Houston's offense has potential, but they entered the preseason short on depth, and that's already been tested. Lamar Miller will miss 2019 with an ACL tear, while Keke Coutee is questionable for Week 1. Will Fuller and Keke Coutee could make for a dynamic receiving pair behind DeAndre Hopkins if they stay healthy, and trade acquisition Duke Johnson is in line to take over the backfield from Miller, backed up by several unproven names.
2018 Review
Record: 11 - 5 (6th in NFL)
PPG: 25.1 (11)
YPG: 362.6 (15)
Pass YPG: 236.3 (17)
Rush YPG: 126.3 (8)
PAPG: 31.6 (27)
RAPG: 29.5 (4)
2018 Fantasy finishes
QB: Deshaun Watson - QB5
RB: Lamar Miller - RB23; Alfred Blue* - RB51
WR: DeAndre Hopkins - WR1; Demaryius Thomas* - WR37**; Will Fuller - WR69
TE: Jordan Thomas - TE32; Ryan Griffin* - TE39
*No longer with team
**Played eight games with DEN
Number to know: 62
Houston led the NFL in sacks allowed in 2018, which is bad news for quarterback Deshaun Watson. And while the Texans tried to upgrade the offensive line with veteran Matt Kalil and rookies Tytus Howard and Max Scharping, it might not be enough to solve their problems in protecting Watson.
2019 Offseason
"He's going to get better. He's got a great work ethic. He's going to improve. He's going to work on the things that he needs to work on. When he comes back, we'll start progressing with where we are with the playbook, and we'll start talking to him about those things. He's just an awesome guy, and we're lucky to have him." - Bill O'Brien, on Deshaun Watson
Head Coach: Bill O'Brien (6th year)
Offensive Coordinator: Tim Kelly (1st year - previously TE Coach, HOU)
Draft Picks
1. (23) Tytus Howard, T
2. (54) Lonnie Johnson Jr., CB
2. (55) Max Scharping, T
3. (86) Kahale Warring, TE
5. (161) Charles Omenihu, DE
6. (195) Xavier Crawford, CB
7. (220) Cullen Gillaspia, RB
Additions
QB A.J. McCarron, RB Duke Johnson, TE Darren Fells, OL Matt Kalil, DB Tashaun Gipson, DB Bradley Roby
Key Departures
RB Alfred Blue, RB D'Onta Foreman, WR Demaryius Thomas, DB Tyrann Mathieu, DB Kareem Jackson, DB Kevin Johnson
Rankings and Projections
| Player |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deshaun Watson | QB4 | QB4 | QB2 |
| Duke Johnson | RB30 | RB32 | RB26 |
| DeAndre Hopkins | WR1 | WR1 | WR1 |
| Will Fuller | WR33 | WR26 | WR45 |
| Keke Coutee | WR44 | WR42 | WR58 |
| Ka'imi Fairbairn | K6 | K6 | K5 |
| Texans DST | DST4 | DST8 | DST6 |
| Heath Cummings' projected offensive stats | |
| 4,180 YD, 29 TD, 11 INT; 564 Rush YD, 4 TD | |
| 165 ATT, 691 YD, 4 TD; 52 REC, 471 YD, 3 TD | |
| 162 TAR, 105 REC, 1,453 YD, 11 TD | |
| 94 TAR, 56 REC, 824 YD, 7 TD | |
| 78 TAR, 53 REC, 541 YD, 4 TD | |
| 42 TAR, 29 REC, 331 YD, 2 TD | |
One sleeper, one breakout, and one bust
Sleeper: Keke Coutee
When healthy last season, Coutee proved to be a valuable part of Houston's passing attack as the No. 3 receiver behind DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller. Coutee only appeared in six games as a rookie in 2018 because of a hamstring injury, but he scored at least 12 PPR points in three of them. He should be healthy heading into training camp, and he's a great receiver to target with a mid- to late-round pick in all leagues, with his value higher in PPR. If Fuller (ACL) suffers a setback in his recovery, Coutee could be a star.
Breakout: Will Fuller
The combination of Fuller and Watson has been exceptional, but now we just need that duo to be healthy for 16 games. They have played 11 games together over the past two seasons, and Fuller is averaging 16.7 PPR points over that span. He's failed to score at least 12 PPR points just twice in those 11 outings. Fuller is expected to be fine for training camp, and he could be a star if he plays 16 games. Now, he's played just 17 games over the past two seasons, so that's the risk with trusting him. But the upside of what he could do is worth it with a pick in Round 6 in most leagues.
Bust: DeAndre Hopkins
Let's get this on the record: I don't really consider Hopkins a bust. But no one for the Texans applies for this category, and Hopkins is being drafted as the No. 1 Fantasy receiver. So there's only one way for him to go for this year if, in any capacity, he struggles. The argument you can make against Hopkins is maybe he loses some targets if Fuller and Coutee stay healthy for 16 games. Last year, that trio played four games together, and Hopkins' targets dipped, slightly, from his season average of 10.2 to 9.8. However, he was more productive over that stretch, averaging 21.3 PPR points per game compared to his season average of 20.9. He's awesome. I hope he's not a bust, but he's the only real candidate in my mind for this spot given the expectations for him this season.
