Team Profile
Houston Texans
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-5.2% 23rdOff DVOA
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8.4% 21stPassing DVOA
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-9.7% 20thRushing DVOA
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-14.5% 4thDef DVOA
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-8.5% 7thDef Passing DVOA
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-22.7% 4thDef Rushing DVOA
2024 Team Stats
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Points For22.4 17th
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Points Against22.6 18th
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Yards Per Game338.0 15th
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Yards Allowed Per Game288.0 3rd
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (leg) has been working with the first-team offense during training camp practices after recovering from a broken fibula he suffered last December. Dell was also shot in the leg in April, but he's recovered from both incidents and is on track to be ready for the start of the 2024 regular season. There is more competition for targets in Houston's passing attack now that Stefon Diggs is in town, but the 24-year-old is looking to build on an impressive rookie season that saw him catch 47 passes on 75 targets for 709 yards and seven touchdowns in his first 11 NFL games. Even though Dell is going to have more competition for targets between Diggs and Nico Collins mainly, there could still be enough passing volume in Houston for Dell to solid WR3/flex in fantasy as long as he can stay healthy in Year 2.
Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (hamstring) still remains absent at Monday's training camp practice. Mixon has missed more than a week now with his hamstring injury, which has allowed backup Dameon Pierce extra repetitions after a disappointing sophomore campaign in Houston. There are no indications that Mixon's injury will put him in danger of missing the start of the 2024 regular season, but the longer he remains out, the more time Pierce will have to impress the coaching staff. When healthy, Mixon should be Houston's primary RB in an up-and-coming offense. Fantasy managers will want to target him ideally as a high-end RB2, but Mixon is probably going to need to be much more efficient as a runner to be worth his draft price, as he's most likely not going to be as involved as a pass-catcher with the Texans as he was with the Bengals.
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (foot) was spotted limping during practice on Saturday after getting his foot stepped on. However, according to head coach DeMeco Ryans, it isn't a concern. The 22-year-old had a stellar first season in the league. In 15 games, he threw for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, and five picks, adding 167 yards and three scores off 39 carries. Without question, expectations for Stroud are high entering the 2024-25 campaign, and he could be an even bigger fantasy asset if he becomes more accurate. There will likely be an update on Stroud's condition soon. Fortunately, it doesn't sound like it's anything fantasy managers need to be concerned about.
Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (undisclosed) has been held out of training camp practice the last few days, but head coach DeMeco Ryans said Mixon "will be fine." "I'm not worried out Joe." It's not a long-term injury for the 27-year-old, so he should be 100 percent in plenty of time for the start of the 2024 regular season this fall. Mixon's absence will give Dameon Pierce and Dare Ogunbowale, among others, more reps early in training camp in Houston's backfield. When healthy, the former Bengals RB will be the Texans' clear lead back in 2024. "Workhorse. He's an absolute workhorse, in every regard," offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik recently said of Mixon. He's joining an offense on the rise, but Mixon is probably going to need to be much more efficient as a runner than he was last year in order to finish as a top-12 fantasy back in his first year in Houston.
Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce, who will enter the 2024 season as the backup to new lead back Joe Mixon, has looked good early on in training camp. Pierce was more decisive on his runs on the first day of camp on Saturday and could form a strong 1-2 punch with Mixon if he continues to look this good once the pads go on and to open the regular season. The 24-year-old former fourth-round pick in 2022 out of Florida nearly ran for 1,000 yards in just 13 games in his rookie season in 2022 before disappointing in his sophomore year in 2023 and losing the starting job to Devin Singletary. Pierce could excel with Houston moving to an outside-zone scheme, but as long as Mixon stays healthy, he probably won't be anything more than a handcuff option in fantasy leagues.