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2009 Team Report: Houston Texans

Quarterbacks

Starter: Matt Schaub
Backup(s): Rex Grossman, Dan Orlovsky, Alex Brink

Starting QB: Matt Schaub joined the Texans in 2007, after having backed up Michael Vick in Atlanta during his first three NFL seasons. At 6'5 and 235 pounds, Schaub is blessed with terrific size, but that hasn't translated into great durability. In his first two years with the Texans, Schaub has missed ten games (five each season) with an assortment of injuries (shoulder, head, knee). Schaub played admirably as a first-year starter in 2007 and steadily improved in 2008 as he threw for more yards, more touchdowns, and led the team to more wins. The team traded away Sage Rosenfels during the offseason, leaving Schaub as the unquestioned starter. (Rosenfels had filled in quite capably for Schaub over the last two years, leading some fans to favor him as a candidate to start.) If Rosenfels can stay healthy for a whole 16-game season, he has the realistic potential to be a solid fantasy starter.

Backup QB: Rex Grossman is a former first-round draft pick by the Bears. He was inconsistent in Chicago, but when he is on his game, he excels at throwing the deep ball and making big plays. He takes too many risks and makes poor decisions, however, and is better suited as a backup than as a starter. Dan Orlovsky was the Lions' most effective quarterback last season, although that's not saying much. Orlovsky is eerily similar to Schaub -- they have nearly identical builds, neither has tremendous arm strength or rushing ability, both have good intelligence and can be accurate when given time in the pocket. Orlovsky lacks the pocket presence of Schaub, but that may improve with the move out of Detroit. Alex Brink was the Texan's seventh-round draft choice a year ago; he was initially cut before being signed to the practice squad.

Running Backs

Starter: Steve Slaton
Backup(s): Chris Brown, Ryan Moats, Jeremiah Johnson
Fullback(s): Vonta Leach

Starting RB: Steve Slaton, the team's third-round draft pick a year ago, surpassed all realistic expectations, rushing for a franchise record 1,282 yards. He also set a franchise record (for RBs) by averaging 4.8 yards a carry. Slaton became the workhorse back for the Texans last year somewhat by default, and many expected the team to select a running back during this year's draft to help share the workload in 2009. That didn't happen, which means Slaton will again be called on to lead the Texans' running game, and should get over 300 touches again if he can stay healthy. Slaton has excellent speed, and runs surprisingly tough inside for a smaller back.

Backup RBs: Chris Brown was signed last offseason and probably would have gotten a fair amount of playing time, but a herniated disc forced him onto injured reserve before the season started. Injuries have been a constant theme in Brown's career. In his five seasons with the Tennessee Titans, only once did he play in more than 12 games. Brown is a talented runner with excellent quickness for his size, but his upright running style may have contributed to his plentiful injuries. Brown has averaged 4.3 yards per carry on his career, and the Texans should be able to use him in both the running game and passing game as long as he is available. Ryan Moats was drafted by the Eagles in 2005 and showed flashes of talent as a rookie, but saw his playing time limited in 2006 before he missed the entire 2007 season with a broken ankle. He spent parts of 2008 on the practice squads of both the Cardinals and the Texans before being called up to the Texans' active roster in the second half of the season. He was only moderately effective as Slaton's backup.

Fullback: Vonta Leach is a lead blocker and nothing more. He has no discernible fantasy value.

Wide Receivers

Starters: Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter
Backups: David Anderson, Andre Davis, Jacoby Jones

Starting WRs: Andre Johnson had generally been a solid fantasy receiver since he came into the league in 2003, but he has really blossomed since Matt Schaub took over the QB position from David Carr. Johnson's 2007 season was cut short, but in just nine games he caught 60 passes for 851 yards. In 2008 he proved it wasn't a fluke: in 16 games he caught 115 passes for a league-best 1,575 yards, and finished as the No. 2 fantasy WR. Johnson has an outstanding combination of size, speed, and hands. He also runs good patterns and can gain yards after the catch. If there's a knock on him from a fantasy standpoint, it's that he doesn't catch enough touchdowns. He hasn't yet sniffed double digits in that category, but when the catches and yards are there, the touchdowns usually come. (Think: Torry Holt.) Lining up across from Johnson is Kevin Walter, who has also benefited from Matt Schaub's arrival in town. Walter has caught 60+ passes for 800+ yards in each of the last two seasons. Despite putting up decent numbers in 2007 (mostly when Andre Johnson was missing from the lineup), Walter was drafted as a fantasy WR5 or WR6 at best last season, but far surpassed even the most optimistic expectations as his 8 touchdown receptions (which tied him with Johnson) helped land him in the top 20 at his position.

