San Francisco 49ers @ Houston Texans
Final Score: Texans 26, 49ers 15
Writer: Cesar Escajeda
An early-window game that I can’t say many saw coming, Houston’s defense shut down Christian McCaffrey and Co. while C.J. Stroud spread the ball around to a shorthanded Texans receiver room en route to a much-needed home victory.
Three Up
- C.J. Stroud, QB — This season has been a forgettable one thus far for Stroud and the Texans, but his arm talent was on full display early — even without his best weapon in Nico Collins (concussion). Two TDs and 318 yards dispersed across 10 pass catchers got the job done in an impressive effort.
- George Kittle — A week removed from a zero-catch effort at home against Atlanta, Kittle managed to rebound nicely with four receptions and a score on five targets. It was far from an eye-popping stat line, but still great progress as he makes his way back from a stint on IR. His TD catch with 25 seconds left in the first half was an absolute strike from QB Mac Jones, as Kittle managed to snatch the ball in between two closing defenders for the 17-yarder.
- Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins — I choose to mention the two rookie receivers in tandem here because of their combined efforts to step up for the Texans’ offense. Both were drafted high in the hopes of reinforcing a barebones WR corps with the losses of Tank Dell to injury and Stefon Diggs in the offseason — though through the first seven weeks, it had been quite the mixed bag. With Collins out, Stroud elected to be generous with his targets, finding both often downfield for a combined 97 yards and a TD on nine receptions and 14 targets. You’d be hard-pressed determining who is the best bet off the waiver wire through the week, but the fact that both could shine in a suddenly rejuvenated offensive effort is a sign of good things going forward.
One Down
- Christian McCaffrey — McCaffrey has been THE offense for the 49ers in light of all of the injuries across their roster. Against the Falcons the previous week, he had a monster effort both on the ground and in the air. But Sunday against the Texans, it was far from good. His 25 yards on eight carries are a season low for the All-Pro, and though he was heavily involved on offense in this road matchup, he was essentially blanked from making any sort of impact throughout the game. McCaffrey’s receiving yards and targets likely salvaged what should have been an abysmal fantasy outing, but it’s a far cry from the efforts we know he’s been capable of in the past.
San Francisco 49ers
Quarterback
Mac Jones: 19/32, 193 Yards, 2 TDs, INT, 2-Point Conversion | 2 Carries, 23 Yards
It was a slow start for Mac Jones in yet another relief effort. After starting QB Brock Purdy was once again ruled out with a lingering toe injury, it was the banged-up Jones who got the call for the Niners on the road. He then proceeded to lead them to three punts to start the game off, burying San Francisco into a 16-point deficit. The TD to Kittle helped cut the lead in the waning seconds of the first half, and an impressive third-quarter drive gave Jones a second passing TD on the day. The offense then fizzled out once again however, as the Texans’ defense managed to adjust and settle back in. Jones wasn’t particularly efficient, and his interception was an absolute dagger to any potential comeback hopes — a deep ball picked off by CB Kamari Lassiter at the 1-yard line, killing a promising drive and essentially sealing the deal.
Running Back
Christian McCaffrey: 8 Carries, 25 Yards | 6 Targets, 3 Receptions, 43 Yards
A week before Halloween, this dud performance was scary enough for fantasy managers relying on the veteran. With all of San Francisco’s injury woes, the suddenly sturdy Christian McCaffrey had been a beacon of light, carrying the team on his back through the first half of the season. Against the Texans, it was expected that he’d once again flourish as the tip of the spear for the Niners’ offense, but DeMeco Ryans‘ defensive unit had other plans in mind. With the sudden and early deficit the 49ers found themselves in, they quickly abandoned the run, stunting opportunities for the talented veteran on the ground. San Francisco’s best drive of the afternoon was one that heavily featured McCaffrey as rusher and receiver, leading to their third-quarter TD to cut the Texans’ lead. The effort didn’t persist however, and Houston refused to allow him to be the player that beat them — while the rest of the Niners’ offense faltered as a result. With reinforcements expected to be healthy going forward there’s likely better days ahead for McCaffrey, but this game was a disappointing one to say the least.
Kyle Juszczyk: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 4 Yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Jauan Jennings: 7 Targets, 4 Receptions, 45 Yards
Jauan Jennings had an improved outing on the road against Houston, leading all Niners’ pass catchers with seven targets on the day. It wasn’t a massive performance by any stretch, but it’s a step in the right direction given the lack of so far this season. His long of a day, a 25-yarder, brought him frustratingly close to the end zone but not close enough at the Texans 2-yard line. It would have been the cherry on top of a decent day, but Jennings just couldn’t make it happen. Games like this seem to be his ceiling at this point, but with Purdy nearing return his fortunes could just trend upward.
George Kittle: 5 Targets, 4 Receptions, 43 Yards, TD
The veteran TE’s touchdown was an insanely impressive grab to keep away from two closing defenders, as Jones threaded the needle and George Kittle strong-armed the ball in to cap the drive. He wasn’t peppered with targets but it was a good start to better days, as many of his looks were promising and he was still excelling against a talented linebacker corps and secondary for Houston. For those brave enough to start him after his goose egg last week, his National Tight Ends Day performance was decently rewarding.
