The 2020 Houston Texans are going to look severely different from the 2019 squad. Texans made headlines several times in the off-season with much of it shining in a negative light. But is this the case for the Texans in Fantasy Football?
Surprising enough the Texans passing attack wasn’t the more efficient part of the offense. Led by Deshaun Watson, the Texans aerial game plan was middle of the pack while there running backs led the way to a top 10 finish in rushing yards. Carlos Hyde was the lead back while Duke Johnson handled 3rd down duties. DeAndre Hopkins once again balled out and finished as a top 5 wideout.
The 2019 Texans supplied solid Fantasy value but several of those names have gone on to different teams. The new look Texans bring some new faces who we know very well. Let’s take a look at what this year has in store for the Fantasy football world.
Deshaun Watson for sure is going to miss one of the most talented wideouts in the land. Hopkins is a huge loss and there is no way to fill that void. With that being said Watson is getting disrespected as his ADP has dropped him down to the QB6. Watson is considered one of the most clutch QBs in the game and is way more proven then a few of the QBs going in front of him. If you know me you know I NEVER draft a QB early, but seeing Watson going in the 6th round is enticing.
Some of the guys who will be catching passes from Watson have high upside but come with huge question marks. The projected number 1 receiver who will have to fill Hopkins shoes is no stranger to fantasy stardom. Brandin Cooks will throw on his 4th jersey in 5 years and look to regain his 2018 form. The targets will certainly be there but will Cooks be on the field to snatch them? His concussion history needs to be taken very seriously when thinking of drafting him. I personally love his ADP as he is going in the 7th-8th rounds. What’s the risk in snatching Cooks as my 3rd WR? When he’s on the field he will give WR1-2 each week.
When speaking of injury prone but extremely talented players, we can’t leave out Will Fuller. I would give my left pinky for a full healthy season of Fuller. When on the field we have seen some of the more thrilling performances. It’s interesting because Cooks and Fullers preseason Fantasy value are similar. They are almost neck and neck where they are being drafted in leagues and both have signs of caution. Fuller is being valued slightly less then Cooks but if you can snag him in the 9th round, pat yourself on the back.
The last receivers worth speaking about when it comes to Texans wideouts is Kenny Stills and Randall Cobb. Between the two I would rather stick with corn on the cob. He finished last season with the highest yards per catch of his career while playing in a new offense. Not only that but he stayed relatively healthy the whole season. The Cowboys worked on a hamstring program targeting the muscle area by strengthening it. He spoke wonders about it and praised the staff in revitalizing his health. While Cobb should see his fair share of targets, I will more then likely pass on him come draft day with my eyes on him from the waiver wire.
The Texans running game will also have a major new look with ex-fantasy football elite RB David Johnson. Some feel he got a bad wrap last year with Arizona. Many people feel his injury greatly effected his play which led to the acquisition of Kenyan Drake ultimately ending his Cardinal career. History says the Texans will feed him the rock as Bill OBrien clearly feels strongly about a run game but what will DJ do with it? Barring injury DJ should have some success but I am pumping the brakes on the ones calling for a revitalized season. I can see DJ fulfilling owners with a RB2 season due to his efficient downhill between the numbers running and his pass catching abilities but he certainly will not be a target of mine as a second RB. He has an ADP of 37 putting him in the end of the 3rd early 4th round but I wouldn’t feel comfortable picking him that early.
Duke Johnson is a name we have seen much of in the past from the waiver wire. Dukes livelihood is catching the ball and he’s been pretty nonexistent from anything else. Duke Johnson is worth a late-round flyer but even then I would rather target other backs who are going in the area.
Last but not least let’s touch on tight ends. Darren Fells led the way for the Texans at the position surprising many. He was a force in the red-zone where he made his name. He snatched 7 touchdowns from there but his other stats remained rather pedestrian. While Fells will continue to make his name through touchdowns it’s hard to feel confident with a guy who seems to be so boom or bust. To me he is undraftable and should only be owned if you have an injury or player on a bye week.
That’s all we go today in the Houston Texans 2020 Fantasy Football outlook. Feel free to comment and let us know which team you would like to see us focus in on net.