Houston Texans

The Houston Texans announced Monday that they have signed their 2022 2nd round pick, WR John Metchie to a rookie contract. (Source: NFL.com)

Fantasy Impact: Metchie, like most Alabama WRs in recent years, is an advanced route runner who was able to consistently get separation against defensive backs in the SEC. With his smaller stature and lack of high-end speed, Metchie projects to be a slot WR at the NFL level. Metchie tore his ACL in the 2021 SEC Championship Game, which may cause him to miss early season games during the 2022 season. Although Metchie doesn’t profile as a player who will be an elite NFL WR, he has an opportunity to play right away for the Texans once healthy, and he may prove to be a consistent high-floor player if he can earn enough of a target share in Houston’s offense.

Aaron Wilson of Sports Talk 790 reports that former Texas A&M OL Kenyon Green and the Houston Texans have agreed to terms on a 4-year, $15.9 million deal that is fully guaranteed. (Source: Aaron Wilson, Sports Talk 790)

Fantasy Impact: Green, who was the 15th overall pick in last month’s draft, is a versatile lineman who should be able to step in and contribute from day one. Green saw action at every position on the offensive line during his three years at Texas A&M, but he is expected to play left guard for the Texans. In 2022, Green will be tasked with helping keep QB Davis Mills upright and creating rushing lanes for two new Texans' RBs in veteran Marlon Mack and rookie Dameon Pierce.

According to Albert Breer, the Texans have exercised the fifth-year option on OL Tytus Howard. (Source: Albert Breer)

Fantasy Impact: Despite rumors of the veteran being either shipped out or having his contract cut, the team decided to exercise the fifth-year option for the offensive tackle. Last season, Howard played 545 snaps allowing two sacks, 19 QB hurries, and posting PFFs 113th ranked grade amongst offensive linemen.

The Texans and Rasheem Green have agreed to terms on a one-year deal. (Source: Ian Rapoport)

Fantasy Impact: The 24-year-old is coming off his best year with Seattle where he tallied 6.5 sacks and 48 tackles while playing in 16 games. Green will be a boon to a team that ranked 27th last year in overall defense.

New Texans HC Lovie Smith spoke highly of 2nd year QB Davis Mills on Monday, stating that he’s a “believer in him and what he’s going to do”. (Source: NFL.com)

Fantasy Impact: Mills, who was drafted with the 67th pick by the Texans in the 2021 NFL draft, appears to be in line to be the Texans unquestioned starting QB in 2022. Mills started 11 games for Houston as a rookie and experienced his share of growing pains, but he finished strong down the stretch. Over the last five games of the season, Mills completed 68.4% of his passes for 251.6 yards per game while throwing for 9 touchdowns and just 2 interceptions. In terms of fantasy performance, those numbers were good enough to rank as the QB16 over that 5 week period. Mills, a former 5-Star recruit and the top ranked high school QB from the class of 2017, has the upside of a QB2 finish if he is able to take a step forward in 2022. Mills can be viewed as a late round sleeper in Superflex and Dynasty leagues, but he should not be rostered in standard redraft leagues.

Brandin Cooks and the Houston Texans have agreed to terms on a two-year contract extension according to Adam Schefter. (Source: Adam Schefter of ESPN on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Cooks will return as the top target for Davis Mills. Despite rumors of teams wanting to trade for him, the Texans decided to keep him in Houston and lock him up for two more years. He should see plenty of targets again as the unquestioned number one option on a team that will likely be throwing the ball often late in games.

According to Ian Rapoport, Deshaun Watson is expected to be traded to the Browns. (Source: Ian Rapoport)

Fantasy Impact: After being told on Thursday afternoon that they are out of the race for Watson, news dropped that the Browns have officially acquired Deshaun Watson from the Texans. The terms of the deal remain unknown but the compensation is rumored to include three-first round picks. Watson has also agreed to a new five-year, $230 million contract with the entire contract fully guaranteed.

QB Kyle Allen has signed a one-year deal with Houston. (Source: Aaron Wilson on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: The contract is worth $2.5 million with a max value of $3 million. The four-year veteran has played for both Carolina and Washington, appearing in 21 games with 17 starts. Given the unknown status of the quarterback situation in Houston, it is hard to recommend Allen as a fantasy asset, even in superflex leagues; however, if he breaks camp as the starter, he has had some success in the past and might be worth rostering.