Kendrick Bourne: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 44 Yards
Kendrick Bourne continues to maintain his involvement in Kyle Shanahan‘s offense, though his numbers have been trending downward since his breakout performances in Weeks 4 and 5. He finished fourth in targets on the day and second in yards through the air, staying decently efficient and consistent with his grabs. It’s highly doubtful at this point that his numbers for fantasy ever really flash again, however.
Jake Tonges: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 2 Yards, TD
National Tight End’s Day apparently means ONLY TEs score in San Francisco.
Jordan Watkins: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 7 Yards
Demarcus Robinson: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 5 Yards, 2-Point Conversion
Skyy Moore: 1 Target
Houston Texans
Quarterback
C.J. Stroud: 30/39, 318 Yards, 2 TDs, INT | 7 Carries, 30 Yards
Considering what C.J. Stroud had to work with, this was a certainly a surprise. After weeks of offensive ineptitude and middling performances en route to a 2-4 start, Stroud put together his best game of the season yet against an undermanned — but still quality — opponent. Spreading the ball around early and often, the offense didn’t miss a beat behind Stroud’s efforts, despite lacking their best weapon in Nico Collins. Without their WR1. he racked up his highest yardage total of the year, carving up the Niners’ secondary and dividing the targets easily and effortlessly to basically every healthy weapon left on the Texans’ offense. The only mark against Stroud was a last-second pass forced deep that was picked off by the Niners to close out the first half — though it was meaningless given the nature of the moment. Still, the game was a welcome turnaround compared to the anemic outings he’s had in previous weeks, and hopefully one that springboards the team as they head towards the remainder of the season.
Running Back
Woody Marks: 11 Carries, 62 Yards | 4 Targets, 4 Receptions, 49 Yards
The changing of the guard at RB may need to happen at a faster pace. Woody Marks compared to teammate Nick Chubb was far more efficient on less touches. The numbers don’t jump off of the page at first glance, but with a 5.6-yard average on the ground and steady involvement in the passing game he has steadily earned his way to the forefront of the rushing attack’s pecking order. Marks ripped off chunk yards against a stout Niners’ front seven, and his 50-yard catch helped set the Texans up nicely in Niners territory. The coaching staff seems to trust Chubb more which is still understandable given Marks’ rookie status, but the writing seems to be on the wall. Either way, with fellow rookies Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins on this offense, the future definitely looks bright for Houston.
Nick Chubb: 17 Carries, 56 Yards | 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 13 Yards
Nick Chubb lead the Texans in carries, but felt more pedestrian with the ball in his hands, lacking any real explosiveness throughout the game. Though not as flashy, he was still steady moving the ball and even saw some involvement as a pass catcher, which added some chump-change points to his final line. The lack of TDs obviously hurts, but Chubb will remain a hold until Marks can claim this backfield outright.
Dare Ogunbowale: 1 Carry, 9 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 8 Yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Xavier Hutchinson: 6 Targets, 5 Receptions, 69 Yards, TD
Leading the Texans in yards and tying in receptions, it felt like Xavier Hutchinson came out of nowhere to steal the spotlight. The third-year man was one of three Houston pass catchers to register a play of 25 or more yards, with his 30-yarder a sprint across the field to outrun the coverage and beat the safety to the pylon for the touchdown. The plan while Collins remains out still seems to be to spread the ball around, but with Hutchinson at the forefront of the efforts at home he may be worth a stash on fantasy rosters.
Jayden Higgins: 8 Targets, 4 Receptions, 34 Yards, TD
The rookie has had a relatively quiet year to start his career off, but certainly picked up the tempo against San Francisco in a hurry. Jayden Higgins‘ TD was the first for Houston on the day, taking advantage of an explosive catch and run by fellow rookie Noel earlier in the drive. He freed himself down the middle of the end zone in a hurry to score just four plays later.
Jaylin Noel: 6 Targets, 5 Receptions, 63 Yards
Though he couldn’t come down with a TD to show for it, Jaylin Noel made his explosive potential known in this game. Tied for second in targets, Stroud had no hesitation throwing the ball his way — though outside of the aforementioned 44-yarder to set up the TD, his catches were shorter gains. Still, it is promising that Noel was so heavily involved.
Braxton Berrios: 5 Targets, 5 Receptions, 38 Yards
The most efficient receiver on the afternoon, Braxton Berrios managed to reel in all five of his targets in an all-hands-on-deck effort. More than likely an outlier of a performance, he still could warrant some watching if you’re REALLY in need of WR help.
Dalton Schultz: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 24 Yards
The numbers are disappointing to say the least, but considering everyone else that got involved in the passing game there was bound to be an odd man out. San Francisco’s linebackers and safeties are no slouches (even with All-Pro Fred Warner out for the year), so it’s not exactly surprising — but still, Schultz disappeared in this one.
Jared Wayne: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 20 Yards
Harrison Bryant: 1 Target