Cade Stover's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie III (shoulder) and tight end Cade Stover (illness) were both upgraded to full practice participants on Monday after they were listed as limited for the first practice of Week 17 on Sunday. Metchie didn't practice at all last week and was ruled out of the Week 16 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday. However, a return to a full practice on Monday gives the 24-year-old pass-catcher a great shot at being active on Christmas Day on Wednesday for the Week 17 contest against the Baltimore Ravens. In addition to the Ravens defense being a great matchup for the Texans receivers, Metchie could have an expanded role if he's active this week now that Tank Dell (knee) is out for the year. Still, fantasy managers playing for a championship shouldn't consider Metchie, who had a 13-146-1 line in five games before his shoulder injury.

Houston Texans tight end Cade Stover (illness) has been downgraded to out ahead of the Week 15 matchup against the Miami Dolphins. Stover underwent an emergency appendectomy surgery on Saturday. As a result, Stover will miss Sunday's game and his status should be updated at some point next week. Irv Smith was promoted from the practice squad and will operate as the No. 2 tight end behind Dalton Schultz on Sunday. Stover wasn't seeing a ton of action with only one game with over four targets this season. Smith won't be an ideal streaming option with Schultz healthy.

Houston Texans tight end Cade Stover finished with three catches for 26 yards on four targets and caught his first NFL touchdown on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. It was an all-Ohio State connection, as quarterback C.J. Stroud found the rookie tight end for a 19-yard score in the first quarter. The 24-year-old tight end has been a secondary option in the Texans' offense, but he's also been targeted nine weeks in a row and begun to cut into starter Dalton Schultz's receiving workload. Stover will look for more involvement as Houston travels to Jacksonville in Week 13.

Houston Texans rookie tight end Cade Stover led all tight ends in the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers with three catches for 32 yards. His performance featured a crucial 16-yard reception that helped secure a key first down and contributed to a Texans touchdown. Notably, Stover caught C.J. Stroud's first pass of the game, demonstrating Stroud's confidence in him despite Stover not being the primary read. Texans coach DeMeco Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio have praised Stover highly, suggesting that although Dalton Schultz is the top tight end, Stover could have a significant role early in the season. This development makes Schultz a less appealing late-round fantasy option and positions Stover as a potentially valuable pickup if Schultz misses any time.