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The Houston Texans signed tight end O.J. Howard to the roster not long ago and he has already put his stamp on the roster after Week 1. The veteran tied end finished with the second-most fantasy points among tight ends last week, which could be a sign of his fantasy ceiling as the regular season carries on. With a much more difficult matchup on this horizon this Sunday, we break down whether Howard is worth a start or sit in Week 2.
Fantasy Football analysis: Texans TE O.J. Howard
Howard only had two catches against the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday, but they were nonetheless two significant catches from a fantasy football perspective. Those two catches that Howard hauled in were the lone receiving touchdowns of the day, with the veteran finishing with 38 yards receiving for a total of 17.8 PPR fantasy points. Those two targets pale in comparison to the double-digit looks that wide receiver Brandin Cooks saw in Week 1, but it could be evidence of Howard separating himself from his fellow tight ends. The positional depth is crowded, to say the least, with Howard beneath Pharaoh Brown and Brevin Jordan on the depth chart.
Hauling in two touchdowns could very well bump him up the depth or at the very least make the case for more trust from quarterback Davis Mills. All those reasons for optimism could be for naught, however, simply based on the opponent the Texans are facing in Week 2. Not only did the Denver Broncos surrender the sixth-fewest receiving yards in Week 1 (177), but their defense allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to opposing tight ends (4.6) dating back to last season.
Start or sit in Week 2?
Howard’s fantasy production out the gate despite only recently joining the team is a positive takeaway, and he is definitely worth a roster spot if he isn’t already taken among fantasy leagues. But the Texans’ Week 2 opponent should present much more of a challenge compared to last week, and Howard’s percentage of snaps taken will likely increase over time. Until the day happens when he takes the spot of TE1, fantasy managers should be cautious and play it safe, beginning with sitting him in Week 2 against Denver.