Backup WRs: Andre Davis, a former second-round pick by the Browns, is a speed-receiver who has made some big plays (including a 99-yard touchdown reception in 2004) but has been inconsistent throughout his career. Davis was productive during his first three years with the Browns, but a toe injury suffered in his third season may have slowed him for the next two, which he spent with the Patriots and Bills before coming to Houston. Davis has found a niche as a backup with the Texans, but has had some durability issues (including finger injuries in each of the last two seasons). David Anderson was a restricted free agent this offseason. The Broncos signed him to an offer sheet, but the Texans matched the offer, bringing him back to compete with Davis for the WR3 role. Jacoby Jones was the Texans' third-round pick in 2007. The team hoped that he'd eventually challenge for a starting position, but so far his main contribution has been as a punt-returner.

Tight Ends

Starters: Owen Daniels
Backups: Anthony Hill [R], James Casey [R]

Owen Daniels was a second-day draft pick in 2006. He started immediately, and has improved every season so far. He was the sixth-best fantasy TE a year ago and made his first trip to the Pro Bowl. Daniels is a better receiver than he is a blocker, but for fantasy purposes, receiving is all that matters. The Texans spent two draft picks on tight ends this season, grabbing Anthony Hill in the fourth round and James Casey in the fifth. Hill is a high-upside player with excellent size and receiving skills. He has had a variety of injuries over the course of his college career, including a knee injury that kept him sidelined for nearly all of 2007. So staying healthy may be a challenge for him. Casey is similar to Daniels in his physical traits. He is a versatile player who can line up in the backfield as well as at TE or H-back. He should be active on Sundays as a rookie due to his utility on special teams.

Place Kicker

Kris Brown : During his first five years in Houston, Kris Brown hit 70.8 percent, 81.8 percent, 70.8 percent, 76.5 percent, and 76.0 percent on field goals. His numbers have improved the last two years. In 2007 he made 86.2 pecent (26 of 29) and last year he hit a career best 87.9 percent (29 of 33). Brown has the range to hit longer field goals. Over the last two years he is 7 of 8 from 50+ yards, including a long of 57 yards. His kickoffs have also improved in recent years. He has averaged 64 yards and 10 touchbacks a year over the last five years. Both Brown and the offense have improved the last two years, and the Texans subsequently ranked 14th and 12th in kicker scoring. The pieces are still in place to replicate the last two years and possibly improve in 2009.

Kick and Punt Returners

Kick Returners: Andre Davis, Ryan Moats, Jacoby Jones, Glenn Martinez, Brice McCain, Vonta Leach

Despite only taking over as the returner during the latter part of the 2007 season, WR Andre Davis still ended up as the 9th ranked fantasy returner in the NFL, as he averaged 30.3 yards on 32 returns and scored three TDs. Last year he averaged 23.1 yards on 43 returns. He missed four games with a finger injury. WR/PR Jacoby Jones did very well on kickoff returns at Lane College, and served as a backup for the Texans the last two years (13 returns, 21.5 avg. in 2008). Other backups and upmen include RB Ryan Moats (9 returns, 23.6 avg.) and FB Vonta Leach (3 returns, 11.3 avg.). WR Glenn Martinez periodically handled kickoff returns in Denver (15 returns, 22.0 avg. in 2007). Sixth round draft pick CB Brice McCain averaged 22.9 yards on kickoff returns during his career at Utah.

Punt Returners: Jacoby Jones, Glenn Martinez, Dunta Robinson, David Anderson

Jacoby Jones did extremely well during the preseason in 2007 scoring twice, but injury may have slowed him somewhat during the regular season (30 returns, 9.5 avg.). Last year proved to be much, much better in the regular season (32 returns, 12.1 avg., 2 TDs). Glenn Martinez did well on his limited punt returns with the Broncos, averaging 11.2 yards each of the last two years and scoring a TD in 2007. CB Dunta Robinson hasn't returned punts since his senior year at South Carolina, but has practiced in that role periodically for the Texans. WR David Anderson serves as a backup. He had no gain on his lone return in 2007. The Texans finished 1st in overall fantasy returns in 2005 and 2nd in 2007 on the strength of their kickoff returns. Last year they finished 5th on the strength of their punt returns.

