C.J. Stroud Fantasy Stats

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud will host the Bills in Week 1, as Stroud tries to prove he's worth a contract as a true franchise QB. He struggled down the stretch last season and in the playoffs, and he has lots of unanswered questions coming into his fourth NFL season. Last year, he threw 19 touchdowns and reached 3,041 passing yards in 14 regular-season games. His passer rating and adjusted QBR both improved last year compared to 2024, but his rough ending to the season leaves questions about his effectiveness. The Texans will look to rely on their defense and running game again this year, leaving Stroud as a low-volume, touchdown-reliant option in most matchups. The Bills were a top-10 defense against QBs last year, so Stroud is RotoBaller's No. 22 QB in Week 1, leaving him on the bench in all but the deepest two-QB leagues.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud could be headed for a high passing volume and plenty of scoring opportunities in Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills. Stroud was consistently drafted in fantasy leagues with 14+ teams, leaving him available on the waiver wire in eight-team and 10-team formats, as well as some 12-team leagues. The former No. 2 overall pick is looking to shake off a frustrating 2025 season in which he threw for a modest 3,041 passing yards with 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions. His production continued to go downhill in the playoffs. Stroud has now seen his fantasy ranking decline every year since being drafted, but he could trend back up in a revamped offense this year. He also stands to benefit in a big way from the Texans' Week 1 matchup against the Bills. Although Buffalo allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks last year, Texans-Bills projects as a potential shootout, leaving plenty of touchdown upside for Stroud. Managers who are already looking for some quarterback help in Week 1 should look to add Stroud off the waiver wire. He'll continue to get some favorable situations after the Bills game, as he runs into a stretch of matchups against the Bengals, Colts, Cowboys, and Titans.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud is "prepared to play out this season without a new deal," despite the Texans making what they considered a competitive offer, according to several people with knowledge of the situation. The current sentiment is that Stroud will "most likely not end up with a new deal" before Week 1. However, Fowler's understanding is that the Texans are prepared to put Stroud in "what it feels is a strong place among the 12 QBs in the $50 million club." If Stroud bets on himself and has a strong 2026 bounce-back campaign, he can "let an exploding QB market do the work for him." The former second overall pick out of Ohio State had a strong training camp this summer and has plenty of talent around him (even with receiver Jayden Higgins (knee) done for the year), making him a popular rebound candidate as a QB2 with upside for fantasy football purposes. If Stroud does not ink a new deal with Houston before Week 1, he will have plenty of incentive to turn his game around after two straight disappointing seasons.

Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio said on Tuesday that he has had "productive talks" with quarterback C.J. Stroud on a potential long-term contract extension, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. Caserio said that if nothing gets done before the start of the 2026 regular season, then something will likely be worked out next offseason. According to a source, no deal is imminent. The 24-year-old former second overall pick in 2023 from Ohio State came out swinging as a rookie and threw for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, and only five interceptions in 15 regular-season starts. He regressed in each of the last two seasons, though, and threw for 3,041 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in 14 regular-season games in 2025 before falling apart in the playoffs. Stroud still has the ability to bounce back to his rookie production, but he will need Houston's supporting cast to step up around him, mainly the offensive line. Receiver Jayden Higgins' season-ending knee injury did not help matters. Fantasy managers should treat Stroud as a low-end QB2 option with upside as he looks to prove to the Texans that he is worth a big contract extension next offseason.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud got some needed help Monday after a rough week for the receiver room. New England has agreed to send Kayshon Boutte to Houston for safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round pick. The move comes days after Jayden Higgins tore his ACL and was lost for the season. Boutte is not replacing all of that by himself, but he gives Stroud another receiver who can stretch the field. He caught 33 passes for 551 yards and six touchdowns last season, averaging 16.7 yards per catch with 10 receptions of at least 20 yards. Houston had already added Zay Jones and Sterling Shepard, so the Texans have clearly been trying to rebuild the depth behind Nico Collins. Stroud threw for 3,041 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 14 games last year and currently sits at QB23 in RotoBaller's rankings. Boutte does not suddenly fix everything, but the passing-game outlook looks better than it did after Higgins went down.