Houston Texans DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce (hamstring) isn't expected to suit up on Sunday versus the Bills. The 24-year-old is coming along, considering he practiced in a limited capacity on Friday. However, since he had only three carries for 16 yards in Week 1 versus the Colts, the last time he was on the field, there aren't many fantasy managers looking for an update, even with Joe Mixon (ankle) ruled out. In the meantime, the Texans will continue to roll with Cam Akers to handle the bulk of the work out of the backfield. While Akers hasn't done much with his enhanced role in Houston, he deserves some consideration for fantasy lineups due to the favorable matchup on the horizon versus a Bills defense that's struggled to stop the run this season.

Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (chest) missed the Week 4 win over the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars due to a chest injury but will play in Week 5 against the Buffalo Bills. The Texans removed Dell from the final injury report on Friday after he upgraded to a full participant in practice. It's good news for a Houston offense that will be without starting running back Joe Mixon (ankle) for the third straight week. Dell impressed in his rookie season in 2023 with 709 yards and seven touchdowns on 47 catches in just 11 games, but so far in his sophomore campaign he's been playing third fiddle behind teammates Nico Collins and newcomer Stefon Diggs. There's no denying Dell's big-play abilities, but there is another big mouth to feed this year in Diggs. Dell has nine catches on 17 targets for 99 scoreless yards through three games and will be more of a boom/bust WR4/flex in his return against the Bills.

Houston Texans wide receiver Robert Woods (foot) popped up on the injury report this week on Thursday and was labeled as a DNP. Woods returned to practice in limited fashion on Friday but is now questionable to play in Week 5 against the visiting Buffalo Bills. The good news for Texans' receiving corps is that they are getting back second-year wideout Tank Dell (concussion) after he missed the Week 4 win over the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars. With Dell sidelined last weekend, Woods caught just one of his three targets for 10 yards. He was not targeted at all in the first two weeks of the season and has only three catches (five targets) for 28 yards through the first four weeks of 2024. The 32-year-old veteran is buried too far down on Houston's receiver depth chart to make a difference in the vast majority of fantasy leagues.

Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (ankle) missed practice all week and has been ruled out for Week 5 against the Buffalo Bills. Meanwhile, Dameon Pierce (hamstring) returned to a limited practice on Friday and is questionable to play this Sunday. Mixon will miss his third straight game after suffering an ankle injury in the Week 2 win over the Chicago Bears. Pierce hasn't played since the season-opener against the Indianapolis Colts but has a shot to return this weekend. Even if Pierce suits up against Buffalo, it's looking like another week of Cam Akers in Houston's backfield. Akers is merely an RB3/flex, though, in deeper leagues in Week 5. In the two games he's started with both Mixon and Pierce out, the 25-year-old has had 22 carries for 74 yards while catching an eight-yard touchdown pass. The good news is that Mixon appears to be close to returning, perhaps for a Week 6 matchup against the New England Patriots.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud faces a marquee game on Sunday with the Buffalo Bills in town. The quarterback's sophomore campaign is off to a solid start: he already has surpassed the 1,000-yard mark, he has a 3:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and the Texans are 3-1. Next up is a steady Bills defense that has blitzed less than any team in the NFL and allowed the third-fewest air yards. Stroud and the Texans can expect to see a lot of coverage-heavy looks against the Bills, especially with running back Joe Mixon (ankle) unlikely to see the field. Even so, the second-year quarterback is at the helm of a dangerous offense, making him a safe QB1 play in this matchup.