Offensive Line

Projected Starters: LT Duane Brown, LG Chester Pitts, C Chris Myers, RG Mike Brisiel, RT Eric Winston
Key Backups: G Antoine Caldwell [R], T Rashard Butler, C Chris White, T Adrian Jones

The Texans offensive line has come very far over the past two seasons, and the addition of talented left tackle Duane Brown put them over the hump as a legitimate Top 10 unit. The five starters appear locked in at this time as the entire group started all 16 games for the club last year. However, watch out for talented third-round draft choice G Antoine Caldwell, who has the talent to push for playing time at either guard position. The Texans offensive line may be considered elite by season's end.

Team Defense

Since their inception the Texans have struggled to get over the hump defensively. Last season saw them again finish in the bottom half of the league in every important category. The numbers weren't good in 2008 but the club did find players to fill some holes. With all the offseason attention to the defense, 2009 could be the turning point. Former first-round picks DE Mario Williams, DT Travis Johnson and DT Amobi Okoye will be joined by free agent upgrade DE Antonio Smith and talented rookie pass rusher Connor Barwin to boost a pass rush that totaled only 25 sacks a year ago. Stud MLB DeMeco Ryans will be joined by arguably the most talented OLB in this year's draft, first-round pick Brian Cushing, to help improve the 23rd rated run defense and provide more big plays. Houston had some youngsters step up for them down the stretch last year as well. Second year players Xavier Adibi at OLB, safety Dominique Barber and corner Antwan Molden are all expected to start or make a significant contribution this year. And finally the resigning of Eugene Wilson upgrades and solidifies the safety position. We can expect considerable improvement from this group and possibly even a Top 12 fantasy finish.

Defensive Line

Starters: LDE Antonio Smith, LDT Amobi Okoye, RDT Travis Johnson, RDE Mario Williams
Backups: DE Stanley McClover, DE Connor Barwin [R], DT Shaun Cody, DT Deljuan Robinson, DT Frank Okam

Starting DL: New Texan DC Frank Bush's number one objective is to create a more aggressive, havoc-wreaking defense. Houston targeted UFA Antonio Smith as a top priority to replace Anthony Weaver, he will line up at LDE opposite of Mario and is very excited to be re-united with Bush who feels Smith will flourish in their system. Smith is a good edge rusher and gives great effort. He could slide inside on passing downs to get Connor Barwin on the field. The plan is to keep Mario Williams on the right side and let him rush in space against the left tackle. Though Mario's numbers dipped slightly in 2008, he is on the verge of super-stardom. Mario has it all, speed, burst, power, athleticism. He has 46.4% of his team's sacks over the past two seasons, which is more than any player in the NFL. DL coach Bill Kollar is one of the best in the league, a great motivator, known for getting the most out of his players. Don't be surprised if Williams is the 2009 Defensive Player of the Year. Amobi Okoye was hampered last year by a high ankle sprain. This spring he has experienced some soreness in his knee. An MRI showed no structural damage, he is expected to be good to go for off season programs and workouts. At 22, he is the same age as most rookies, but has the luxury of two seasons under his belt. He may be ready to take his game to another level. Travis Johnson, a former 1st round pick in 2005, will have to compete for playing time. Johnson is another player who could flourish in Bush's one gap attack scheme.

Backup DL: Kollar will rotate his players. RFA DE Stanley McClover re-signed with the Texans after an injured knee in the 2008 opener (torn meniscus) forced him to spend the rest of the year on IR. DE Tim Bulman has a tremendous work habit, goes all out, all the time, those attributes have left an early impression on Kollar and could earn him some snaps. DE Jesse Nading, an '08 UFA, is a bit undersized, but has good mobility. With their 2nd round pick the Texans selected DE/TE Connor Barwin (Cincinnati). Barwin really stood out at the combine, and worked out as well as any DE. Played TE up until his senior year and was a walk-on for the UC basketball team. He's a high motor type who gets it done with great effort, but is very raw and will take some time to develop, however, he has a lot of upside. The Texans appear to have good depth inside and all should be part of a rotation. UFA Shaun Cody (Detroit) can play either inside spot, which should earn him a little more playing time. He is more of a run support tackle than pass rusher. DelJuan Robinson is an amazing story. He went from having open heart surgery out of high school due to a leaky heart valve to starting three games last year for the injured Okoye. Frank Okam has the talent to be a very good player, but has trouble controlling his weight and his effort is far too inconsistent.

