Game Info
Kickoff: Saturday, December 27, 2025, 9:30 PM ET
Location: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
Network: NFLN
Houston Texans
Quarterback
C.J. Stroud: START (in Superflex), Borderline QB1
C.J. Stroud continues to look increasingly comfortable in the face of pressure and in recent weeks has shown a willingness to uncork the deep-shot in a way that harkens back to his electric rookie campaign. A full complement of weapons, including rookies like Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel starting to define their roles in the offense, gives Stroud the supporting cast needed to flirt with QB1 outcomes. To make things better still, Stroud has started to run the ball more this year in seasons past – introducing a nice improvement to his production floor on a weekly basis.
Running Back
Woody Marks: START, back-end RB2
Nick Chubb: SIT (Assuming good news on Marks)
Jawhar Jordan: SIT (Assuming good news on Marks)
We’ll have to keep a close eye on the practice reports out of Houston as to the status of Woody Marks, but according to those on the Texans beat, the emerging rookie running back was on the edge of suiting up last week. This sets up nicely for Marks to return against a Chargers defense that’s fresh off allowing a 150+ yard performance to Dallas rushers. Marks’ return would also bury the fantasy viability for his teammates Nick Chubb and Jawhar Jordan, who become borderline assets without significant volume.
Wide Receiver
Nico Collins: START WR1
Jayden Higgins: START (Deep-League flex), WR3/4
Christian Kirk: SIT, WR5
Nico Collins didn’t have the fantasy day you were hoping for if you started him last week, as pass interference and out-of-bounds variance broke the wrong way for the 2025 Pro-Bowler. His nine targets, despite catching just four passes last week, show that his connection with Stroud was still a focal point of the passing attack, especially on third down and in the red zone. The development of Jayden Higgins has helped him cement his role as the second option in the progression when Stroud is looking for an open man, but he’s not an advised start against a tough defense outside of deeper leagues. Unfortunatly for Christian Kirk managers, he simply isn’t consistently involved enough to trust in your lineup anything but the deepest format.
Tight End
Dalton Schultz: START, TE1
For all the excitement there has been about the rookie pass-catchers in Houston, it’s been Dalton Schultz who has served as the second receiving option in Houston this year. Schultz is the TE8 on the season thanks to a second-half surge that has found him finishing inside the top-10 at the position in seven of his last ten games. His floor is as steady as it comes, and his upside is largely tied to his ability to get into the end zone, which this game environment should provide the opportunity for.
Defense/Special Teams
Houston Texans: START
I will take every opportunity to put these words onto the record – The 2026 Houston Texans’ defense will go down as one of the all-time great units in the league and can be started regardless of opponent.
Los Angeles Chargers
Quarterback
Justin Herbert: SIT
Justin Herbert is in the midst of a stellar season overall and is fresh off a 30-point outing against the Cowboys that made him QB4 overall last week. Unfortunately, he faces the buzzsaw that is the Texans defense this week, who is allowing just 13 fantasy points per game to this position. Herbert does enough with his legs to keep the bottom from falling out entirely, but there are several waiver-level players who should be started ahead of him in this very tough matchup.
Running Back
Omarion Hampton: START, RB2
Kimani Vidal: SIT
Hassan Haskins: SIT
Last week marked the 3rd since Omarion Hampton returned to the starting lineup for the Los Angeles Chargers and, more importantly, marked the point where Hampton assumed the lead position in this backfield. Hampton and Kimani Vidal had split touches nearly evenly in the prior two weeks, with Vidal out-pacing the rookie in snaps nearly 2:1. Last week, the split swung dramatically toward Hampton after Vidal was forced to leave the game with a neck injury. Vidal is considered day-to-day, but would likely take a back seat to Hampton even if active. This is objectively a tough spot for Hampton, but his volume alone should keep him in the RB2 mix.
Wide Receiver
Quentin Johnston: START, WR3
Keenan Allen: SIT
Ladd McConkey: START, WR2
The Los Angeles Chargers’ receiving room has been one of the more annoying situations to forecast on a weekly basis for the entirety of the season. Apart from a select few game-scripts, the Chargers don’t throw with enough volume to consistently support all 3 of their pass-catchers and determining which of them will take their turn in a given week has been a roll of the dice. Even though they draw a very tough matchup this week, Ladd McConkey is the preferred choice this week, as the Texans have been slightly more favorable to slot receivers. Johnston maintains his boom-or-bust profile, and Allen simply isn’t on the field enough to trust at this point in the season.
Tight End
Oronde Gadsden: SIT
Unfortunately it appears the exciting days of Oronde Gadsden being a week-over-week starter was merely a mid-season flash in the pan. Since bursting onto the scene with electric run earlier in the season, Gadsden has turned in six or fewer fantasy points in five of his last six games and is unlikely to return to form against this caliber of defense.
Defense/Special Teams
Los Angeles Chargers SIT
The Chargers DST has turned in some decent performances when facing lack-lust offenses this season but have been bitten by the injury bug for most of the season and are hard to trust on a weekly basis.