Houston Texans

Texans at Patriots: 3 best fantasy options

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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A shakeup at quarterback will also shake up these rankings. Find out who made it and who didn’t on this week’s edition of fantasy five for Thursday Night Football.

With Week 3 getting under way in just over 24 hours, it’s time for all the fantasy owners out there to think about players worth playing in this week’s edition of Thursday Night Football. With quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo likely being inactive barring a miracle, we can expect to see Jacoby Brissett playing QB for the Patriots.

I promise you this, Brissett won’t be in these rankings either. But there will be a few players you may not have suspected. Let’s get to the rankings now.

3. Houston Texans defense

Two weeks into the season, the Texans may just be the third best defense in the NFL behind Denver and Minnesota. The Texans defense is getting sacks on 12 percent of quarterback dropbacks two games into the season, meaning the quarterback is getting sacked more than once per 10 dropbacks. They lead the league for now with nine sacks. Defensive linemen Jadaveon Clowney and J.J. Watt both have two QB pressures on top of two sacks already for Watt and one for Clowney.

This defense is better than in years past with the evolution of Clowney. He’s finally healthy and being his third year in the league, he’s starting to show why the Texans took him as the number one overall pick. Now paired with JJ Watt on the other side of the line, the Texans pass rush is becoming elite. But let’s take a look at how Clowney effects the run game.

Sep 18, 2016; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount (29) is tackled by Miami Dolphins outside linebacker Neville Hewitt (46) during the fourth quarter at Gillette Stadium. The New England Patriots won 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

2. RB LeGarrette Blount, New England Patriots

A physical beast of a runner, and one who certainly doesn’t shy away from contact, Blount will feel plenty of that come Sunday. A physical front for the Texans will give him all he can chew, especially by stacking the box. The Texans know the Patriots must run the football to prevent Brissett from dropping back 28 or more times on Thursday. As often as this is used, running the ball for New England will be their biggest offensive key for this game.

This might not be the best of matchups for Blount come Thursday as he just came off a game where he had 29 touches. But don’t be mistaken, Belichick knows his players better than anyone. He’s going to put Blount in favorable plays to succeed. Last week, 17 of his 29 carries were interior runs. 95 of the 119 yards that Kansas City rushed for last week came via the inside run. Texans nose tackle Vince Wilfork is a shell of what he once was with Pats in his glory days. New England will want to avoid running on either edge with Watt and Clowney waiting to swarm the ball carrier, but the Texans are certainly vulnerable in the A and B gaps.

The offensive line did a phenomenal job in run blocking for New England against a stout Miami front four. Here on a toss crack, Blount gets wide and delivers a heck of a hurdle and then proceeds to bowl himself into the defender at the end to pick up a few extra yards.

Sep 18, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Will Fuller (15) is unable to make a catch inbounds during the second quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

1. WR Will Fuller, Houston Texans

Perhaps the biggest nightmare for the Patriots isn’t Hopkins, rather rookie wideout Will Fuller. He leads the league in receiving yards and catches for rookies. In only two games, the rookie from Notre Dame has nine catches for 211 yards. He’s averaging a whopping 23.4 yards per reception and has a touchdown. He can take the top off of a defense and the Patriots must not let him beat them deep. Otherwise, they’re in trouble.

This kid can make plays left and right. While he still needs to learn how to catch the ball with his hands rather than his body, he will get better with experience. The Patriots secondary has been solid despite a poor showing in the second half against the Dolphins last week. The issue is they won’t be able to double team both Fuller and Hopkins. Hopkins will likely get that extra attention leaving Fuller one on one throughout the game. His speed paired with unique athletisism is a freakish combination.

One things for sure, this guy will get his targets. While Osweiler may shy away from throwing to Hopkins, expect Fuller to see 10 targets come his way. In two games, Osweiler has targeted him 18 times already, showing the trust he has in the young player. 10 of those targets have come over 20 yards, per PFF.

Osweiler is somewhat familiar with New England having beaten them last year on a Week 12 snowy Sunday night in Denver. He’s got the defense to beat them again this time around too. He’ll need to connect with #15 though in order to preserve a victory.