The warning with fantasy football analysis heading into Week 2 is always about discretion. It’s always about how we shouldn’t overreact to a sample size as small as a single game. Fortunately, when it comes to the Texans’ offense, there wasn’t really much from a 14-9 loss against the Rams to overreact to. In fact, Houston was one of only two teams to not score a touchdown in Week 1, joining Tennessee, who just picked first in this past summer’s NFL Draft. Not ideal company!
Ironically, the Titans squared off with Los Angeles yesterday afternoon, and the team was held to only 252 total yards and 19 points. Maybe the Rams defense is really good? If you’re someone who drafted C.J. Stroud, Nico Collins or Nick Chubb, that’s at least what you’re banking on.
Nick Chubb Fantasy Outlook
Chubb, in particular, is a very interesting fantasy asset in 2025, both in season-long and in DFS. Considered one of the most dangerous running backs in the NFL as recently as 2022, a serious knee injury has limited the veteran to just 11 games over the past three years, a stretch where Chubb has registered 420 rushing yards on 143 carries. Now calling Houston home, it’s crucial to remember that Chubb wasn’t signed by the Texans to be an RB1, yet has been given that opportunity thanks to an offseason injury to Joe Mixon.
Mixon wasn’t elite in 2024, yet he was a true lead back, finishing 16th in the league in touches (281) and 22nd in scrimmage yards (1,325) despite being limited to 14 games. Mixon also handled a whopping 80.0% of the Texans’ goal line rushing attempts — carries inside the opponent’s five-yard line — which is how he wound up as one of 10 running backs with at least 10 expected rushing touchdowns last season. In other words, Mixon left a very large role to fill.
The question now becomes: Is Nick Chubb alone going to take on said void? In a relatively neutral script in Week 1, Chubb logged a 50.8% snap share and garnered 61.9% of Houston’s 21 RB carries. Not too shabby. Dameon Pierce looms as a possible goal line vulture and rookie Woody Marks could see the field more often the deeper we get into the regular season, but for now, it appears that Chubb’s hold on the RB1 slot with the Texans is secure.
You’d also have to assume that Monday will be a better overall offensive performance for Houston. It’ll more than likely gain over 265 total yards. It’ll more than likely have greater than a single drive that results in a red zone trip. Chubb has never been an integral part of his team’s aerial attack, so he’s more “touchdown-or-bust” than most running backs who see his level of volume. That means he needs the Texans to be good on the whole to be good in your lineups.
I’m not sure Houston will ever flirt with being a top five offensive unit in 2025, but it should be decent enough to make Chubb a FLEX option in most formats. In tonight’s $300K Showdown Special on DraftKings, Chubb is only $7,000 in a FLEX spot — far cheaper than usual for an RB1. That makes him viable.
