The Texans are matched up with a poor 49ers pass defense this week. San Francisco has placed several defensive backs on IR, contributing to them allowing 21 TD passes -- multiple touchdowns through the air in six straight weeks until facing Mitchell Trubisky, which maybe shouldn't count. DeAndre Hopkins should be great. But who else?
The Texans placed C.J. Fiedorowicz on IR yesterday, so Stephen Anderson is definitely an option. He'll be their starting tight end, and he was their 2nd-most targeted receiver (after Hopkins) last week. Definitely a starter in fantasy leagues.
Their next three wide receivers are all hurt. Will Fuller has been out with broken ribs; no indication when he'll return. Bruce Ellington was also placed on IR yesterday with a hamstring injury. And Braxton Miller was knocked out of the last game with a concussion. That's every receiver on the roster who's even had 10 passes sent his way.
It's possible the other starter will be Chris Thompson. (Not the Washington running back.) But Thompson was out there plenty last week after Ellington got hurt, and he caught only one pass on two targets.
A better bet may be former Cardinal Andre Ellington (cousin to Bruce). He was tried at receiver in Arizona in the offseason, and Houston lined him up in the slot plenty last week after Miller went out. He caught 5 balls for 56 yards.
For now the advice is to make sure Anderson is on a roster; he looks like a great option at tight end this week. And let's see if Miller or Fuller is able to practice this week. If not, you can at least starting thinking about Andre Ellington as a deeper-league, PPR fill-in.
--Andy Richardson