Saints @ Texans
Final Score: Texans 20, Saints 13
Senior Writer: Benjamin Haller (@benjaminhaller1 on Twitter)
The emergence of C.J. Stroud as the premier rookie quarterback of this draft class was solidified by a clinical first-half showing that proved to be a match-winning difference against one of the league’s best defensive units, the New Orleans Saints. Despite throwing his first interception of his career, Stroud expertly navigated the playbook to lead a balanced offense to an impressive lead before a second half to forget for both teams.
Veteran Derek Carr failed to inspire the same energy and quality from the position as the problems on offense for the Saints continued as they were outplayed on that side of the ball once again. Carr and the Saints had opportunities but their drives fizzled out and lacked any rhythm or conviction. They were also let down by rookie kicker Blake Grupe, who fresh off the Special Teams Player of the Week award missed two field goals, one from just 29 yards out.
Three Up
- Dalton Schultz – the former Cowboys tight end found the end zone for the third straight contest and is back in business as a fantasy TE1
- Devin Singletary – the all-purpose back has provided experience and versatility to the Texans offense, featuring as a safety blanket for young Stroud and becoming a solid fantasy flex option
- Alvin Kamara – a healthy 26 touches for the recently returned running back who, despite only finding the end zone once in three games, is enjoying RB1 fantasy volume
Three Down
- Dameon Pierce – outplayed and out-carried by Singletary, the downhill runner is averaging just 2.9 yards per carry and looks to be struggling in his second year as a professional
- Michael Thomas – the good news is he is finally healthy and a contributor in the offense, the bad news is he isn’t making much of an impact from a fantasy perspective and has yet to find the end zone or total more than 65 yards receiving
- Robert Woods – the veteran is providing more off-the-field impact as a veteran leader but his contribution on the field is minimal despite a touchdown score – it was his only grab on three targets
New Orleans Saints
Quarterback
Derek Carr: 32/50, 353 Yards, TD, INT, 2 Sacks | 1 Carry, 2 Yards
Despite putting up his best fantasy score of the season (17.32 fantasy points in Yahoo!), Carr was far from convincing in deploying this offense, something that has been a disappointing constant through his first six games as the team’s starting quarterback. The former Raider was, at times, chaotic in the pocket, harassed by the lack of protection and failing to execute his mechanics with rhythm – a worryingly terrible throw to nobody near the end of the first half on first down summed up his inability to move this offense forward.
Thank you Derek Carr. Thank you for this pic.twitter.com/1GRTRBw5eR
— ThatsGoodSports (@BrandonPerna) October 15, 2023
His only positive was the first-quarter deep ball to speedster Rashid Shaheed for a 34-yard touchdown. Carr was poised in the deep drop and fired a perfectly flighted ball between the coverage for the wideout’s first catch of the game. It was an outlier amongst an otherwise inept outing that showed very little in terms of chemistry with his receiving corps.
Carr to Shaheed for a 34-yard TOUCHDOWN! 🙌#Saints | 📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/C6rNvTWPxP
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) October 15, 2023
He had another deep ball to Shaheed later in the game that was less impressive, as Carr threw the ball up under pressure and relied on his wideout to make a phenomenal grab over the top of Steve Nelson to prevent an interception and turn it into an unlikely completion. It’s one of those that makes the fantasy day look decent, but the real-life performance was dreadful. Carr can continue to be avoided as a fantasy asset.
Feed Shaheed!
📺: #NOvsHOU on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/B4mQvLOt8O pic.twitter.com/l6D58zOxBT— NFL (@NFL) October 15, 2023
Running Back
Alvin Kamara: 19 Carries, 68 Yards | 8 Targets, 7 Receptions, 36 Yards
For the second straight game, the Saints fed Kamara as a bell-cow back to the tune of 26 touches and 104 scrimmage yards. Disappointingly, that works out at a pedestrian 4.0 yards-per-touch without a trip to the end zone. Carr only engineered the Saints in the red zone twice in the game so Kamara’s opportunities to hit pay dirt were minimal. The volume is very encouraging, however, and a lack of competition means Kamara should continue to dominate touches. Unfortunately, the offense just doesn’t look sharp and Carr’s ability as a passer has declined significantly on a game-by-game basis. Both of these factors point to a good floor but a limited ceiling in terms of fantasy output.
