C.J. Stroud DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Quarterback C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans spent most of the Divisional Round under pressure, completing 19 of 28 passing attempts for 245 yards with neither a touchdown or a turnover in his team's season-ending defeat at Kansas City on Saturday. The Chiefs were able to get the best of Houston's offensive line, sacking the sophomore quarterback eight times and impacting a number of other throws as Houston managed only one touchdown. Though he limped off late in the game, Stroud did re-enter for the final drive. It was a largely disappointing year fantasy-wise for last season's Rookie of the Year, but he has now led Houston to a division title and a Wild Card victory in both of his first two seasons. Houston's offense goes into the offseason with needs on the offensive line and for a No. 2 receiver, as Tank Dell (knee) could be unavailable through 2025 and Stefon Diggs is a free agent.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud should be considered the lowest-ranked option out of all eight starting quarterback options with his team set to take on the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round. The 23-year-old faces a Chiefs defense that ranked third among playoff teams in air yards allowed, fourth overall in blitz rate, fifth in pressure percentage, and held Houston to 19 points in a Week 16 Kansas City victory. The sophomore quarterback led Houston to a Wild Card win against the Los Angeles Chargers, but Houston's offense has averaged roughly 19 points per game since the beginning of December. Managers in playoff leagues or DFS should attempt for a better option than Stroud is a tough road matchup.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud shook off an awful first-half interception to finish 22 of 33 passing for 282 yards and a touchdown in helping his team defeat the Los Angeles Chargers 32-12 in the Wild Card Round. The sophomore quarterback also ran for 42 yards, which included a 27-yard scramble in the second quarter, his longest run of the season. Despite three offensive turnovers, Houston's offense was able to do more than enough in the second half to earn a postseason victory for the second straight year. Stroud completed passes to eight different receivers, but connected with Nico Collins seven times for 122 yards and a touchdown against L.A. The victory sealed Houston's place in the next round, where they will play an opponent to be decided on Sunday.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud should be considered among the lowest tier of starting quarterbacks for managers in playoff leagues with Houston set to play host to the Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card Round. The results just haven't been there for the Texans or their second-year starter, who finished as the No. 18 fantasy quarterback, a far cry from where he was drafted in preseason. The Chargers are a mid-tier defense against fantasy quarterbacks, but Houston's offense has averaged just 15.6 points in its past five games. Los Angeles ranks fourth in the NFL in scoring percentage allowed, fifth in yards after catch allowed, and fourth in net yards per passing attempt, which is not a great omen for Stroud or a struggling Houston offense.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud completed all six attempts for 50 yards in Sunday's meeting with the Titans. He also threw a touchdown, finding Nico Collins in the first quarter for a two-yard score. The Texans are locked into a spot for the postseason, so Stroud is presumably done for the remainder of the contest. However, this shouldn't surprise anyone. Overall, the signal-caller had a good year, throwing for 3,727 yards and 20 touchdowns (12 picks) and adding 52 carries for 233 yards. Although Stroud was more productive as a rookie, injuries on the offensive side of the ball likely prohibited him from being more potent from a fantasy standpoint. With Stroud out of the contest, Davis Mills is in under center.