The top two running backs in Houston are both dealing with injuries, which puts Cam Akers in line for a large workload in week 3.
Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon suffered an ankle injury in week 2 against the Bears and hasn’t practiced this week. This leaves him trending to miss week 3. Dameon Pierce, second on the depth chart, missed week 2’s game with an injury himself, and also hasn’t practiced this week. This leaves Cam Akers as the next man up.
Fantasy managers should move to pick up Cam Akers now in case Mixon is not good to go Week 3. Akers himself has dealt with numerous injuries over the course of his career but looked solid in preseason action. Dare Ogunbowale is also on the Houston Texans roster and might get an increase in touches. However, Akers projects as the most likely candidate to handle early down & distance scenarios.
This is a murky situation, but Akers’ range of outcomes includes a volume RB2 fantasy output on a good Texans offense.
Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce (hamstring) did ...
Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce (hamstring) won't...
Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce (hamstring) was ...
Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon suffered an ankle injury in Sunday’s game. The results of the MRI will determine Fantasy managers’ next steps.
Joe Mixon’s ankle came back clean from the MRI, but is questionable for Week 3. Fantasy managers would be sharp to pick up Cam Akers in case Mixon is not good to go Week 3.
The troubling part for this Texans backfield is that Dameon Pierce, second on the depth chart, missed week 2’s game With an injury himself, leaving Cam Akers as the next man up.
Akers himself has dealt with numerous injuries over the course of his career. Dare Ogunbowale is also on the Houston Texans roster and might get an increase in touches. However, Akers projects as the most likely candidate to handle early down & distance scenarios.
This is a murky situation, but Akers’ range of outcomes includes a volume RB2 fantasy output on a good Texans offense.
Houston Texans Head Coach Demeco Ryans had strong praise for pending free agent running back Devin Singletary.
Running back Devin Singletary became the top back for the Houston Texans over second year back Dameon Pierce during the 2023 season. Singletary rushed for a career high 898 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns, providing a great compliment to rookie phenom quarterback C.J. Stroud. Bringing back Singletary would provide continuity for Stroud and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. Singletary’s price tag should be similar to his one-year, $2.75 million deal he signed last offseason. There are plenty of running backs who are hitting free agency that are more accomplished and talented who would demand a higher value than Singletary.
Singletary will bring low to high end RB3 value to fantasy players. Singletary is a stash option with his Dynasty value. His receiving ability will keep him on the field over power back Dameon Pierce. Despite a promising rookie campaign, Pierce fell out of favor with the new coaching staff. Pierce’s value is stunted unless there are injuries ahead of him, making him a wavier wire pick up option.
Dameon Pierce has missed every practice this week, and Devin Singletary has been taking first team reps in preparation to be the starter in week 9.
Dameon Pierce is having a brutal year, and now he’s out for week 9 against the Buccaneers after suffering an ankle injury in the 4th quarter last week against the Panthers. It’s unclear if Pierce will be sidelined multiple games, but regardless, he has already been ceding work to Devin Singletary over the past few weeks. When accounting for the fact that the Texans have a terrible Fantasy Playoff schedule for running backs (TEN, CLE, TEN), it’s permissible to drop Pierce now in shallower leagues to save yourself from further headaches.
Singletary warrants being added to rosters, and projects as a low-end RB2 until Pierce returns. Mike Boone and Dare Ogunbowale aren’t expected to eat much into Singletary’s workload for now. However, the Buccaneers have been stout against Running Backs, limiting the ceiling for Singletary this weekend.
Pierce had 58% route participation and 67% long-down-distance in Week 2 of the preseason after resting in Week 1. These are indicators of a workhorse, 3-down role.
After exceeding 3 receptions only twice during the 2022 season, the emergence of Pierce’s 3rd down & LDD role shifts his range of outcomes from a median high-floor back-end RB2 to a Top-15 option with Top-10 weekly upside.
Dameon Pierce is not only mis-priced as RB19 in ADP but also becomes a target for zero/heroRB builds.
Pierce will be the hero fantasy managers both need and deserve.