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud is eligible for a contract extension and has had a strong training camp, according to multiple accounts from Texans' camp. He led his team to a touchdown on his only drive of the team's second preseason game on Thursday night, completing four of his six pass attempts for 27 yards. While he didn't have the touchdown, he did a good job making smart decisions and guiding the offense into position to reach the end zone. Stroud has regressed in each of the last two seasons after his big rookie year, but he has the potential to bounce back in his second season under offensive coordinator Nick Caley. He'll need to find a strong second option behind Nico Collins after the season-ending injury to Jayden Higgins (knee), but if he does that, he'll have the potential to be a solid QB2 with upside. Coming into the year, he's No. 24 in RotoBaller's rankings.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud is set to play a few series in Thursday night's preseason contest against the Las Vegas Raiders with the first-team offensive line, a league source told Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. Stroud and the first-team O-line will get roughly 25 plays. The Texans will continue their offensive-line evaluation as the team searches for its top five guys heading into the regular-season opener against the Buffalo Bills. Stroud and the Texans' O-line are looking to be more consistent in 2026. After a Pro Bowl selection in his first year in the league, Stroud has regressed in each of the last two years and threw for 3,041 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in 14 regular-season starts in Year 3 in 2025. The 24-year-old former second overall pick out of Ohio State just lost one of his top receivers in Jayden Higgins (knee) to a torn ACL, too, which puts a little damper on his bounce-back potential this year. He certainly has the skills to turn it around, but he is going to need some help. Draft him as a low-end QB2 with upside in superflex leagues.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has enjoyed a solid training camp, but he reportedly took things to a whole new level on Sunday, at one point connecting on seven straight completions during competitive sessions. Acknowledging the gravity of his assessment, Texans analyst John Harris wrote, "This was one of the best overall offensive practices that I can ever remember, if not the best I've seen." After becoming only the fifth rookie quarterback in NFL history to throw for 4,000 yards in 2023, Stroud has had two disappointing seasons, but with a healthy group of dynamic pass-catchers around him, he could surprise in 2026 with an ADP that has fallen to QB22. With the Texans boasting one of the league's premier defenses, Stroud will rarely be tasked with winning a shootout, lowering his potential ceiling. Still, he has the ability to stabilize a roster as a second quarterback in superflex leagues, and his performance against that vaunted defense on Sunday is a reminder of what he can do when everything is clicking.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud and other key offensive starters like running backs David Montgomery and Woody Marks and wide receiver Nico Collins will not play in the team's preseason opener on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Chargers, league sources told Aaron Wilson of Sports Talk 790 AM. With Stroud sitting, Davis Mills and Graham Mertz will take the snaps under center. The Texans will be short-handed at the RB position with Jawhar Jordan (hip) and British Brooks (hand) also out with injuries, meaning Noah Whittington, Josh Pitsenberger, and Owen Wright should handle the backfield duties against the Bolts. The 24-year-old Stroud took another step back in 2025 in his third year in the NFL after an impressive rookie season. The former second overall pick from Ohio State completed a career-high 64.5% of his pass attempts last year, but he threw for a career-low 3,041 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in 14 regular-season starts. Stroud will certainly be motivated to deliver if he wants the Texans to seriously consider giving him a long-term extension in the future. Fantasy managers should treat him as a low-end QB2 with bounce-back potential.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud is entering the all-important 2026 contract year after back-to-back down years. After winning the 2023 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, Stroud has averaged 13.8 fantasy points per game over the past two seasons, a nearly five-point drop from his stellar rookie season. The Texans declined to extend Stroud's contract this offseason following his postseason struggles, including four interceptions in the divisional-round game against the New England Patriots. With their elite defense, the Texans have a legitimate shot at the Super Bowl this season if Stroud bounces back to rookie form in 2026. Currently listed as QB23 on RotoBaller's positional rankings, Stroud is a strong sleeper with upside this season.