Houston Texans DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (hand) was listed on the Week 11 injury report with a right-hand injury, but he was able to practice in full and should be fine to play in the Monday night game against the Dallas Cowboys. Stroud had a disappointing finish to the Week 10 loss to the Detroit Lions, ultimately going 19-for-33 for 232 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. However, he's set to get top wideout Nico Collins (hamstring) back from Injured Reserve this week and has a fantastic bounce-back matchup against the disappointing Cowboys defense on tap. Dallas' defense has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to the QB position this year, giving Stroud clear QB1 upside this weekend for his fantasy managers. Overall, Stroud has been a disappointment after taking the league by storm in 2023. He's averaging 14.6 fantasy points per game, which ties him for 23rd among QBs with Aaron Rodgers.

Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (hamstring) is practicing on Thursday ahead of the Monday Night Football matchup with the Dallas Cowboys. Collins, who led the NFL in receiving yards before picking up a hamstring injury in Week 5, was activated off of Injured Reserve last week but did not face the Detroit Lions in Week 10. Fantasy managers itching to get Collins back in their starting lineups will need to monitor his practice status on Friday and Saturday, and hopefully, the team will remove him from the injury report or rule him out so his status is not up in the air for the last game of the Week 11 slate. If Collins plays, he is a must-start option against a Dallas defense that has allowed the 12th-most fantasy points per game to WRs this year. His upside is worth the risk of his injury holding him back.UPDATE: Collins was limited in Thursday's practice.

Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce (groin), who has missed the team's last two games due to a groin ailment, is close to returning to action, according to a league source. Pierce has only 14 rushing attempts on the year in four games played, but he's gone for 98 yards (career-high 7.0 yards per tote) and a touchdown and is averaging 40 yards per kickoff return. It remains to be seen if the 24-year-old will be able to do enough in practice this week to have a shot at playing on Monday night against the Dallas Cowboys, but even if he does return in Week 11, he'll most likely be eased in and will work behind workhorse Joe Mixon. Dare Ogunbowale has been serving as Houston's RB2 behind Mixon with Pierce sidelined. At best, Pierce is a handcuff option for fantasy managers that have Mixon in their starting lineups on a weekly basis.UPDATE: Pierce returned to practice on Thursday.

The expectation is that Houston Texans star wide receiver Nico Collins (hamstring) will practice all week and then return on Monday night in Week 11 to face the Dallas Cowboys, according to multiple league sources. "He's 100 percent ready to go," a source said. Collins returned to practice for the first time last week since injuring his right hamstring in Week 5 but didn't get cleared to play in the Week 10 loss to the Detroit Lions despite being activated from Injured Reserve last Saturday. Barring a setback in practice this week, the 25-year-old is on track to return as Houston's leading wideout with Stefon Diggs (knee) done for the year. Before getting hurt, Collins led the NFL with 567 receiving yards in five games and will return to having a high ceiling and high floor for fantasy managers with quarterback C.J. Stroud throwing him the football.

The Houston Texans and quarterback C.J. Stroud looked poised for a big victory on Sunday, but they failed to generate any points in the second half as Detroit stormed back from a 16-point deficit to win, 26-23. The former Buckeye finished 19-for-33 for 232 yards with a touchdown and two second-half picks that aided Detroit's comeback. He also carried the ball once for five yards. Pass protection continues to be a major issue for Houston, which allowed four sacks Sunday and has now allowed 12 in its past eight quarters. Stroud and company will look for a better finish next week with a road trip to Dallas.