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

Nick Chubb 2025 Fantasy Value

Since being drafted in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Nick Chubb has been a popular target in fantasy football drafts. However, after his latest devastating injury, Chubb’s future is up in the air. FullTime Fantasy‘s Nick Chubb 2025 Fantasy Value looks back at his accomplishments and breaks down his potential role in 2025. Nick Chubb, the four-time Pro Bowl running back and Cleveland Browns icon, has long been celebrated as one of the NFL’s premier pure runners. Known for his explosive power, relentless work ethic, and quiet leadership, Chubb’s career has been a testament to both his athletic prowess and his ability to overcome adversity. However, the past two seasons have tested his resilience like never before, with devastating injuries threatening to derail his storied career. As Chubb enters free agency in 2025, his recent viral workouts, past accomplishments, health status, and potential landing spots have sparked widespread intrigue. A Storied Career Drafted in the second round (35th overall) by the Cleveland Browns in 2018 out of Georgia, Nick Chubb quickly established himself as a cornerstone of the franchise. Over seven seasons, he has amassed 6,843 rushing yards on 1,340 carries with 51 touchdowns, averaging an astonishing 5.1 yards per carry (YPC). His consistency is remarkable: until 2024, Chubb averaged at least 5.0 YPC every season, a feat that places him among the NFL’s elite. Key Career Highlights •Four Consecutive Pro Bowls (2019–2022): Chubb’s dominance as a runner earned him recognition as one of the league’s top running backs. •1,525 Rushing Yards in 2022: His career-high season showcased his ability to carry the Browns’ offense, finishing second in the NFL in rushing yards. •Breakaway Ability: In 2019, Chubb led the NFL with 17 Breakaway Runs and a 5.7% Breakaway Run Rate, highlighting his home-run threat on every touch. Chubb’s ability to gain tough yards, paired with his vision and burst, made him a fantasy football darling and a nightmare for opposing defenses. His 52 red zone touches in 2019 ranked fifth in the NFL, though his touchdown efficiency (eight TDs) suggested room for positive regression, which he later capitalized on. Despite sharing the backfield with Kareem Hunt for much of his career, Chubb’s role as the Browns’ lead back remained secure. His rush share and red zone opportunity share consistently ranked among the league’s best. However, injuries in 2023 and 2024 have shifted the narrative, raising questions about whether Chubb can reclaim his elite status. The Injury Saga: Health and Recovery Challenges Chubb’s career has been marred by two significant injuries to his left knee, which have shaped his current trajectory. 2015 College Injury While at Georgia, Chubb suffered a catastrophic knee injury, tearing his MCL, PCL, and LCL. Remarkably, he returned in 2016 to rush for 1,130 yards, though his YPC dropped to 5.0 from his career average of 6.8 at Georgia, hinting at a slight loss of explosiveness. This resilience set the stage for his NFL success, but also foreshadowed the fragility of his knee. 2023 NFL Knee Injury In Week 2 of the 2023 season against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Chubb suffered a gruesome knee injury, diagnosed as tears to his ACL, MCL, and meniscus. The injury required two surgeries and sidelined him for over a year. The severity of the injury, combined with it being the second major trauma to the same knee, led many to question whether Chubb could return to form. NFL Insider Ian Rapoport noted that the injury “would be career-ending for many lesser backs,” but Chubb’s “incredible athleticism” offered hope for recovery. 2024 Foot Fracture Chubb made a triumphant return in Week 7 of the 2024 season, playing in eight games and rushing for 332 yards and three touchdowns on 102 carries. However, his performance was lackluster, with a career-low 3.3 YPC, reflecting a loss of explosiveness. His season was cut short in Week 15 against the Kansas City Chiefs when he suffered a broken foot, which fortunately did not require surgery. Advanced Metrics Post-Injury Yards After Contact (YAC): In 2024, Chubb’s Yards After Contact per Attempt dropped to 2.1, down from a career average of 3.2, per Pro Football Focus (PFF). This suggests diminished power and ability to break tackles. Elusiveness Rating: PlayerProfiler’s Elusiveness Rating for Chubb in 2024 fell to the 30th percentile among running backs, a stark contrast to his pre-injury 80th percentile rankings. Breakaway Run Rate: His Breakaway Run Rate plummeted to 1.9% in 2024, compared to 5.7% in 2019, indicating a significant reduction in long-gain potential. These metrics paint a picture of a player who, while still functional, was a shadow of his former self in 2024. However, Chubb’s recent viral workouts suggest he’s far from finished. A Glimmer of Hope Throughout his recovery, Chubb has showcased his superhuman strength and determination through viral workout videos that have captivated fans and analysts alike. These displays of power have fueled optimism about his potential comeback in 2025. July 2024: 540–585-Pound Squats This is #Browns RB Nick Chubb squatting 540+ pounds—just 8 months after undergoing multiple significant knee surgeries. Insanity.pic.twitter.com/JlWnad2Wdm — Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 15, 2024 Eight months after his second knee surgery, Chubb was filmed squatting 540 pounds with ease, a video that garnered 417 votes and 100 comments on Reddit’s r/fantasyfootball. Just days later, FOX Sports reported him squatting 585 pounds, an astonishing feat for a 227-pound running back recovering from major knee surgery. These lifts demonstrated that Chubb’s lower-body strength remained intact, a critical factor for a power runner. April 2025: 500+ Pounds and Power-Cleaning 405 Mannn, Nick Chubb power-cleaning 405 after knee injuries & a broken foot just ain’t human pic.twitter.com/qGvxIoNHf7 — Jon Tweets Sports (@jontweetssports) April 29, 2025 In April 2025, Chubb posted an Instagram video squatting over 500 pounds, accompanied by the caption, “They’ve already wrote my ending when I’m just getting started.” The NFL’s official X account amplified the video, noting its jaw-dropping nature. Implications of the Workouts While squatting massive weights is impressive, it doesn’t directly translate

Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 12

Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 12 After a pair of high-profile games with plenty of fantasy production, Week 12 reels it back in with an AFC North slugfest. The division-leading Pittsburgh Steelers come off a victory over the Ravens and

Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 12

After a pair of high-profile games with plenty of fantasy production, Week 12 reels it back in with an AFC North slugfest. The division-leading Pittsburgh Steelers come off a victory over the Ravens and travel to Cleveland to take on the last-place Browns. FullTime Fantasy‘s Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 12 covers all fantasy-relevant for the game.

Mike Tomlin is doing another masterful job in Pittsburgh. The Steelers have won five straight to take a game-and-a-half lead in the AFC North.

Meanwhile, the Browns have improved but lost six of their last seven. Changes could be coming to Cleveland. However, Kevin Stefanski’s team will be ready to pull off the upset.

The Steelers enter this game as 3.5-point favorites and the total has plummeted from 42.5 down to 36.5. That sounds like a November AFC North battle.

Matchup

TEAM	OFFENSE	PASS	RUSH	YDS/PLAY	POINTS
Pittsburgh Steelers	19	28	9	22	18
Cleveland Browns	27	23	30	32	31

You can pinpoint Cleveland’s struggles down to an offense that has had little success. The Browns rank last in yards per play and next to last in scoring. However, most of that is due to having Deshaun Watson under center. Cleveland failed to score 20 points in any game started by Watson. Cleveland has also scored the second-fewest points.

Cleveland’s offense has looked far more credible with Jameis Winston as the quarterback. However, that once-vaunted Browns’ defense has fallen off. The Browns’ stop unit ranks 21st overall and 31st in sack rate.

Like the Browns, Pittsburgh’s offense has improved with a new signal-caller. However, this is a classic Steelers team that wins with defense and a top-10 rushing attack.

And unlike Cleveland, Tomlin’s stop unit remains elite. Pittsburgh boasts the NFL’s No. 2 overall defense. The Steelers are especially stingy against the rush, forcing Winston and company to air it out and risk turnovers.

Pittsburgh Offense

How will Thursday’s Steelers vs. Browns game go?

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2024 Cleveland Browns Fantasy Preview

2024 Cleveland Browns Fantasy Preview Facing adversity is nothing new for Cleveland football fans. The Browns were decimated by injuries in 2023 but Kevin Stefanski did a remarkable job rallying the squad to an unlikely playoff berth and earned NFL

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2023 Cleveland Browns Outlook

2023 Cleveland Browns 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 Cleveland Browns 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 Cleveland Browns Outlook.

— Quarterback —

Deshaun Watson

Over his final three seasons with the Texans, Watson went 25-22 with two winning years (11-5 and 10-5). His completion rate (68.7) and yards per pass attempt (8.3) were exceptional, but he ranked below the league average in pass attempts per game (32.9). Watson had his best fantasy season in 2020 (led the NFL in passing yards – 4,823) while delivering 36 combined touchdowns. He was active in the run game from 2018 to 2020 (99/551/5, 82/413/7, and 90/44/3). His most significant obstacle to success came via sacks (62, 44, and 49) during this span.

