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Will Anderson Jr. breaks down upcoming season for Houston Texans
Mackenzie Salmon chats with Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. about the upcoming season and his partnership with USAA.
Sports Seriously
The AFC South was one of the worst divisions in football a year ago. Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud took a step back after his terrific rookie season, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson struggled, and the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans were competing for the No. 1 overall draft pick for most of the year.
That said, a new year brings new hope to every franchise. The Texans look to win their third straight division title. The Colts are giving former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones an opportunity to win the starting spot from Richardson. The Jaguars have a new head coach in offensive guru Liam Coen. And the Titans have a new quarterback in 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward.
Every team in this division has something going for them to start 2025, but they aren’t without their question marks. As NFL fans across the globe anticipate their upcoming fantasy drafts, USA TODAY is going through each division and answering the most pressing questions for each team. Now, it’s the AFC South’s turn.
FANTASY PREVIEWS: NFC North | AFC North | NFC East | AFC East | AFC South | NFC South | NFC West | AFC West
Can Nico Collins maintain his momentum from 2024?
On a points-per-game basis, Nico Collins was one of the best fantasy receivers in the NFL last year. He accomplished this despite an early-season injury, regression from C.J. Stroud, and a loaded WR room which included Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs.
Collins is fully healthy now. Diggs is in New England. Dell is out for the season. Stroud is still an elite quarterback talent. Furthermore, the Texans brought in Nick Chubb to bolster their ground game, meaning teams should be more vulnerable to play action this season.
All signs point to Collins providing another standout fantasy campaign. So, what are the biggest concerns? Well, in the two weeks without Diggs and Dell last year, Collins only put up 59.5 receiving yards per game. His production in terms of yards per route run, first downs per route, and target share all decreased despite the lack of competition.
Despite those numbers, there’s little reason to worry. For one, his target share only dropped by 0.2%, while his first-read share actually increased drastically, from 29.7% with Diggs and Dell to 37.1% without them. While Christian Kirk and rookie Jayden Higgins are not slouches by any means, they don’t have the resumes Diggs and Dell do, meaning Collins should continue being the priority target in this passing offense.
There is concern the team may rely more on the run with Chubb in the fold. That is a legitimate concern, considering Houston ran the ball at just a 43.2% clip last year. However, Collins has two consecutive 1,000-yard seasons under his belt and he has faced a lot of adversity in that time. He should be a very safe WR1 option this season, with WR1 overall upside.
Top Players (Fantasy Pros ADP):
- Nico Collins (WR7; 10 overall)
- Joe Mixon (RB19; 53 overall)
- C.J. Stroud (QB19; 113 overall)
- Christian Kirk (WR50; 125 overall)
Is it time to give up on Anthony Richardson?
We’ve all seen Anthony Richardson’s potential. The man is lethal with his feet and has an incredible arm attached to him. However, we’ve also seen his lowest moments, and reports from camp indicating that Daniel Jones could start the season as the starting quarterback are not doing much to quell those worries.
The fact is that Richardson has had a lot handed to him on a silver platter. Sure, his head coaches were not regarded as offensive minds, but he came into the league with one of the best running games in football, two solid wide receivers who are still on the team today, and a great offensive line, yet Richardson could not put up even capable numbers.
We’ve all seen the comparisons to JaMarcus Russell, and it doesn’t look good.
Top Players (Fantasy Pros ADP):
- Jonathan Taylor (RB11; 33 overall)
- Josh Downs (WR42; 94 overall)
- Michael Pittman Jr. (WR43; 100 overall)
- Tyler Warren (TE13; 121 overall)
- Anthony Richardson (QB29)
Is anyone in the Jags’ backfield worth more than a bench spot on your roster?
As it stands, Travis Etienne remains the running back with the highest ADP in the Jags backfield. He’s the RB31, per Fantasy Pros, which would classify him as a RB3/FLEX play, but is he really worth even that?
New head coach Liam Coen has stated that Etienne will remain the team’s lead rusher, but also somewhat contradicted that statement when he said Etienne would take a step back as a rusher. Given the success of Tank Bigsby a season ago and the fact that Jacksonville’s new regime went out of its way to draft another running back in Bhayshul Tuten in the fourth round, there are a lot of question marks surrounding Etienne’s usage.
Furthermore, just last year, Coen had explicitly expressed confidence in Rachaad White as Tampa Bay’s top running back prior to the season, only to hand the job to Bucky Irving by season’s end. The counterargument here would be that Irving is a versatile back who occupied White’s role while also being an efficient runner. In Jacksonville, Etienne is still very much the best pass-catching back on the depth chart, but that doesn’t alleviate most of the concerns about Etienne as a fantasy asset.
The situations are very similar as most people noticed that White’s fantasy value going into 2024 was on volume alone. His advanced metrics were not good and ultimately someone else came along and became a better backfield option. The same thing happened to Etienne. With that in mind, Bigsby and Tuten could likely have larger roles in the Jags offense as the season progresses.
All in all, Bigsby is likely going to be the team’s lead rusher to start the season, but Tuten could become more involved as the season wears on. Bigsby is likely the safest option in this backfield, and could provide a moderate touchdown floor as the likely goal-line back in what should be a much-improved offense. If you’re looking for a high-upside play, Etienne is the best choice. However, no one in this backfield should be taken and expected to fill a RB2 or FLEX role.
Top Players (Fantasy Pros ADP):
- Brian Thomas Jr. (WR8; 11 overall)
- Travis Hunter (WR30; 60 overall)
- Travis Etienne Jr. (RB31; 91 overall)
- Trevor Lawrence (QB18; 112 overall)
Can Calvin Ridley produce WR1/2 numbers with Cam Ward?
Currently drafted as a high-upside WR3, Ridley is fresh off a 1,000-yard season despite inconsistent quarterback play. If Cam Ward can be anything close to a franchise guy, then Ridley could be in for his biggest season since his days in Atlanta.
Early reports also indicate a strong rapport between Ridley and Ward, with Ridley taking on somewhat of a mentor role. Considering Ridley hasn’t missed a game since 2022, he could be a very safe option with an immensely high ceiling, well-worth considering at his current ADP.
Ridley remains the Titans’ undisputed No. 1 receiver, with a quarterback renowned for his deep passing ability. He could demolish the 120 targets he saw last year, and remains on an offense that will likely be playing from behind often. He is currently going as WR35, but can likely be drafted in the mid-to-late 20’s and still provide value.
Top Players (Fantasy Pros ADP):
- Calvin Ridley (WR35; 72 overall)
- Tony Pollard (RB27; 75 overall)
- Tyjae Spears (RB38; 118 overall)
- Cam Ward (QB27; 175 overall)
#Biggest #question #team