QB Tyrod Taylor is expected to ink-in a two-year, $17 million deal with the New York Giants. (Source: Adam Schefter on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Taylor, following an injury-riddled season, got signed likely as a backup/veteran option, but he might actually have a chance to compete this year. He has been in and out of starting roles for his entire career, and he might just have a chance to compete for the starting job against current starter Daniel Jones. Fantasy managers should pay attention to how the team approaches this QB room.

Defensive tackle Maliek Collins is signing a 2-year, $17 million deal ($8.5 million guaranteed) to return to the Houston Texans. (Source: Adam Schefter on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Collins will provide a consistent interior presence for a young, underrated Texans defense going into the 2022 season. The defensive lineman finished with 29 tackles and 2.5 sacks last season for Houston.

Justin Reid is in agreement with Kansas City for a three-year deal worth $31.5 million. (Source: Adam Schefter on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: The deal includes $20 million guaranteed. The former third round draft pick for Houston has played in 57 games for the team. In that time, he has tallied seven interceptions, two forced fumbles, and 315 tackles. He was a bright spot for a Texans team that finished 27th in defensive rating in 2021.

Per Ian Rapoport, the Texans are re-signing free safety Terrence Brooks to a one-year deal worth $2 million. (Source: Ian Rapoport on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Brooks played in 11 games and started in three of them for the Texans in 2021. The 30-year-old has four interceptions, 123 total tackles and two forced fumbles in his eight year career.

Kevin Pierre-Louis and Houston have agreed to restructure his contract to reduce his salary and cap hit. (Source: Mike Garafolo on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Pierre-Louis will reduce his salary from $3.5 million to $2.4 million, but he is also now guaranteed half of it. The 30-year-old will be entering his ninth NFL season and his second with Houston.

Chris Conley and Houston have agreed to a one-year deal. (Source: Aaron Wilson on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: The 29-year-old wide receiver will return for his second season with the Texans. In 2021, he caught 22 of 37 passes for 323 yards and two touchdowns. His fantasy value is almost entirely dependent on who is under center in 2022.

The Texans are bringing back Jeff Driskel to give him a chance at quarterback after having tried to convert him to a tight end. (Source: Ian Rapoport on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Driskel will head into his fifth season in the NFL after having only played in one game in 2021. His return to Houston will be his first for the same team as the previous year.

Desmond King II and the Houston Texans have mutual interest on a return to the team under new head coach, Lovie Smith. Smith believes King will be a good fit for his defense. (Source: Aaron Wilson on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: The journeyman defensive back is on his 3rd team and five years, but he seems to have found a potential home in Houston. The veteran would be a strong addition to the locker room culture in Houston. Not to mention, King could still be very impactful at just 27.

The Texans are expected to hire former Buccaneers and Bears head coach Lovie Smith as their own head coach, according to Adam Schefter. (Source: Adam Schefter on Twitter )

Fantasy Impact: This was a quick turnaround as Smith wasn't even named as one of the candidates for the Texans head coach job just a day or two ago where Josh McCown, Jonathan Gannon and Brian Flores were the finalists. Smith was the head coach at Illinois from 2016-20 before being named the associate head coach and defensive coordinator this past season for the Texans.

The Texans have reportedly signed running back Rex Burkhead to a one-year extension through the 2022 season. (Source: Sarah Barshop on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Burkhead has been an important part of the Texans' backfield. He totaled 507 scrimmage yards while serving as the team's No. 1 back over the last seven games. For what it's worth, fantasy managers should view him as a mid-range RB3 in Week 18 before re-assessing ahead of the 2022 season.

Texans RB David Johnson has been placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. (Source: Ian Rapoport on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Johnson's teammate Rex Burkhead performed well in Sunday's Week 16 upset win against the Los Angeles Chargers, a game in which the former was inactive. Should Johnson miss Week 17 against San Francisco, Burkhead would once again warrant consideration as a flex option for fantasy managers.

Houston Texans' K Dominik Eberle made 2-of-3 field goal attempts, with a long of 51, and all five PAT attempts in Sunday's Week 16 win over the Chargers.

Fantasy Impact: What a debut, it's unknown, but he could be worth starting in fantasy championships.