The Texans host the Jets this week, and it's a matchup favorable enough that you actually need to think about starting some Houston players. The Jets have an epically bad defense right now: last in yards allowed, last in points allowed. The problem is that Houston is fielding some pretty bad offensive players these days.
This was highlighted by their performance against Tennessee last week -- despite somehow managing to win that game, on the road against one of the league's better teams. They did that even while producing two of the worst rushing performances of the season.
David Johnson carried 13 times for 18 yards in that game. He worked in a committee with Rex Burkhead, who carried 18 times for just 40 yards.
This season, there have been 27 occasions where a running back received double-digit carries and averaged just 2.5 yards per attempt or worse. Houston just provided two of those performances in the same game. (Search tools at pro-football-reference.com utilized for this table.)
RBS AVERAGING 2.5 OR WORSE (10-PLUS ATTEMPTS) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Opp | Att | Yds | Y/A |
Mike Davis | Wash. | 13 | 14 | 1.1 |
David Johnson | at Tenn. | 13 | 18 | 1.4 |
Myles Gaskin | Hou. | 20 | 34 | 1.7 |
D'Andre Swift | Cin. | 13 | 24 | 1.9 |
Damien Harris | at Car. | 15 | 30 | 2.0 |
Alexander Mattison | Clev. | 10 | 20 | 2.0 |
Kenneth Gainwell | at Det. | 13 | 27 | 2.1 |
Rhamondre Stevenson | at Hou. | 11 | 23 | 2.1 |
Adrian Peterson | at LAR | 10 | 21 | 2.1 |
Alex Collins | N.O. | 16 | 35 | 2.2 |
Marlon Mack | at Mia. | 10 | 22 | 2.2 |
Myles Gaskin | Balt. | 14 | 31 | 2.2 |
Rex Burkhead | at Tenn. | 18 | 40 | 2.2 |
D'Andre Swift | Phil. | 12 | 27 | 2.3 |
Chris Carson | at S.F. | 13 | 30 | 2.3 |
Chuba Hubbard | at NYG | 12 | 28 | 2.3 |
Chase Edmonds | at Jac. | 11 | 26 | 2.4 |
Joe Mixon | at NYJ | 14 | 33 | 2.4 |
Devin Singletary | Wash. | 11 | 26 | 2.4 |
Chris Carson | Tenn. | 13 | 31 | 2.4 |
Melvin Gordon | at Jac. | 13 | 31 | 2.4 |
James Robinson | S.F. | 12 | 29 | 2.4 |
Javonte Williams | NYJ | 12 | 29 | 2.4 |
Derrick Henry | at Ind. | 28 | 68 | 2.4 |
Michael Carter | Buff. | 16 | 39 | 2.4 |
Peyton Barber | at Pitt. | 13 | 32 | 2.5 |
Elijah Mitchell | at Phil. | 17 | 42 | 2.5 |
The Jets are remarkably bad these days, ranking last in pass defense and also 29th in run defense. They've allowed 20 rushing touchdowns in 10 games -- exactly 2 per game, and 5 more than any other team (Houston, coincidentally, is 2nd-worst). There will absolutely be some rushing production for the Texans in this game, and probably a touchdown or two.
But actually picking up Johnson or Burkhead off waivers and putting them into a fantasy lineup? That requires a leap of faith that might be too much to make.
--Andy Richardson