X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Houston Texans: 2014 Fantasy Football Analysis & Team Outlook

The Houston Texans were undoubtedly one of the most disappointing teams during the 2013 season. The offense completely fell apart due to horrific play out of starting quarterback Matt Schaub and a season ending injury to star running back Arian Foster. Despite those setbacks, wide receiver Andre Johnson still managed to put together a decent enough year that kept him fantasy relevant. The 2014 campaign should be a quick turnaround for the Texans under new Head Coach Bill O’Brien who should have Houston fans hoping for a Kansas City Chiefs-esque worst-to-first transition. Hopefully, that would also translate to a bounce back year for Foster and another solid performance from Andre Johnson for fantasy owners.

 

Houston Texans Offseason Changes

Offseason Acquisitions – QB Ryan Fitzpatrick

No Longer on the Roster – QB Matt Schaub, RB Ben Tate, TE Owen Daniels

Coaching Changes – New Head Coach Bill O’Brien

 

Houston Texans Quarterbacks

If I could sum this section up by simply writing the word “nope” I would but there actually is some relevant information to convey here. With Matt Schaub off to throw pick-sixes in Oakland, newfound starter Ryan Fitzpatrick hopes to pass the ball to his own team in Houston. Fitzpatrick, as you may recall, was given a pretty fat contract by the Buffalo Bills a few years back but he never really lived up to the hype. Fitzpatrick is an average quarterback at best but luckily for him he doesn’t really need to be much better than that.

Ryan Fitzpatrick’s game plan sheet should have three things written on it: 1) Don’t turn the ball over. 2) Hand the ball off to Arian Foster. 3) Throw the ball to Andre Johnson when told to throw the ball to Andre Johnson.  That’s basically all he needs to do and he’s smart enough to handle all that (he did go to Harvard, after all.) What I’m saying here is to forget about Ryan Fitzpatrick’s own fantasy value and consider that he is competent enough to aid the two fantasy relevant players on the team in Foster and Jonson. He’ll do just enough to get Andre the ball when necessary and keep the defense honest so they don’t hone in on Foster every play.

 

Houston Texans Wide Receivers

Rotoballer-Fantasy-Football-Analysis-Advice-Andre-JohnsonDespite all the interceptions and quarterback changes, Andre Johnson managed to piece together a respectable fantasy season. Andre somehow finished the year seventh in receiving yards with a whopping 1,407. It’s a surprising statistic when you consider just how awful the Texans looked throughout most of the year but real life success or lack thereof doesn’t always correlate to fantasy. Now, the main reason for Johnson’s success is the fact that he was second in targets with 181 which is obviously a lot. It’s expected Bill O’Brien’s offense will be a run-heavy attack so it’s fair to expect a slight decrease in both categories but not enough to write off Johnson completely as he is still far and away their most talented receiver.

With Johnson’s holdout over, the main concerns regarding his fantasy value stem from his age and the guy throwing him the ball. The age is the more legit concern given that it’s always better to be a year early than a year late on predicting a player’s decline. At 33, Andre Johnson will start to show his age on the field fairly soon so no one should expect him to be the player he once was. In fact, I believe that’s a fair reason to lower him slightly passed his borderline top 10 ranking and move him closer toward the late teens.

Rotoballer-Fantasy-Football-Advice-Analysis-DeAndre-HopkinsAs for the quarterback play, Ryan Fitzpatrick can’t really be any worse than Matt Schaub, T.J. Yates, or Case Keenum can he? At worst it’ll be more of the same from the QB position, which Andre has shown he can play through and still put up good enough numbers. It’s best to simply temper your expectations when it comes to drafting Andre Johnson as he should be treated more as a WR2 than the surefire WR1 he once was.

Playing opposite Andre Johnson is fellow wide receiver and second year player DeAndre Hopkins. Year after year the “other guy” in Houston has been touted as a potential sleeper given that he would be playing alongside a superstar wide receiver. That’s never really worked out for any of those so-called sleepers but that’s not to say Hopkins shouldn’t be rostered for depth purposes. It’s hard to envision a scenario where both of these guys are usable in any given week but Hopkins has enough talent to get you through a bye week or injury if you’re really hurting.

 

Houston Texans Running Backs

This is absolutely the make or break year for Arian Foster as a fantasy first rounder. I once joked with a friend that if Arian Foster gets hurt again this year after seemingly being back to a consensus first rounder he should just change his name to Matt Kemp. For those unaware, Matt Kemp is an outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers who was once touted as a must-draft in the first round of fantasy baseball but has since fallen off the face of the planet due to injuries.

If Foster were to fall victim to another injury of any caliber this year that would certainly be his fate. Luckily for Foster, it appears a clean bill of health is in order after his season ending back injury. The run-oriented offense of Bill O’Brien should favor Foster’s abilities for as long as he can stay healthy. Foster’s 15 touchdowns and 1,424 yards in 2012 offer a glimmer of hope that he can get back to the superstar he once was and his ranking reflects that.