Linebackers

Starters: SLB Brian Cushing [R], MLB DeMeco Ryans, WLB Zac Diles
Backups: LB Buster Davis, LB Cato June, LB Kevin Bentley, LB Chaun Thompson, LB Xavier Adibi

Starting LBs: DeMeco Ryans saw his numbers slip again in 2008, after playing through another season of nagging injuries. Ryans briefly avoided voluntary workouts early in the offseason over contract concerns, but the issue isn't expected to be a major distraction. Zac Diles was the team's leading tackler until a broken left leg in a freak practice injury during a special team drill landed him on IR before the start of week 10. Diles is expected back no later than the start of training camp. He'll be moved to the weak side and compete with Xavier Adibi. Houston drafted USC LB Brian Cushing with the 15th pick. Cushing, though not very instinctive, plays 100 mph all the time, and is expected to start immediately. Durability may be a concern and he may not play every down right away.

Backup LBs: Xavier Adibi burst onto the scene after a start in week eleven vs Indy when Morlon Greenwood went down with an injury and exploded with a 14 solo performance that excited many in the IDP world. However, Adibi struggles to shed blocks and some feel he takes poor angles. He is a tremendous athlete with great range. Even if Adibi wins the job, he could lose nickel snaps to June. Backup MLB Buster Davis will have a difficult time making the final roster. He's with his fourth team in only his 3rd season. The Texans signed UFA Cato June to a one year deal. June adds valuable depth, veteran leadership and experience to the group. His coverage skills could land him a nickel spot. Kevis Coley, like Davis has bounced around the league and will battle for a roster spot at best. Kevin Bentley is solid depth, could fill in as a spot starter, but his role will be a backup. Chaun Thompson could see some action as a pass rusher off the edge in certain passing situations, otherwise he will be depth and not a threat to start.

Defensive Backs

Starters: LCB Jacques Reeves, RCB Dunta Robinson, RS/SS Dominique Barber, CS/FS Eugene Wilson
Backups: CB Fred Bennett, CB Antwaun Molden, CB David Pittman, CB Glover Quin [R], S Brandon Harrison

Starting DBs: The Texans were forced to use the franchise tag on Dunta Robinson and he is not a happy camper. The Texans have until July 15th to sign Robinson to a long term contract. If this doesn't get done, he will have to play under a one year deal worth nearly 10 million. Robinson is yet to sign his franchise tender and has until week 10, or he will be ineligible to play the rest of the year. The Texans want him back so they must feel good about his recovery. Dunta is a bit undersized, but compensates for it with speed, quickness, good ball skills and leaping ability. While Jacques Reeves is athletic and has good size, he's not the long term answer at the other corner spot. With C.C. Brown gone (N.Y. Giants) Dominique Barber, the younger brother of Dallas RB Marion Barber, has been given the early nod to start at strong safety. Barber plays with the same fire as his older brother, is smart, physical and has a good feel for the game. Barber does a nice job disguising blitzes and could have an active role in blitz packages. The Texans re-signed Eugene Wilson to a three year contract at the start of free agency. Wilson finished strong in 2008 averaging almost 7 solos per game over the final five weeks. He brings valuable experience to a young secondary, along with good instincts, athleticism and toughness.

Backup DBs: The Texans are hoping CB Fred Bennett will bounce back after suffering through the dreaded sophmore slump. He will compete with Antwaun Molden for the nickel back role. Molden broke his ankle last year in week 15, is not expected to be ready before traning camp, which could hurt his chances to take his game to the next level in 2009. Bennett was nice find in the fourth round of the '07 draft for the Texans. He's a little stiff, but has good ball skills. Rookie Brice McCain (Utah) 6th rounder, is an undersized corner with speed (4.24 at his Pro day) and upside. The Texans re-signed S Nick Ferguson who will give them much needed depth and a mentor for Barber. The 34 year old is not the best in coverage, but packs a punch in run support. Brandon Harrison is an interesting prospect, a big (6-2 / 227), athletic, physical marvel, but he appears to lack the instincts and awareness to earn a starting gig in the NFL. He certainly will be a project for DB coach David Gibbs. Fourth round pick Glover Quin can play both corner and safety. He is tough, has good ball skills, instincts and plays the run well, though is little tight hipped and carries some durability concerns. Seventh round draft pick Troy Nolan (Arizona State) has experience at both safety spots, a good feel for the game and a knack for making big plays (five defensive TDs at ASU). He needs to get stronger, speed and agility are average.

Last modified: 2009-07-12 16:56:19