Game Info
Kickoff: Thursday, October 31st, 2024, 8:15pm ET
Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Network: Amazon Prime/FOX (local)
Houston Texans
Quarterback
C.J. Stroud: Sit
Week 8’s win vs. the Colts was a bit of a bounce-back for C.J. Stroud, as he threw for 285 yards and a touchdown, completing 25 of 37 attempts in the process, compared to the dud he laid in Week 7 in the loss to Green Bay. It’s been an up-and-down second year through the first eight games for Stroud, who carries an 11:4 passing touchdown touchdown-to-interception ratio into a Thursday night game against a Jets defense that is allowing the 5th-fewest fantasy points to opposing QBs this season. There is a world where Stroud is a sit candidate this week, as he’ll be without Nico Collins (hamstring) for at least one more game, and has now lost Stefon Diggs for the season to a torn ACL, as confirmed on Tuesday.
Running Back
Joe Mixon: Start, RB1
Dameon Pierce: Sit
Dare Ogunbowale: Sit
New York is somehow strong against running backs on the fantasy year, allowing the 12th-fewest points to the position entering Week 9, but don’t let that number fool you. Joe Mixon is poised to have a massive week. For starters, the Texans’ offense will be trying to figure it out without Diggs in the mix, and Mixon himself has been on fire since returning to action in Week 6. In that three-game span, he has totaled 319 rushing yards on 63 carries with four rushing scores, also adding 71 yards and an additional score through the air on eight receptions. These numbers were good for an average of 28.6 full-PPR points. The Jets held New England’s Rhamondre Stevenson to 48 yards on 20 carries, but he did score twice and caught all three of his targets for 17 yards and a 2-PT conversion.
As of Tuesday, Dameon Pierce was a DNP due to a groin injury, and if he were to miss, Dare Ogunbowale would back up Mixon, but neither holds fantasy relevance.
Wide Receiver
Tank Dell: FLEX Option, WR3
Xavier Hutchinson: Sit
Houston, we have a (wide receiver) problem. Tank Dell is the new WR1 until Collins returns, but that doesn’t make him primed for a big night against the Jets, whose defense allows the second-least amount of points to WRs on the fantasy season. At least for this week, volume may be king, and someone has to be on the receiving end of Stroud’s targets. Look for Dell, who caught all four of his targets for 35 yards and a score last week against the Colts, to lead the pack. Xavier Hutchinson will likely see more targets as well, but won’t be worthy of a spot in your lineup.
Tight End
Dalton Schultz: Sit
Before injuries ravished the Texans offense this season, there were many mouths to feed ahead of Dalton Schultz, who has 223 yards on 23 catches this season, with no trips to the end zone. FantasyData has him ranked as the TE25 entering Week 9, and despite an expected uptick in target share this week, he’s not a tight end worth streaming. New York is allowing the eighth-fewest fantasy points to TE’s on the year and most recently held Hunter Henry to five catches for 45 scoreless yards last week.
New York Jets
Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers: Sit
Somehow, in this mess of a season for the Jets, Aaron Rodgers has posted fantasy-relevant numbers on the weekly. Chances are you aren’t starting him in a single-QB league, but since Week 4 – when this losing streak started – Rodgers is averaging 20.6 fantasy points per game. However, despite the favorable matchup against a Texans defense allowing the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this season, Rodgers on a short week is simply not a recommended stream.
Running Back
Breece Hall: Start, RB1
Braelon Allen: Sit
Breece Hall looked poised for a third big game in a row until the Jets just went away from their game plan in the inexcusable loss to New England. Hall had some nice gains early on but ultimately finished his day with 80 yards on 16 carries, catching just one of three targets for nine yards with a Braelon Allen vulture TD thrown in the mix. The Texans’ run defense is just as strong as the Jets, but Hall needs to be a factor a la Mixon, which would then keep him on an RB1 trajectory.
Allen is likely to factor in as well at times, but not enough where you would have him in your lineup.
Wide Receiver
Garrett Wilson: Start, WR2
Davante Adams: Sit
The targets continue to come for Garrett Wilson. Since Week 6, he’s averaged nine targets per game and has totaled 18 receptions on 27 targets for 281 yards and a touchdown in that span. Since acquiring Davante Adams, Wilson hasn’t missed a beat, but Houston will be looking to get to Rodgers early and often, as their defense owns the third-highest sack total on the year with 27 per FantasyData.
As far as Adams goes, it’s been tough sledding in his first two games as a Jet, as both he and Rodgers haven’t found their Green Bay magic of old yet. Between the Pittsburgh and New England games, Adams has just 84 scoreless yards on 7 receptions. Because it’s a short week, I would avoid having him in your lineup if you can afford to do so.
Tight End
Tyler Conklin: Sit
Tyler Conklin has done the most with his minimal target share in the past two games, finding the end zone twice in that span, which is all you can ask for out of your tight end. Here in Week 9, though, the Texans are the league’s best defense against TEs, which makes for an easy call to avoid streaming Conklin this week.
-Matthew Cava (@cavaM_ Twitter & Reddit)