Dameon Pierce is coming off a phenomenal rookie campaign for the Houston Texans in 2022. He quickly established himself as the team’s primary ball carrier in Week 2 and went on to become a top-5 RB in the NFL before going down with an ankle injury in Week 13, cutting his encouraging season short. It will be interesting whether Pierce can continue right where he left off in 2022 or if he’s in danger of a sophomore slump with Houston in 2023.
2023 Fantasy Football: Dameon Pierce
Recap of 2022 season
An early favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2022, Pierce kept climbing up the PPR fantasy football rankings in the first 10 weeks of the regular season. He averaged 18.3 carries for 85.8 yards, and recorded four total touchdowns. Pierce then experienced some tough sledding in his last few appearances, trying to make something out of nothing in the Texans’ offense. Still, he ended with a solid debut campaign of 939 rushing yards on 220 carries and four touchdowns. Pierce also added 30 receptions on 39 targets for 165 yards and one touchdown.
Updated Texans outlook
Houston selected Ohio State QB CJ Stroud with the No. 2 pick and Alabama DE Will Anderson Jr. with the No. 3 pick. That should inject a nice youthful boost on both ends of the ball for the Texans in 2023. Houston also selected a few rookie WRs in Nathaniel Dell out of Houston and Xavier Hutchinson out of Iowa State. In free agency, the Texans brought in TE Dalton Schultz, WR Robert Woods, RB Devin Singletary and WR Noah Brown on offense. None of these movies were too significant but add depth throughout the roster.
Best-case scenario
Pierce’s health will determine what he’s able to accomplish in Year 2. In a perfect world, Pierce returns in 2023 and is fully healthy. The Texans’ offense takes a step forward with some talent at QB in the form of rookie CJ Stroud. If the passing game isn’t a complete dumpster fire, that should allow Pierce more room to run and a more active role as a receiver. The best-case scenario is Pierce stays healthy, dominates carries and finds the end zone more, resulting in another top-10 RB season.
Worst-case scenario
While Singletary may not usurp Pierce as the team’s top rusher, he poses a greater threat to Pierce’s workload than previous backup options. Singletary’s strong PFF rushing grade (10th overall) and pass-blocking ability (8th in PFF grade) could earn him playing time on passing downs, an area where Pierce struggled as a rookie. However, Pierce’s advantage as a receiver gives him an edge in attaining a full three-down workload if he improves his pass protection in his second year. The worst-case is that Singletary eats into Pierce’s touches and it becomes more a 1-2 punch. That wouldn’t diminish Pierce’s value altogether but it could hurt his chances of becoming a legit RB1.
Prediction
Pierce showed great strides as a rookie and pretty much solidified himself as the No. 1 option in the backfield pecking order. Despite the addition of Singletary, Pierce should still be viewed as the team’s primary rusher. His ability to break tackles and record YAC makes him an enticing fantasy option. With a talented young quarterback like Stroud and improvements to the offensive line, Pierce will have many chances to exceed his touchdown total.