Foster is viewed as being one of the last running backs worth taking in the first round before considering drafting a different position entirely. If he’s 100% healthy by the time of your draft, you should feel confident taking him with the 8th or 9th pick. Longtime handcuff and fantasy vulture Ben Tate has since left for Cleveland and the Texans replaced him with former Giant Andre Brown (who's since been cut). Should anything happen to Foster, Jonathan Grimes is the RB handcuff who will benefit most.

 

Houston Texans Rookies & Tight Ends

Many expected the Texans to take a quarterback with their number one overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft but they instead opted for defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. It was a wise move for sure but that basically means there isn’t much else to see as far as rookies go.

The tight end position also falls completely flat in Houston now that Owen Daniels is gone. The Texans did draft rookie tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz out of Iowa in the third round so it’s possible they stick him with the first team offense right away. As far as fantasy is concerned, the tight end position is one to ignore in Houston.

 

Houston Texans in Summary

There aren’t many teams in the NFL with shoddy quarterback play who still net you stellar fantasy options at other positions. The thing is, people seem to be viewing Ryan Fitzpatrick as a downgrade from whatever it was you would call the trifecta of QBs they had last year when in reality he’s at least on the same level. Fitzpatrick should have little to no impact on the production of Arian Foster and Andre Johnson. They are both talented players who have proven they can play through even the worst of offensive situations and still be productive. Look for both guys to continue to do the same during the 2014 season.

 




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Lands on Injured List With Fractured Ribs
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Tyler Boyd

Interested in Playing for Steelers
Miami Dolphins

Dolphins Now Looking to Acquire a Tight End
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
L'Jarius Sneed

Says he's Healthy
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Minkah Fitzpatrick

Heading Back to Miami
Jonnu Smith

Shipped to Pittsburgh
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
Jalen Ramsey

Steelers Acquiring Jalen Ramsey
Kerry Carpenter

Leaves Game with Apparent Hamstring Injury
Brooklyn Nets

Day'Ron Sharpe Heads to Free Agency
Santi Aldama

Receives Qualifying Offer
Orlando Magic

Moritz Wagner has Team Option Declined
Jabari Smith Jr.

Signs Massive Extension
Jusuf Nurkić

Hornets Trading Jusuf Nurkic to Utah
Collin Sexton

Heading to Charlotte
Cam Thomas

Set for Restricted Free Agency
Milwaukee Bucks

Bobby Portis Staying in Milwaukee
Jonas Brodin

Expected to Miss Start of Next Season
TB

Conor Sheary Placed on Waivers for Contract Termination
Los Angeles Clippers

James Harden, Clippers Agree on a New Contract
Dante Fabbro

Stays with Blue Jackets on Four-Year Deal
Joel Hofer

Commits to Blues for Two More Years
Kevin Bahl

Signs Long-Term Extension with Flames
Oneil Cruz

Smacks Two Homers
Jordan Spence

Traded to Ottawa
Petr Mrazek

Heads to Anaheim
John Gibson

Red Wings Acquire John Gibson
Matthew Knies

Inks Six-Year Extension with Maple Leafs
Aaron Judge

Blasts Two Homers, Dealing With Back Issue
Claude Giroux

Signs One-Year Deal with Senators
Yordan Alvarez

has Chance to Return Next Weekend
Minnesota Timberwolves

Julius Randle Signs Three-Year Extension
Kelly Oubre Jr.

Opts into Player Option
Luis Robert Jr.

Heads to Injured List
Gabriel Arias

Carted Off on Sunday
Bryce Harper

Faces Live Pitching
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Remains Out on Sunday
Utah Jazz

Bojan Bogdanovic Retiring From Basketball
Los Angeles Lakers

Dorian Finney-Smith Declines Player Option
Jaylin Williams

Signing Three-Year Extension
LeBron James

Accepts Player Option
Anfernee Simons

"a Possible Re-Trade Candidate"
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
NFL

NFL Won't Hold Supplemental Draft This Year
Damon Arnette

Getting Second Chance With Texans
Deommodore Lenoir

Arrested for Obstruction of Justice
Yordan Alvarez

Eyeing Return Before All-Star Break
Milwaukee Bucks

Kevin Porter Jr. Declining Player Option
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
Quinn Priester

Fans 11 in One-Hit Gem
Toronto Raptors

Garrett Temple Returning to Toronto
Los Angeles Clippers

Nicolas Batum Declines Player Option
Spencer Schwellenbach

Dominant in Victory
Keon Johnson

Gets Team Option Picked Up
Rayan Rupert

Staying in Portland
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Expected to Make Second-Year Jump
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Out of Lineup Saturday
Jalin Hyatt

