The Houston Texans have mostly felt like a disappointment from a fantasy perspective after losing off-season addition Stefon Diggs to a season-ending injury, but this offense still has some potential impact DFS performers entering the NFL postseason.
Here is a closer look at the top 5 DFS options for the Texans entering the playoffs.
1. Nico Collins
Different postseason, same story for Nico Collins. He enters the playoffs as the clear cut top option for C.J. Stroud in the passing game after injuries to Diggs and Tank Dell this year.
Collins has been a big fantasy producer on a per game basis, where he ranks with 18.7 points per contest in full-PPR formats.
One could make the argument that Collins receiving extra attention from opposing defenses could impact his efficiency, but that hasnât really slowed him down before in his time with Stroud under center.
Collins has gone over for over five receptions or 70 yards receiving in 70% of his games played in 2024, which makes him an elite DFS option regardless of matchup.
2. Joe Mixon
All Joe Mixon has done the last four years is produce over 1,200 total yards and 9+ TDs.
Even more encouraging has been the jump in per touch efficiency on the ground for Mixon in his first season with the Texans. His 4.19 yards per carry is the highest mark since 2018, which is a solid mark for a back who has toted the rock on 231 occasions through 12 games of action.
His 2.9 yards before contact per attempt speaks to his jump in rushing production and consistent ability to weave through traffic with great patience and vision.
Additionally, Mixonâs consistent role in the passing game (average of 2.7 receptions and 24.5 receiving yards per contest) gives him a versatile fantasy floor as a true three-down feature back.
The lack of reliable options in the passing attack outside of Collins means this Texans offense path to making some noise this postseason could come through feeding Mixon the ball while leaning on a stout defensive unit â making him a solid DFS play this postseason.
3. C.J. Stroud
C.J. Stroud was identified as a potential breakout fantasy football star after his great rookie campaign and the addition of Diggs to this offense. Unfortunately, his passing yards and passing touchdowns have both regressed over his 15-game comparison from 2023 to 2024.
While fantasy managers may be disappointed with his regular season production, Stroud has still been an effective passer this year despite the injuries to both the offensive line and receiver groups in 2024.
A big reason for Stroudâs drop in production has been closely tied to the offensive line, which has given 47 sacks on Stroud this year compared to 38 in 2023. This has led to Stroudâs air yards per attempt 5.1 his rookie campaign to 4.4 this season because of the reduced time prior to pressure arriving in his face.
Ultimately, Stroud enters the postseason as a lower end fantasy option in DFS â but still possesses the talent to deliver big performances when forced into a negative game script.
4. Dalton Schultz
If Stroud doesnât have the time to consistently push the ball down the field entering this postseason, then Dalton Schultz instantly becomes a more appealing DFS option as underneath, checkdown producer.
Weâve seen Schultzâs role slowly expand as the season has progressed with the multitude of injuries to this receivers room have began to pile up.
Schultz never saw more than five targets through the first four games of the season when the trio of Collins, Diggs, and Dell was mostly intact. Yet,Schultz has seen 6+ targets in seven of his last 11 games.
Schultz isnât going to generate a ton of explosive plays, but his reliable volume and threat as a redzone option make him a viable DFS option at TE this postseason.
5. John Metchie
The recent season ending injury to Dell opens up a sizeable role as a complimentary option in this passing game. The organization signing Diontae Johnson is worth noting, but Iâm far more intrigued for John Metchie to see an expanded role in this offense.
Metchie flashed some of that big play ability in Week 10 against the Detroit Lions with five catches for 74 yards and a score.
Johnson, Robert Woods and Xavier Hutchinson are in this pool of ancillary pass catching options behind Collins, but Metchieâs skillset combined with his explosive playmaking ability has me willing to roll the dice on him over the other options.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Top 5 DFS Options for the Houston Texans in the 2024 NFL Playoffs appeared first on Heavy Sports.