Kendre Miller: 2 Carries, 0 Yards | 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 13 Yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Chris Olave: 10 Targets, 7 Receptions, 96 Yards
Another stand-out performance from one of the best wide receivers in the league who finds himself in a poor fantasy situation. Chris Olave showed elusiveness off the line of scrimmage, breathtaking speed, and excellent hands on a number of grabs in this game. Primarily lining up on the outside, Olave was underthrown twice by Carr and made two other catches almost out of nothing. He was targeted on intermediate routes to the outside and all but one of his catches went for under 25 yards. The only one that didn’t was a brilliant deep grab down the sideline that Olave adjusted brilliantly mid-air and hauled in inside the red zone.
OH – LAVE! 👋#Saints | 📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/1DJRwGVRRS
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) October 15, 2023
Olave has seen double-digit targets in four of his six games this season and showed why he is a legitimate WR1 with his big play ability and constant presence as an elite route runner.
Rashid Shaheed: 2 Carries, 18 Yards | 6 Targets, 2 Receptions, 85 Yards, TD
Developing into what could be this season’s fantasy boom-or-bust favorite, wideout Rashid Shaheed flashed his potential with a couple of splash plays that made the Saints competitive up until the end. Shaheed broke out of coverage using his speed for the Saints’ only touchdown of the game before rising above cornerback Nelson to take away an interception and turn it into an unlikely 51-yard gain. Outside of those contributions, Shaheed was also utilized as a runner alongside Taysom Hill in the running game. Shaheed did drop one pass on third-and-long but was never going to make the yards to gain even if he had hauled it in.
Taysom Hill: 1/1, 4 Yards | 1 Carry, 2 Yards | 8 Targets, 7 Receptions, 49 Yards
Out of nowhere, the utility man Hill saw eight targets in the passing game, after not seeing more than two in each of the previous five contests. Starting tight end Juwan Johnson was missing but Hill was used more as a screen-pass runner and slot receiver in his routes in this game. There was little room to run over the middle, however, and Hill had little impact. Again, a lack of red zone opportunities meant Hill never saw the chance to run it in from the goal line. He did see one play in the red zone but it didn’t work. Somewhat predictably, the Saints have used Hill in the red zone on six of their seven red zone touchdown drives this season so the chance was easily snuffed out.
Michael Thomas: 8 Targets, 5 Receptions, 45 Yards
The veteran Thomas felt like a newcomer going into the season after multiple years of injury problems, however, his production has put him firmly in the WR3 zone in terms of fantasy. He has posted an eerily similar stat line in each of the first six games with his fantasy output flickering around the 10-point output. Thomas has been used almost exclusively on the outside, mainly on short-to-intermediate routes and with limited opportunity to catch-and-run. Thomas was the target for the last-gasp, fourth-down hurl for Carr that ballooned embarrassingly short of the receiver and easily intercepted at the two-yard line by Nelson to end the game.
Foster Moreau: 4 Targets, 4 Receptions, 33 Yards
Houston Texans
Quarterback
C.J. Stroud: 13/27, 199 Yards, 2 TD, INT, 2 Sacks | 3 Carries, 2 Yards
This was a case of better real-life performance than fantasy performance for Stroud, who, in the course of the first half, came of age as a starter in the NFL with a string of impressive throws and productive drives that showed progress and confidence in his execution. Stroud worked the pocket beautifully, using his mobility when required and generally throwing with control and poise to his first or second reads. He was been especially good in red zone opportunities over the year and he cashed in on the first visit today with a perfectly delivered ball to Schultz for the opening touchdown score.
