stop win rate.
Meanwhile, seeing the Jets rank 30th in rushing with two young stud running backs is a surprise. However, like the Texans, New York has offensive line issues. QB Aaron Rodgers is constantly under duress and that’s a big problem against a fearsome Houston pass rush with Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter.
Houston’s defense ranks second in win rate versus the run and fourth versus the pass. That’s going to be a problem for this Jets’ offense.
Houston Offense
After a stellar rookie campaign, C.J. Stroud sits at 13th in QB rating after eight games. Defenses have started pressuring Stroud,
How will Thursday’s Texans vs. Jets game go?
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Vegas Insider’s Top-3 Player Props
Vegas Insider’s Top-3 Player Props Last week, Matt Brandon’s Week 1 NFL Player Props went 6-1! For Week 2, our Vegas Insider @RespectedMoney presents his top-3 player props to target. With the opening week of the 2024 NFL season now in the books, let’s take a look at three “Respected Money” player proposition wagers for Week 2! RB Isiah Pacheco OVER 64.5 Rushing Yards (-110) Isiah Pacheco was a major factor in Kansas City’s season-opening win over Baltimore, setting the tone on the ground. The hard-nosed rusher, who finished Week 1 as the overall RB20 in PPR (15.8 points), appears ready to deliver on the expectation he will be a top RB1 in 2024. Pacheco will face a Bengals rush defense that heads into Arrowhead fresh off allowing 170 yards and a touchdown to the Patriots. Expect a heavy dose of Pacheco against a Cincinnati team he torched in Week 17 last season when he rushed for 130 yards and added seven catches for 35 yards and a touchdown WR Mike Evans ANYTIME TD (+130) Fans just watched the Rams light up the Lions’ pass defense, which yielded the most receptions (34) and the second-most passing yards (317) in Week 1, along with a touchdown. It will not get much easier for Detroit’s secondary, as Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers head to Ford Field. Evans, who finished as the overall WR6 (23.1 PPR points) in Week 1, continues to be one of the most underappreciated wideouts in fantasy football. This projects as a high-scoring affair between two teams that ranked in the top 10 in total yards of offense in Week 1. Last year in the NFC Divisional round of the Playoffs Evans grabbed eight of 12 targets for 147 yards and a TD. After scoring twice in Week 1, the dependable veteran has now scored in 12 of his last 18 regular season games. RB Joe Mixon OVER 66.5 Rushing Yards (-110) Mixon finished as the overall RB2 in PPR (26.8 points) after rushing for a league-high 159 yards and a touchdown in his Texans’ debut. Opposing defenses are not able to stack the box against Houston this season due to the club’s feared passing attack, and Mixon is the beneficiary. The Bears struggled to stop the run in Week 1, allowing 140 rushing yards (5.4 yards per rush) and a TD to the Titans. Mixon draws a Chicago defense that could struggle yet again and make him another week-winning player. ENTER OUR WEEK 2 DRAFT CONTEST! How it Works: First, draft your team using our On-Demand Simulator. Second, try to stack the team with players you think will do well this week. Finally, the highest Week 2 Score wins. (PLUS: You get to see the Thursday Night game and then draft!) Here’s our Week 2 Player Rankings to help. First, it’s a best-ball contest, so no need to submit a lineup. We’ll optimize the best one. Second, you just sit back and watch your team climb the leaderboard. Weekly Prizes and a Grand Prize at the end of the season! Finally, The Grand Prize Winner (highest individual week of the season) gets to choose from the amazing prizes below. If you don’t know just how awesome and amazing the Panini Flawless Football briefcase is, make sure and watch the video starting at the 8-minute mark! Trading cards are back! MEMBER PERK! Fulltime Members get 5 Free On-Demand Drafts each month in our contest! DRAFT YOUR WEEKLY TEAM and enter your REDEMPTION CODE you received by email.
2024 Houston Texans Fantasy Preview
2024 Houston Texans Fantasy Preview The 2023 Houston Texans were projected to win the fewest games in the AFC, but a strange thing happened on their way to the AFC South basement. In one offseason, the franchise hired the right
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2023 Cincinnati Bengals Outlook
2023 Cincinnati Bengals Outlook The 2023 NFL season is right around the corner and that means fantasy football drafts are underway. Before you assemble your championship dynasty, redraft, or high-stakes squad, FullTime Fantasy members will have an in-depth, player-by-player preview
2023 Cincinnati Bengals Outlook
The 2023 NFL season is right around the corner and that means fantasy football drafts are underway. Before you assemble your championship dynasty, redraft, or high-stakes squad, FullTime Fantasy members will have an in-depth, player-by-player preview of all 32 teams from football legend Shawn Childs.
Also, check out Jody Smith’s NFL offensive line rankings and exclusive 2023 Strength of Schedule analysis.
Up next in our extensive NFL and fantasy football preview series is Shawn’s deep dive into the 2023 Cincinnati Bengals Outlook.
— Offense —
The Bengals threw the ball 60.5% of the time last season, leading to the seventh overall rank in offensive yards per game. Cincinnati attempted 38.1 passes, an increase of 14.4% from 2021. The Bengals would like more success running the ball to help close out leads in the fourth quarter. The strength of this team is Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins, meaning many balls will be in the air again in 2023.
