A well-played offseason for the Houston Texans continues to improve even as mid-June approaches. On Monday, the team agreed to terms on a one-year contract with halfback Nick Chubb, a four-time Pro Bowler who may not be his old self, but still has a chance to contribute to a contender.
While Chubb played just 10 games over the last two seasons due to a major knee injury and another issue with his foot, the 29-year-old certainly feels as though he has more to prove in the NFL. Is there any gas left in the tank, and what does he bring to the Texans both in the real world and in fantasy football?
A former star
At 5-foot-11 and 227 pounds, Chubb in his prime was an absolute wrecking ball of a runner. He bounced off defenders and shed contact with ease, but was also agile enough to sidestep would-be tacklers and break away for long touchdowns with his straight-line speed.
In five seasons with the Cleveland Browns prior to his 2023 knee injury, Chubb totaled 6,341 yards and 48 rushing touchdowns while picking up an average of 5.2 yards per attempt. He was a true workhorse back, taking the lion’s share of rushing work and especially excelling in short-yardage situations and at the goal line. While he was never a fantastic receiving weapon, Chubb also tallied 990 yards and four touchdowns through the air during those five years.
Everything changed in Week 2 of the 2023 campaign when an unfortunate hit led to a torn ACL, MCL, meniscus, and medial capsule. He missed the entire rest of the season as well as the first six contests of 2024 before making his return to the field.
He appeared in eight games last season, rushing 102 times for 332 yards and three touchdowns while hauling in an additional receiving score. His paltry 3.3 yards per attempt were likely due in part to the Browns’ poor offensive line, but his injury also certainly took a toll on the veteran’s athleticism. Players often look better once they’re another year removed from major ligament tears, but does Chubb have enough left in the tank to contribute in Houston?
A new role in Houston
Chubb’s role in Houston likely won’t be a massive one, so expecting him to see a significant share of touches feels like a long shot. His one-year contract is worth just $2.5 million, though the value can increase up to $5 million, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The financial investment does a lot of the talking here.
Simply put, he’s a depth signing more than anything else. Starting halfback Joe Mixon handled 281 total touches in 14 games last season, an average of over 20 per contest. While Mixon performed admirably in his first year as a Texan with 1,325 scrimmage yards and 12 total touchdowns, he battled with some injury woes of his own, missed some time, and showed serious signs of fatigue down the stretch.
The Texans do still roster Dameon Pierce, plus they selected USC product Woody Marks in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The results from both are to be determined, of course, but Pierce hasn’t shown much progress since his rookie campaign and a contending team likely doesn’t want to lean on a first-year back in a major role, pushing Marks further down the pecking order. That leaves Chubb as a frontrunner to compete for the backup job with those two players.
Expected usage and fantasy impact
Realistically, a return to peak form feels very unrealistic for Chubb, so he’s probably not a real threat to take the starting job from Mixon. However, even if his prior athleticism doesn’t return, Chubb should still make for an effective short-yardage back and take some of those touches to try and protect Mixon’s health. If the addition keeps the starter healthy, this move is definitely worth it for the Texans and their Super Bowl aspirations.
As for fantasy football impact, there’s no need to panic — the Chubb signing has more real-world impact than it does for the virtual gridiron.
If he can secure the RB2 role, some goal-line touchdowns are probably on the table for Chubb. While he won’t be a home-run threat anymore, his large frame and power should allow him to cross into the end zone a handful of times this season. He won’t yield consistent production in fantasy football, so pencil him in as a bye-week fill-in and handcuff at best for now.
Losing some of those high-value touches away likely hurts Mixon’s fantasy football production, so another finish at RB9 in PPG with 17.2 per outing may not be in the cards for the Texans’ starter. However, a healthier season looks like an added benefit if this is the case, so 16 or even a full 17 games of high-end RB2 production with some big spike weeks feels about right.