What a catch 🫡 pic.twitter.com/eC4kfnpGr2
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) October 15, 2023
Stroud was crucially 2-for-4 in the red zone and that proved to be a big difference in the game. He worked a clinical 10-play, 65-yard drive into the end zone with a measured throw over the middle to veteran Robert Woods just prior to the two-minute warning in the first half.
7️⃣ finds 2️⃣ to extend our lead 🤘 pic.twitter.com/0pqV5xmqpB
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) October 15, 2023
The second half was more of a struggle for Stroud, as they tried to run the ball more to protect their lead, and this disrupted his rhythm. The Texans had four punts and a long field goal after the break, with Stroud seeing more blitzes and less time to work in the pocket. Understandably, with a lead they did not ask their quarterback to scramble to move the sticks too often.
Running Back
Devin Singletary: 12 Carries, 58 Yards | 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 4 Yards
The veteran Singletary posted season-high figures in carries and yards on the ground as he split the backfield work with starter Pierce. His key contribution was a 17-yard run on the Texans’ opening touchdown drive.
As the Texans looked to work a lead into clock management in the second half, the former Bills back was seen as the more productive option with 4.8 yards per carry compared to Pierce’s measly 2.6 yards. Singletary wasn’t the only alternate option as rookie Xavier Hutchinson was also mixed in as the Texans struggled to move the sticks.
Dameon Pierce: 13 Carries, 34 Yards
After back-to-back games with over 20 touches, Pierce struggled mightily against an impressive Saints defensive front and failed to gain any penetration in this contest – his longest run went for just eight yards and he conceded work to Singletary in the second half before the Texans near abandoned the run game altogether in favor of Stroud’s arm. A disappointing day for the second-year rusher who has failed to look as explosive or meet the production he had when he first burst onto the scene at the start of the 2022 season as a rookie.
Mike Boone: 1 Carry, 11 Yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Nico Collins: 6 Targets, 4 Receptions, 80 Yards
Once again, Nico Collins showed excellent chemistry with Stroud as they connected on a number of key plays in the first half. Collins hauled in an excellent grab deep down the right sideline on a pinpoint throw from the pocket from Stroud for a 24-yard gain. Collins worked inside then pivoted expertly to the outside to find the ball exactly where it should be. It was a pivotal catch in the game that allowed the Texans to take the lead with a field goal. The two connected again on the first play of the Texans’ second touchdown drive for 24 yards which resulted in Woods’ touchdown grab and established a 10-point lead going into halftime.
Every week CJ Stroud’s ball placement just POPS off the screen, man.
He and Nico Collins got Buckeyes and Wolverines looking like they can work together pic.twitter.com/SHrId7cJ0c
— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) October 15, 2023
Dalton Schultz: 7 Targets, 4 Receptions, 61 Yards, TD
A very promising outlook for the big tight end as he now boasts a 30% target share over the past two games, notching 11 catches on 17 targets for 126 yards. More importantly, he has been the go-to option in the red zone and ensured he came away with a contested ball in the first quarter of this game to establish the Texans’ lead. Schultz worked exclusively over the middle of the field outside the red zone and enjoyed plenty of space with the Saints worried about Collins on the perimeter. Schultz has been utilized in the same way as he was in Dallas and fantasy managers should be enjoying the productivity.
Noah Brown: 5 Targets, 2 Receptions, 37 Yards
With impressive rookie Tank Dell out with a concussion, Noah Brown came off the injured reserve and saw some significant involvement early with a 34-yard hookup with Stroud that took the Texans to the Saints’ 4-yard line. The very next play was a touchdown pass to Schultz.
Brevin Jordan: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 11 Yards
Robert Woods: 3 Targets, 1 Reception, 6 Yards, TD
The veteran Woods saw a season low in targets with just three as his only catch was the touchdown grab from Stroud down the middle to put the Texans in at the half with a 10-point lead. It was a key contribution but otherwise, his role seems to be limited to a WR3.
Xavier Hutchinson: 2 Carries, 15 Yards