— Quarterback —
Joe Burrow
Coming into 2021, the Bengals appeared positioned to be a high-volume passing team based on Burrow’s 40.4 passing attempts over 10 games in his rookie season. Instead, Cincinnati finished 20th in passing attempts (555 – 32.6 per game) while taking 55 sacks (third-most in the NFL). Burrow overcame his below-par passing opportunity by completing 70.4% of his passes and gaining 8.9 yards per pass attempt.
Despite playing well over his first eight games (2,258 combined yards with 20 touchdowns), he failed to lead many fantasy teams to the playoffs after a dull five-game stretch (282/0, bye, 148/1, 190/1, and 300/1). However, for anyone surviving with Burrow in the fantasy postseason, his play was exceptional in Week 16 (525/4) and Week 17 (446/4). He finished the year with 4,729 combined yards and 36 touchdowns or 376.45 fantasy points (8th) in four-point passing touchdown leagues while missing one game.
Burrow ended last season with comparable combined yards (4,732 – 4,729 in 2021) despite having an increase in pass (86) and rush (35) attempts. He became more of a factor in the run game (75/257/5) while missing explosive plays by Ja’Marr Chase. Burrow gains 7.4 yards per pass attempt, with five fewer completions of 40 yards or more. Over his final four starts, he delivered only five passing touchdowns while averaging 234 passing yards. When at his best, Burrow gained more than 300 yards in five matchups (338/2, 300/3, 481/3, 355/4, and 375/3).
Fantasy Outlook: With 76 touchdowns over the past two seasons and a better opportunity on the ground, Burrow looks poised to fight for the top quarterback-scoring slot in the land. He can’t match Josh Allen’s or Jalen Hurts’s running ability, but Cincinnati has two elite wideouts who have yet to play an entire season of games together. Burrow may average more than 300 passing yards with a difference-maker floor in scoring if their offensive line creates a longer passing window. In the early draft season, he ranks fourth at quarterback. I consider him a player to fight for in 2023.
Other Options: Trevor Siemian, Jake Browning
— Running Backs —
The Bengals’ running backs combined for 2,068 yards with 18 touchdowns and 103 catches in 2022, leading to 26.12 FPPG in PPR formats. Despite their fantasy success, their backs continue to gain short yards per rush (4.0), something that has been an issue for three seasons. Joe Burrow’s willingness to use his backs in the passing game should be repeated going forward.
Joe Mixon
After a career season in touches (334), rushing yards (1,205), and touchdowns (16), Mixon missed a pair of games due to a concussion. He still finished 11th in running back scoring (239.50) in PPR formats, but 23.0% of his output came in one monster showing (211 combined yards with five touchdowns and four catches). His only other two games with more than 20.00 fantasy points came in Week 1 (21.50) and the divisional playoffs (20.30).
Over the past four seasons, over 899 carries, Mixon averaged only 4.0 yards per carry, with only 19 of his runs gaining 20 yards or more. He set a career-high in catches (60) and receiving yards (441) in 2022 despite losing snaps (257) to Samaje Perine (225) over his final seven matchups.
Fantasy Outlook: Mixon gained more than 1,250 combined yards in four of the past five seasons. He has 29 scores over 36 starts, with Joe Burrow on the Bengals’ roster. Despite being in the NFL for six years, Mixon will start the season at age 27. The Bengals have a rising offense with a gear that hasn’t been hit yet. He ranks 21st in the early draft season in the high-stakes market, well below his ranking over the past two seasons (11th and 4th). Any investment in Mixon is a bet on the Bengals’ offense.
Chase Brown
Brown saw action over five seasons in college, leading to 4,079 combined yards with 21 touchdowns and 58 catches. His game progressed in his final two years at Illinois, highlighted by his 2022 season (328/1,643/10 with 27 catches for 240 yards and three touchdowns). Brown started the season with more than 100 rushing in nine matchups while receiving a minimum of 19 carries in all his starts. Over his final seven games, he earned his keep by volume of chances instead of big plays (4.7, 4.4, 4.7, 4.1, 4.3, 4.8, and 3.2 yards per carry).
Fantasy Outlook: A better offensive system and spacing should lead to Brown delivering long runs with the Bengals. He has speed in his back pocket, with various ways to make defenders miss. His potential intrigues me, so following the Cincinnati coach-speak, this summer should hint at his 2023 fantasy opportunity. I expect him to win…
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT OUT OF THE BENGALS IN 2023?
To finish reading Shawn’s in-depth 2023 team outlook, with in-depth offseason reports, projections, and fantasy outlooks for all players
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Fantasy Football: Week 8 Stock Watch – Edmonds Up, Mixon Down
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Cincinnati Bengals Training Camp Questions
These important Cincinnati Bengals Training Camp Questions will help focus our attention on what’s needed from them this Fantasy Football season!
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Fantasy Football: Can You Trust This 2017 Bust?
With Derrius Guice out for the year with a torn ACL, Shawn Childs looks at Samaje Perine’s potential value in 2018. You’d be surprised who Childs compares the Washington RB to as we inch closer to Kickoff!