Watson proved sophomore slump nay-sayers wrong with an impressive
second season in which the former Clemson Tiger passed for just
under 4200 yards and 26 touchdowns. He added 551 rushing yards
and five touchdowns on the ground to finish as the fifth-ranked
quarterback with 24.8 fantasy points per game.
Watson achieved top-five status despite a slew of injuries stemming
from the fact that he was sacked more than any QB in the league.
The Texans addressed their dire need on the offensive line in
the draft, which will hopefully result in Watson staying upright
and healthy.
With a wide receiving corps of DeAndre Hopkins, Will Fuller,
and Keke Coutee, Watson has more than enough weapons to produce
elite fantasy production once again in 2019. Although, a lack
of an elite receiving tight end option and the fact that Fuller
and Coutee are somewhat injury prone could be a concern.
Despite those issues, the elite running ability Watson possesses,
and the fact that Bill O’Brien continues to use Watson’s
legs in the red zone, make him a dual-threat weapon worthy of
a top-five pick at the position.
RB Lamar Miller
(2018 RB Rank - No.21, 10.7 FPts/G)
Although Miller played in just 14 games this past season and
managed to post only six total touchdowns, he did notch his best
yard per carry average (4.6) in his three seasons with the Texans.
Miller is the epitome of an unsexy running back pick that nobody
seems excited to draft, but a player who makes a fine No.2 RB
or flex play. Miller posted four 100-yard games and nine games
of at least 10 fantasy points.
The 28-year-old veteran is playing out his final year of a four-year,
$26 million contract with the team, and appears to be on his way
out of Houston. The team may take the approach the Cowboys did
with DeMarco Murray a few years ago, and run the heck out of a
player they know they will no longer have after this season. It
is also possible that they give D’Onta Foreman more touches
to ensure Miller is ready for a playoff run.
An Achilles rupture at the end of the 2017 season forced Foreman
to miss all but seven carries of the 2018 campaign. A favorite
to replace Lamar Miller after this season, Foreman could eventually
take over the starting role should he return to full health from
the devastating injury and Miller falter. Achillies injuries tend
to be something players do not fully recover from. However, there
is not a long history of 23-year-old running backs like Foreman
suffering that type of injury. For draft purposes, Miller is clearly
the starter, and Foreman will need to earn touches. Should Foreman
take over the starting role in what projects to be a top-10 offense,
he could end up being a steal this draft season.
With 211 receptions for 2,950 yards and 24 touchdowns over his
last two seasons, Hopkins has been a consistent stud worthy of
a first-round draft pick. The former Clemson Tigers is arguably
the most talented wide receiver in the league, with exceptional
body control and elite ball skills.
Fantasy owners who miss out on the top tier running backs will
find Hopkins a more than adequate fallback option. Hopkins is
an elite producer based on consistency scores and a favorite red
zone target for Deshaun Watson.
One negative facing Hopkins is the possibility of a reduction
in target volume should Keke Coutee, and Will Fuller each play
a full 16-game season. Regardless, Hopkins is a top-three WR in
all formats and one of the safest picks in the first round.
As the big play deep threat in the Texas offense, Will Fuller
is the gold standard when it comes to boom or bust players. An
injury risk who has never played in a full 16-game season, Fuller
posted three 100-yard games and four double-digit performances
last season. When on the field, Fuller is a beast due to his exceptional
speed and the fact that opposing defenses are forced to dedicate
so much focus on DeAndre Hopkins. If you draft Fuller, be sure
to have another viable option should he miss time with another
injury.
Coutee completed his rookie season with an impressive 11/110/1
line against the Colts in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
Although leg injuries hampered him, the former Texas Tech Red
Raider averaged seven targets in six games and showed excellent
rapport with Deshaun Watson.
Like his fellow wide receiver Will Fuller, Coutee’s injuries
make him somewhat of a risky pick and owners should have a secondary
option. However, seven targets per game, including two games of
over 14 targets, make Coutee and excellent late-round target in
all formats, especially PPR.
The former Missouri State sixth-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft
caught 20 of his 27 targets for 215 yards and four touchdowns
in 16 games last season. Thomas projects to be the starter at
the tight end position in 2019; however, he will likely share
the field with Jordan Akins. Neither player has much fantasy value
in any formats considering they will share duties and will likely
be the fourth or fifth option in the passing game.
