Houston

Texans

PFF’s Nathan Jahnke notes all Texans tight ends played for extended durations due to a injury-thinned personnel group. Schultz is the team’s TE1 but rookie Cade Stover made the most of his opportunities, catching 3-of-3 targets for 32 yards, including one target earned on his lone first-team snap.

Pierce totaled just one rushing yard on two first-team rushing attempts, doing little to persuade Texans coaches he should be competing with Joe Mixon for the starting role. Pierce was later credited with one missed tackle forced.

Dell logged four total first-team snaps in his return from a season-ending fibula fracture in his 2023 rookie season. He notably played behind offseason acquisition, Stefon Diggs, but delivered an explosive, 15-plus-yard score. PFF credits him with two missed tackles forced on the play. Dell lined up on the perimeter on three-of-four snaps, effectively replicating his rookie-season 74.9 percent pre-snap-alignment perimeter rate, and tacked on a 22-yard punt return for good measure. The No. 3 WR usage is less than ideal but his explosive results accurately his fantasy football upside.

Diggs played in both two- and three-wide receiver sets, kicking inside for four slot snaps after Tank Dell took the field. The usage suggests Diggs is first in line to handle the Texans’ high-value slot receiver duties, while also maintaining the primary No. 2 perimeter role. While improved performance is not guaranteed, talented veteran receivers who transition to a slot-heavy role late in their careers have a strong track record of fantasy success.

Collins maintained his perimeter receiver role, lining up out wide on all six plays. He was on the field in both two- and three-wide receiver sets, boding positively for his likely usage as the Texans’ passing-game alpha wide receiver.

Stroud connected with Tank Dell for a beautiful 34-yard touchdown on the offense’s second drive. The play exemplifies the Texans’ trademark centerfield passing attack under OC Bobby Slowik. It is a great start to Stroud’s second NFL season.

Conley was drafted by the Raiders as a 2017 first-round pick. Recurring issues stemming from a rookie-season surgery to correct a tibia stress fracture ultimately derailed an otherwise promising career. Conley retires with four interceptions and 29 forced incompletions.

The outing gives Stroud his first in-game opportunity to build rapport with offseason acquisition, Stefon Diggs. Nico Collins and Tank Dell were also seen warming up pre-game, indicating fantasy managers will get to see the potential pecking order unfold in the Texans’ crowded wide receiver corps.

Speaking to reporters Monday, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said that starters will see snaps against the Steelers in preseason Week 1. “You just have to go through and play live reps of football before September. You’ll see our ones go out and get reps this week against Pittsburgh.” How long the starters will remain in the game remains to be seen, but it is now evident that we will see them on the field against the Steelers.

Jackson began the 2023 season in Denver but didn’t make it through the end of the season. He was ejected from the team’s Week 2 game against the Commanders due to an illegal hit. Jackson committed the same penalty in Week 7 and was suspended for four games, though it was later reduced to two. Jackson inexplicably returned to the field only to commit the exact same penalty once more. The league gave him the four-game suspension this time around. Seeing him as not worth the trouble, Denver cut Jackson after he served his second suspension. The Texans claimed him off waivers but kept him in a reserve role to close out the year. Jackson will be a depth option for a depleted Buffalo secondary, but his history of violent hits has him on thin ice with the league.