The Houston Texans came through with a surprise 37-17 win at the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 3. Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud played a big role in that while going 20-for-28 with 280 passing yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions.
Don’t look now, but Stroud has scored 20+ fantasy points in back-to-back games, and he’s looking like an interesting waiver wire pickup for those who need help at the QB position.
Below, we’ll run through how much of your waiver wire budget should be used to claim Stroud ahead of Week 4.
Fantasy football waiver wire budget advice
Texans QB CJ Stroud
How much budget to use: 5-10% (FAAB $: $5-10)
Stroud experienced a rocky start in his NFL debut, managing only 9.7 fantasy points at the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. Yet, the rookie soon found his rhythm, scoring 21.5 and 20.6 FP against the Indianapolis Colts and Jaguars in the subsequent weeks.
These performances placed him 13th and 12th in fantasy points for quarterbacks in those weeks, so he’s on the fringe of being a fantasy starter in standard 12-team leagues. The question now revolves around whether or not he can maintain this momentum.
There’s evidence to suggest that Stroud’s recent success is more than fleeting moments of brilliance. The Texans have been leaning heavily on their passing game, a strategy likely to continue given the challenges their running game faces behind an inconsistent offensive line.
Impressively, Stroud has showcased his potential and established a formidable connection with promising wide receivers like Tank Dell (another top waiver pick) and Nico Collins. Despite the Texans’ victory last week, the team is expected to face many challenging situations this season. In such instances, Stroud will likely be called upon to air it out in order to keep the team competitive.
However, a test of Stroud’s fantasy consistency awaits. His upcoming matchups against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons, and New Orleans Saints are daunting. But there’s a silver lining: as the season progresses, he’ll face the more generous defenses of AFC South, along with friendly matchups against the Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, and more.