Houston Texans DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

A midseason hot streak had Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon among the top options in fantasy football, but things have changed with Houston entering the playoffs against the Los Angeles Chargers. The 28-year-old is averaging 38.7 rushing yards across his past six games, and the Texans' offense has struggled overall, scoring a measly 15.6 points since December. Now comes a Chargers defense that ranks third against fantasy running backs and fourth in scoring percentage allowed, which are not encouraging signs. Mixon is still on the fringe of being a RB1 due to his unchallenged workload in the Houston backfield, but managers in playoff formats shouldn't bet the farm on a huge performance, either.

The good news for Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins is that he has an almost unmatched target share with his team set to take on the Los Angeles Chargers in a Wild Card playoff game on Saturday. The bad news is that Houston's offense has been consistently below average for more than a month, averaging just 15.6 points in its past five games. Further, the Chargers rank third against PPR wide receivers and have held opposing offenses to the fourth-lowest scoring percentage in the NFL. While the matchup isn't ideal, the Michigan Man still hit 1,000 receiving yards despite missing five games and most of another, putting him in rare territory. Though Vegas is predicting a low-scoring game, Collins still can be considered a mid-tier WR1 for managers in playoff formats.

Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson should not be considered for lineups with the Texans set to play host to the Los Angeles Chargers in a Wild Card meeting on Saturday. The 24-year-old has played more often since Tank Dell (knee) was lost for the season, but still managed just four catches for 34 yards in the past three weeks. With wide receiver Diontae Johnson now in the fold and Robert Woods still around, it's tough to say which, if any, secondary receiver will emerge behind No. 1 option Nico Collins. Additionally, Houston's offense has averaged just 15.6 points in its past five games. Hutchinson wasn't a strong option anyway, but an uncertain target share and an unpredictable passing offense make him avoidable in playoff formats.

Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz is a low-end option for managers in playoff formats with his team set to play host to the Los Angeles Chargers in a Wild Card game. The 28-year-old finished as TE20 in PPR formats, his worst finish in five years, while attached to a Houston offense that didn't live up to preseason expectations. Now comes a playoff matchup with a Chargers defense that ranks in the top 10 against tight ends and holds opposing offenses to the fourth-lowest scoring percentage in football. Smart money is on Schultz continuing to be involved at a secondary level, but nothing overwhelming as the Texans seek to advance to the Divisional Round for the second straight season.

Houston Texans kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn will face a difficult matchup in round one of the NFL playoffs when his team plays host to the Los Angeles Chargers on Wild Card Weekend. L.A. is one of the stronger teams against fantasy kickers, ranking seventh, but the bigger concern has been the offense to which Fairbairn is attached. The Houston offense has averaged a paltry 15.6 points across its past five games prior to the playoffs, which included the offense failing to score on Christmas Day against Baltimore. The Texans' recent performances and a Chargers defense that ranks fourth in scoring percentage allowed do not bode well for the veteran kicker. Managers in playoff formats should look for a stronger matchup elsewhere.