The Houston Texans are once again looking to the future at quarterback after selecting Ohio State product C.J. Stroud with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
However, even though Stroud is fully expected to sit atop the depth chart, Houston has yet to name the rookie signal-caller its starter, leaving the door open for veteran Davis Mills to retain the job.
After showing promise during his rookie season, Mills struggled mightily in 2022, throwing five more picks, or one every 32 attempts (seven fewer), and posting a QB rating that was 10 points lower as compared to his rookie season, ultimately finishing as QB21.
While he should certainly shoulder a lot of the blame for that showing, Mills also dealt with a lackluster receiving corps that was short on options, partly due to injuries.
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The real upside in Houston’s quarterbacks room comes from Stroud, who is an unknown in terms of how he’ll pan out but does possess an intriguing skill set for fantasy football managers. Stroud didn’t do much running in college, instead opting to operate from the pocket. He doesn’t have elite wheels, though Stroud is functionally mobile and may utilize it more in the pros while adjusting to the speed of the game.
We simply can’t know for sure if Stroud will indeed use that aspect of his skill set more, nor do we know if offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik will design runs for his young quarterback to make things easier. Thus, you’re really relying on a rookie to do enough through the air to be a fantasy asset, which is a risky proposition.
Another big question mark for both quarterbacks is the receivers room, a group that doesn’t spark any excitement. Veteran Robert Woods was added in free agency, but he’s 31 and showed major signs of decline in 2022 with the Tennessee Titans, even by the standards of a guy coming off a torn ACL.
John Metchie is not technically a new addition since he was drafted last year, but he didn’t play a single game because of a battle with leukemia, making him a total unknown.
Then there’s Nico Collins, who many thought was poised for a breakout year before he disappointed. Collins also was unable to stay healthy, leading to even more concerns about him.
His best target arguably is tight end Dalton Schultz, which means we should see a great deal of dink-and-dunk passing as the offseason acquisition isn’t much of a big-play weapon.
If there are positives to point toward, it’s that Texans signal-callers will have a solid offensive line, with the Texans bringing back a group that finished with the 13th-fewest sacks allowed last season. The running game is competent and should help take some pressure off the winner of this quarterback competition.
Fantasy football takeaway
The bottom line is this: No matter who wins the starting job, fantasy owners should not be depending on either Texans quarterback to be their No. 1 option. It’s not a stretch to also extend that sentiment to the QB2 slot.
If we were to pick one to emerge as a fantasy asset in 2023, it would easily be Stroud. But, again, that will greatly depend upon how often he uses his legs. Until we see it, or he proves to be a high-volume, high-production passer with a suspect receiving corps, he’s no more than a desperation waiver option.
