Houston Texans DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk has been a huge disappointment so far this season and may struggle to reverse his fortunes against the Buffalo Bills. Kirk has only managed one catch in each game -- a 30-yard catch in Week 1 and a one for a loss of a yard in Week 2. He seems to have fallen down the pecking order behind newcomers Brian Thomas Jr. and Gabe Davis and even had less targets than tight end Evan Engram's injury replacement Brenton Strange last week. Given Jacksonville's rough start on offense and the lack of a clear top receiver, it is worth keeping Kirk for now to see if he turns things around, but starting him in Week 3 would be an unwise move. Fantasy managers should wait until he shows any signs of fantasy life before putting him back in their flex spots. As a struggling receiver with a less-than-ideal matchup, it is best to keep Kirk on the bench against the Bills.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (ankle) is considered "week-to-week." Dameon Pierce (hamstring) has already been ruled out ahead of Sunday's game versus the Minnesota Vikings. While Mixon is still officially classified as doubtful, the Texans already expect he won't be out there while hoping to get him back for the Week 4 matchup against the Jags, depending on how he responds to treatment. The former Bengal had a monster Week 1 outing against the Colts, so it's a tough blow for fantasy managers. With that said, Cam Akers has already seen a surge in interest from those looking for a streaming option this week. However, he's likely already been scooped off the waiver wire in most leagues. Dare Ogunbowale could see a few additional touches in Week 3. Unfortunately, he doesn't offer the same upside as Akers.

Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (hip, foot) put in a full practice on Friday and was removed from the final injury report for Week 3. Collins' status was up in the air earlier this week after he did not participate in Wednesday's practice before being upgraded to a limited participant on Thursday. The 25-year-old is a must-start in all fantasy lineups heading into a Week 3 showdown against the 2-0 Minnesota Vikings. After two weeks of the 2024 season, Collins leads all NFL wideouts with 252 receiving yards on 14 catches (18 targets) while also finding the end zone once. Minnesota's defense has been in the middle of the pack so far in terms of defending the receiver position early this year. The Texans could rely on their passing game more this weekend with running back Joe Mixon (ankle) doubtful and Dameon Pierce (hamstring) ruled out for the second straight week.

Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (ankle) is officially doubtful to play in Week 3 on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, while Dameon Pierce (hamstring) has been ruled out for the second straight week after not practicing at all. Mixon also missed practice all week after injuring his ankle in the Sunday night win over the Chicago Bears in Week 2. Fantasy managers can now shift the 28-year-old to their benches this weekend and hope he's able to return next week to face the Jacksonville Jaguars. For those hurting at the RB position in fantasy, Cam Akers is an immediate add and will now have flex appeal as Houston's lead back on Sunday against the 2-0 Vikings. Akers took first-team reps this week during practice and would likely be spelled by Dare Ogunbowale with the Texans' backfield beat up at the moment.

Houston Texans running backs Joe Mixon (ankle) and Dameon Pierce (hamstring) were not at practice on Friday, according to DJ Bien-Aime of ESPN. With both running backs in danger of potentially missing Sunday's game, Cam Akers could get the starting nod. Akers replaced Mixon last weekend when he exited the game due to an ankle injury. On seven carries, Akers tallied 32 yards and caught his lone target for three yards. However, he did lose a fumble. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to the Houston injury report later on Friday, as it should provide more clarity on the situation. If Akers does suit up as the No.1 RB for Houston on Sunday, he should be viewed as a high-end RB2 simply due to the volume he is expected to see.