The Houston Texans are coming off a bye week and will face off against the Carolina Panthers in Week 8 action. Although Dameon Pierce is the top running back in Houston, he was outdone by Devin Singletary in their Week 6 win over the Saints. Ahead of the Week 8 action, let’s dive into Pierce’s fantasy outlook.
Fantasy Football analysis: Texans RB Dameon Pierce
Pierce ran the ball 13 times in Week 6 for 34 yards in what turned out to be an underwhelming game for the 23-year-old. It was his lowest fantasy output of the season, totaling just 3.4 points on the day. His highest of the season so far has been 14.9 in PPR leagues, but that was back in Week 3 when he scored his only touchdown of the campaign.
Start or sit in Week 8 PPR leagues?
Start in Week 8 in deeper PPR leagues.
While he shouldn’t be your RB1 by any means, Pierce could be worth a start in deeper leagues with 12-14 teams as he should be a high-end RB3 heading into Week 8. He’s finished in the top 15 more than once this season, and while he hasn’t quite found that consistency yet, he’s got a relatively high ceiling as long as the Texans’ offense is running well. If you’re in a smaller league with less than 12 teams, I’d recommend passing on Pierce this week.
Start or sit in Week 8 standard leagues?
Start in Week 8 in deeper standard leagues.
The same situation applies here as in PPR leagues. He doesn’t see a lot of targets as CJ Stroud has only tossed 12 balls his way throughout the season, so he doesn’t see a lot of boost from PPR leagues. If you’re in a deep standard league, look to Pierce as a potential FLEX play as they take on the Panthers in Week 8.
Player(s) you would start ahead of Dameon Pierce
Pierce comes in as the RB25 at FantasyPros ahead of Week 8, but there are several other options around his same tier you should be able to pick up. Look to Alexander Mattison or Rhamondre Stevenson just ahead of him in the rankings, as they both have favorable matchups this weekend.