Texans @ Jets
Final Score: Jets 30, Texans 6
Writer: Chad Simpson (@CaochadTTV on Twitter)
It really happened. Zach Wilson finally looked like the player the New York Jets thought they were getting when they took him with the second overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Meanwhile, Houston Texans fans and fantasy owners are screaming out in pain. C.J. Stroud, the second overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, ended a rough day with a trip to concussion protocol. Nico Collins missed nearly the entire game with a calf injury. The Jets won the game in the end, and the Texans now have to gear up for three divisional games and a tough matchup against the Browns at far less than full strength. The Jets stay mathematically involved but realistically, all this should do is extend Zach Wilson’s leash, which never should have been yanked in the first place.
Three Up
- Zach Wilson – Wilson showed his playmaking ability throughout this affair. He came out of the game relatively clean and with 3 touchdowns.
- Aaron Rodgers – Gets to soak up the spotlight when he inevitably talks about being the reason Wilson started and succeeded in this one.
- Breece Hall – No one was happier to see Wilson back under center than Breece Hall, who looked revitalized without having to deal with Tim Boyle.
Three Down
- Brevin Jordan – Thrust into a significant role, Brevin Jordan wasn’t able to muster a strong game against what appeared on paper to be the Texans’ most favorable matchup coming into this one.
- C.J. Stroud – He saw his playoff chances, Offensive Rookie of the Year chances, and his skull all take big hits in this game. He faces an uphill climb to get cleared in time for next week.
- Dalvin Cook – After a glimmer of hope last week, any chance of remaining relevant was seemingly dashed after this outing.
Houston Texans
Quarterback
C.J. Stroud: 10/23, 91 yards, 1 fumble
Even before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with a concussion, it was a bad day for Stroud, who cobbled together just 91 yards on a meager 23 attempts in a blowout. Swarmed by the Jets’ defense all game, Stroud never had a chance, especially after losing Collins in the first quarter. Now Texans and fantasy managers alike will have to wait and hold their breath to see if he can make it back for next week’s game against the Tennessee Titans.
Running Back
Dameon Pierce: 4 carries, 9 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, -2 yards
After a promising return last week, Dameon Pierce fell back to earth in this one, mustering just seven total yards on five touches. Pierce was a victim of game script, injuries to the other weapons, and the stifling defense of the Jets.
Devin Singletary: 13 carries, 65 yards, 1 TD | 3 targets
Devin Singletary put an exclamation point on a decent fantasy effort with 3rd quarter touchdown. He was effective with his 13 touches, managing 5.0 yards per carry, but the blowout nature prevented a more robust stat line for the Texans’ new lead running back.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Nico Collins: 1 target, 1 reception, 13 yards
Collins left early in the 1st quarter with a calf injury. Losing their alpha wide receiver would be a devastating and potentially fatal injury to the Texans’ playoff hopes if Collins misses time with Tank Dell already out for the season and Dalton Schultz still not back.
Noah Brown: 5 targets, 0 receptions
Noah Brown tied for the team lead with five targets, but turned them into goose eggs. While it was great to see a healthy target share in an ugly game, it is hard to glean anything meaningful from said targets when they amount to zero fantasy points.
Brevin Jordan: 3 targets, 3 receptions, 35 yards
With Collins out early and no longer drawing the stars of the Jets defense in coverage, things went sideways for Jordan. He mustered 35 yards and led the team in targets, hinting at his ability to be a plug-and-play TE in Schultz’s absence under better circumstances.
John Metchie III: 5 targets, 1 reception, 6 yards
John Metchie also tied for the team lead in targets but corraled only 1 pass against the smothering Jets defense. With Dell and now potentially Collins out, Metchie could become a factor for fantasy playoff teams by default.
Xavier Hutchinson: 3 targets, 2 receptions, 15 yards
New York Jets
Quarterback
Zach Wilson: 27/36, 301 yards, 2 TD | 3 carries, 12 yards, 1 fumble (lost)
Wilson was the star of the game. Poised under pressure, he made throw after throw with ease. He spread the ball around, as evidenced by the fact that four players logged three or more catches while seven came up with at least one reception. Wilson, who connected with Hall and Randall Cobb for touchdowns in the blowout, has two great matchups over the next two weeks; he could be a serviceable streaming option for fantasy playoff teams who just lost their starting quarterbacks. He should also give a lift to Jets skill position players as fantasy football playoffs approach.
Running Back
Breece Hall: 10 carries, 40 yards | 9 targets, 8 receptions, 86 yards, 1 TD
Hall was excited to have Wilson back at quarterback for this one. Mixed in early and often both as a runner and receiver, Hall out-touched Dalvin Cook 18-8 while compiling over 125 total yards and a TD.
Dalvin Cook: 7 carries, 13 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, -5yards
Cook fell on his face in this one turning 8 touches into only 8 yards. One has to wonder if the touch disparity grows next week after this miserable outing. We may see more of rookie Israel Abanikanda going forward.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Garrett Wilson: 14 targets, 9 receptions, 108 yards
The Wilson-to-Wilson connection is back, and no one is happier than Garrett Wilson, who crossed the century mark for the first time since October 29th and just the second time all year. He also managed a massive target share even though Wilson spread the ball around. Amazing what can happen when a quarterback who can actually throw the ball downfield finds his way back into the huddle.
Allen Lazard: 0 targets
Well it could be worse at the end of the day Aaron still got him a paycheck.
Xavier Gipson: 1 target, 1 reception, 3 yards | 1 carry, 9 yards, 1 TD
Xavier Gipson drew just 1 target but turned his lone rushing attempt into six points via a nice end-around in the red zone. In a game in which Wilson attempted 36 passes, one single target isn’t what you want if you’re rostering Gipson in deep leagues.
Tyler Conklin: 6 targets, 4 receptions, 57 yards
Tyler Conklin had a solid game, converting six targets into a serviceable 57 yards and executing a few key blocks. It’s slightly concerning that Jeremy Ruckert siphoned off a few targets; the former Ohio State product could be a problem for Conklin in future matchups.
Randall Cobb: 1 target 1 reception, 15 yards, 1 TD
Just to remind us that he’s still in the league, Randall Cobb hauled in his lone target for a fairly easy catch and score.
Jeremy Ruckert: 3 targets, 3 receptions, 37 yards
Kicker
Greg Zuerlein: 3 field goal attempts, 3 field goals made (44, 51, 55), 3/3 XP
Greg Zuerlein earns what may be the first stat-line for a kicker in the history of our What We Saw series as “Legatron” singlehandedly outscored the opposing team.