The Browns ranked poorly in passing attempts (539 – 19th, 501 – 28th, 520 – 28th, and 540 – 21st) and passing yards (3,847 – 22nd, 3,701 – 27th, 3,619 – 27th, and 3710 – 23rd) over the past four seasons.

Watson wasn’t worth the investment by Cleveland last season, putting their coaching staff on the hit seat in 2023 if they don’t make the playoffs. He had 31 or fewer passes in five of his starts, leading to fewer than 170 yards passing in four games and only two matchups with more than one score. Watson held form in the run game (36/175/1) but had weakness in his completion rate (58.2 – 67.8 over his previous 1,748 pass attempts) and yards per pass attempt (6.5 – 8.3 before 2022).

Fantasy Outlook: Cleveland upgraded their wide receiving corps in the offseason by trading for Elijah Moore and drafting Cedric Tillman. Amari Cooper (78/1,160/9), Donovan Peoples-Jones (61/839/3), and David Njoku (58/628/4) played well in 2022, giving Watson plenty of firepower to move the ball. His career path suggests that 4,500 combined yards and 30 touchdowns are a reasonable floor. If Tillman and Moore play well, Watson should beat his early draft ranking at quarterback (9th).

Dorian Thompson-Robinson

Over his 49 games in college, Thompson-Robinson passed for 10,695 yards with 88 touchdowns and 36 interceptions. He helped his value with his production (471/1,828/28) on the ground. His completion rate (69.6) moved to an elite area in his senior year at USC. Thompson-Robinson scored 39 times in 2022 with a combined 3,801 yards over 13 starts.

Other Options: Joshua Dobbs, Kellen Mond

— Running Backs —

Other than rushing attempts (450), the Browns’ running backs regressed in rushing yards (2,104), yards per rush (4.7), touchdowns (18), catches (67), receiving yards (464), and targets (88) from 2021. Their backs gained a combined 2,568 yards, leading to 25.4 FPPG in PPR formats. Cleveland should run the ball well over 500 times this year, but Deshaun Watson will steal touchdowns and many carries.

Nick Chubb

Over five seasons with the Browns, Chubb has been a phenomenal running back based on his yards per rush (5.2, 5.0, 5.6, 5.5, and 5.0). He was a workhorse back in 2019 (334 touches), leading to 1,772 combined yards with eight touchdowns and 36 catches.

Chubb missed seven games in 2020 and 2021 while also losing touches to a second rotational back. He averaged 17.7 touches in 2021 (17.2 in 2020) while ranking him 13th in running back scoring (216.30) in PPR formats. Surprisingly, Chubb was a much better player on the road (810 combined yards with six touchdowns and 11 catches over seven games). He gained more than 100 yards rushing in five matchups (once at home).

Last season, Chubb posted the best year of his career (282.40 fantasy points – 6th), leading to new tops in rush attempts (302), rushing yards (1,525), and touchdowns (13). He gained more than 100 combined yards in 11 games, with seven of those outcomes coming over the first eight games. His season ended with no rushing scores over six consecutive matchups when Deshaun Watson took over at quarterback. Cleveland gave him less than half of their running back pass-catching opportunity (27/239/1).

Fantasy Outlook: With Kareem Hunt off the roster, Chubb looks poised to push his stats higher. His ceiling will remain limited in the passing game, and Deshaun Watson will snip some rushing scores. On the positive side, a better quarterback should lead to more offense by the Browns. Let’s shoot for 350 touches for 1,850 yards with 14 scores and 30 catches. Chubb is the seventh-ranked running back selected in the early draft season in the high-stakes market.

Jerome Ford

Cleveland added Ford in the fifth round in 2021 after having his best season (215/1,319 with 21 catches for 220 yards and one score) in college. He had a limited opportunity over his first three years (696 combined yards with 11 touchdowns and ten catches).

His speed is better than the league average at the running back position. Ford runs with an upright style with the ability to sidestep defenders and break tackles. He will take what the defense will give him while having the gear to finish long runs with scores if given a lane. With more experience, Ford will develop into a better runner.

Fantasy Outlook: The backup running back position is up for grabs in 2023. Ford is the front-runner to take over the Kareem Hunt role in the Browns’ offense…

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT OUT OF THE BROWNS IN 2023?

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