Looking to Flip the Script in 2025
Garrett Mitchell

to Undergo Shoulder Surgery
José Ramírez

Jose Ramirez in Guardians Lineup on Saturday
Kyle Larson

Don't Expect Kyle Larson to Win First Drafting Track Race on Saturday
Christopher Bell

Unlikely to Complete Atlanta Sweep
Brad Keselowski

Seeks Another Clutch Win for Hail-Mary Playoff Bid
Chris Buescher

Unlikely to Lead Enough to Have Much DFS Value
Alex Bowman

Qualifies Best Among Non-Fords but Unlikely to Contend at Atlanta
Ryan Preece

Will Probably Run Better Than Usual at Atlanta
Austin Dillon

Consistently Mediocre at Atlanta
Ty Gibbs

Slightly Faster Lately but Unlikely to be a Factor at Atlanta
Erik Jones

a Low-Key Strong DFS Option
Noah Gragson

Could Have DFS Value as One of the Lowest-Qualifying Fords
Riley Herbst

Unlikely to Replicate February Atlanta Finish
Ty Dillon

Could Benefit from Kaulig Speed
Chase Burns

Slated to Make Next Start on Monday
Dylan Sampson

Being Used as a Receiver
Carson Schwesinger

Figures to be in Full-Time Role in 2025
Cedric Tillman

Should Have Full-Time Role
Bryce Young

Looking More Comfortable, Showing More Intensity
Charlie Coyle

Blue Jackets Acquire Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood From Colorado
Jack Quinn

Signs Up for Two More Years with Sabres
Brandon Saad

Stays in Vegas on One-Year Deal
Trent Frederic

Inks Eight-Year Extension
Josh Naylor

Exits Friday's Contest Early with Neck Stiffness
Emil Heineman

Shipped to the Islanders
Noah Dobson

Traded to Montreal
John Tavares

Agrees to Four-Year Extension with Maple Leafs
Sam Bennett

Signs Eight-Year Extension with Panthers
NYI

Islanders Select Matthew Schaefer With No. 1 Pick in NHL Draft
José Berríos

Jose Berrios Tosses Seven Scoreless Innings in Fourth Win
Nick Martinez

Flirts With No-Hitter, Settles for Win
Gary Sánchez

Gary Sanchez Homers, Reaches Five Times in Onslaught
Trea Turner

Blasts Two Homers, Steals Base
Aaron Rodgers

Roman Wilson Could Fit Nicely With Aaron Rodgers
Josh Simmons

on Schedule to Open the Year as a Starter
Micah Parsons

Contract Length an Issue for Cowboys, Micah Parsons
Denver Broncos

Broncos Unsure How Their Running Back Room Will Look
Russell Wilson

Not the Only Leader in Giants Clubhouse
Jihaad Campbell

to Begin at Inside Linebacker
Charles Oliveira

Can Become A Two-Time Lightweight Champion
Ilia Topuria

A Favorite At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Can Become The New Flyweight Champion
Alexandre Pantoja

Set For Fourth Title Defense At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Renato Moicano

Returns At UFC 317
Beneil Dariush

An Underdog At UFC 317
Payton Talbott

Looks To Bounce Back
Felipe Lima

Set To Open Up UFC 317 Main Card
Daniil Tarasov

Panthers Bring in Daniil Tarasov
Frederick Gaudreau

Kraken Pick Up Frederick Gaudreau From Wild
Michael Thorbjornsen

Returns in Detroit at Rocket Classic
Adam Hadwin

Could Struggle Over the Weekend in Detroit
Cam Davis

Hopes Detroit Magic Can Spark Turnaround
Matt Wallace

a Boom-or-Bust Option at Rocket Classic
Joel Dahmen

Not Cutting it Lately
Michael Kim

Searching for Spark at Rocket Classic
Rasmus Hojgaard

a High-Ceiling Play in Rocket Classic
Matt McCarty

a Wild Card Heading into Detroit
Emiliano Grillo

Rolling into the Summer Season
Rickie Fowler

Looking for More Magic at Rocket Classic
Wyndham Clark

Brings High Upside to Detroit Golf Club
Max Greyserman

Could Make Noise at Rocket Classic
Akshay Bhatia

a Strong Value Play at Rocket Classic
Eric Cole

Hoping for Better Times at Rocket Classic
Beau Hossler

Searching for Form at Rocket Classic
PGA

Byeong Hun An in Good Form Heading into Rocket Classic
Cameron Young

Looking For Redemption and Possible First Career Victory in Detroit
Collin Morikawa

is The Headliner This Week in Detroit For Good Reason
Si Woo Kim

Back in Competition After Last Week's Withdrawal
PGA

Alex Noren Finishes Tied For 30th at Travelers Championship
Kurt Kitayama

Misses The Cut at RBC Canadian Open
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF