Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie III had a career night against the Detroit Lions, finishing with five catches on six targets for 74 yards and a touchdown in a 26-23 loss. The third-year receiver missed his entire rookie season after being diagnosed with leukemia and has played sparingly in the two years since, but broke out Sunday with fellow Texans receiver Nico Collins (hamstring) inactive again. A 15-yard touchdown connection with quarterback C.J. Stroud was Metchie's first NFL score to go with career highs in catches and yards. He'll look to stay involved again when Houston visits Dallas in Week 11.
Houston Texans running back Cam Akers and wide receiver John Metchie III are healthy scratches for Week 1 of the regular season against the division-rival Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. The Texans are rolling with starter Joe Mixon and backups Dameon Pierce and Dare Ogunbowale as their three RBs to open the year against the Colts. The 25-year-old Akers saw plenty of action in the preseason, but for now he'll just be RB depth in Houston and remains well off the fantasy radar. Metchie has plenty of talent but has been hurt by injuries so far in his NFL career, and the Texans now have a crowded receiver room that features Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Robert Woods and others. The 24-year-old is also battling for a position with Xavier Hutchinson and Steven Sims. Obviously, Akers and Metchie both belong on the waiver wire in your league.
Several teams have contacted the Houston Texans to inquire about trading for wide receiver John Metchie III, given the team's crowded receiver lineup. The Texans currently have a solid trio of starters in Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, and Tank Dell, and also feature veterans Robert Woods, Noah Brown, and Xavier Hutchinson. While it's uncertain whether the Texans will trade Metchie III, interest from other teams is growing. The former second-round pick from Alabama had ten catches for 100 yards and a touchdown during the preseason. Although Metchie III was drafted by the Texans in 2022, his rookie season was delayed due to a leukemia diagnosis. A trade could give him more opportunities to play and potentially impact fantasy football if he lands in a favorable situation.
John Metchie III Flashes In Final Preseason Game, Boosting Roster Chances
Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie III made notable plays in the team's final preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams, recording two catches for 21 yards. However, his numbers were lower than last week when he had six receptions for 68 yards and his first professional touchdown against the New York Giants; Metchie III's performance was still impressive. He is competing with Xavier Hutchinson, Ben Skowronek, and Steven Sims for a roster spot, while injured receiver Noah Brown, when healthy, is also a key contender. With only a few spots likely remaining, Metchie III's strong preseason performance suggests he could secure a place on the main roster or land on the practice squad.
Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie III delivered his best preseason performance on Saturday against the New York Giants, recording a team-high six catches for 68 yards and his first professional touchdown a 3-yard pass from Case Keenum. This strong showing comes after Metchie had only two receptions for 11 yards in his previous two games. After suffering an ACL tear during the 2021 SEC Championship Game, Metchie missed out on a potential first-round draft position. The Texans selected him with the 44th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, but he was sidelined for his rookie season due to a diagnosis of acute promyelocytic leukemia. Returning in 2023, he caught 16 passes for 158 yards but struggled to secure a prominent role. Now, Metchie is aiming to secure one of the final receiver spots for Week 1, with one more preseason game to compete against Robert Woods, Xavier Hutchinson, and Ben Skowronek.
Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie III has had a slow start to his NFL career, but there have been plenty of factors to cause the quiet start. The Alabama product missed his entire 2022 rookie season coming off an ACL tear and being diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia. He appeared in 16 games in 2023 but caught just 16 passes for 158 yards. However, ESPN Texans reporter DJ Bien-Aime suggests Metchie could be back to form in 2024. "Metchie is flashing signs of what made him a second-round pick in the 2022 draft." Bien-Aime wrote. His explosiveness appears back. He has also been in the rotation with the first-team offense." While Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs, and Tank Dell are locked into the starting lineup, Metchie has plenty of fantasy football intrigue if he secures the WR4 role. He'd be one injury away from entering the starting lineup in C.J. Stroud's offense, meaning he should be on the fantasy radar in deep leagues.
Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie III earned a shoutout from head coach DeMeco Ryans for making a "significant leap" over the last year, according to Mike Jones of The Athletic. Metchie sat out 2022 due to a cancer diagnosis but returned to catch 16 passes for 158 yards last year. While it's not wise to invest much stock into coachspeak, it's still worth noting that Ryans has a particularly favorable view of Metchie as he enters his third pro campaign. The presence of Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, and Tank Dell will likely keep Metchie off the redraft radar, but he could be an appealing target in deeper dynasty leagues as the 2024 season approaches.
Houston Texans wide receivers Robert Woods (hip) and John Metchie III (foot) were both listed as limited in practice on Wednesday for the second straight day this week. Woods and Metchie should both be able to play this weekend in the Divisional Round of the postseason in Baltimore against the Ravens, but they'll likely need to practice in full on Friday to avoid questionable tags. Noah Brown (shoulder) is now on Injured Reserve, but it probably won't matter all that much for Woods' limited fantasy ceiling on the road in a tough environment in Baltimore against the best defense in the NFL. The 31-year-old is most certainly going to need to find the end zone to be worth it in DFS lineups this weekend. He caught just one pass on two targets for 11 yards in the 45-14 win over the Cleveland Browns in the wild-card round.
Houston Texans wide receivers Robert Woods (hip) and John Metchie III (foot) were both listed as limited participants for Tuesday's practice session. Woods has been rested early during the week for most of the year and is expected to be available to play this Saturday against the Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional Round. He missed the Week 18 regular season finale and returned in the wild-card win over the Cleveland Browns, only to catch one of his two targets for 11 yards. The 31-year-old could have a bigger role in a tough matchup against Baltimore this weekend now that Noah Brown (shoulder) is on Injured Reserve. Still, both Woods and Metchie will be low-cost dart throws in DFS against the Ravens, with most of quarterback C.J. Stroud's targets going to Nico Collins and tight end Dalton Schultz. Woods had only 40 catches for 426 yards and one score in 2023.
Brevin Jordan, John Metchie III Return To Practice
Houston Texans tight end Brevin Jordan (illness) and wide receiver John Metchie III (illness) were both able to return to a limited practice session on Thursday after they did not practice with the team on Wednesday while being sick. Both players are well on their way to being available for the Week 16 contest versus the visiting Cleveland Browns. Neither Jordan nor Metchie should be on fantasy rosters in standard-sized leagues, though. Jordan has only 13 receptions on the season for 173 yards with one touchdown in 11 games. Metchie, meanwhile, had 14 receptions for 145 yards and no touchdowns in 13 games played. Houston's offense could struggle mightily without Stroud for a second straight week while turning to veteran Case Keenum, who will be making just his second start of 2023.
John Metchie III
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