Fantasy Football Impact: Houston Texans 2013 Draft

Draft Recap

Houston is a team that is on the cusp of a championship, but have been missing a few pieces to make that run. They did a nice job in this draft addressing needs and acquiring impact players. Having been a one man show at wide receiver for pretty much their entire existence, the position was an area of need and DeAndre Hopkins will step in and start week 1. The addition of Ed Reed in free agency gives the Texans a much needed veteran presence in the secondary, but he has health concerns, and there are already questions as to when he will be able to get onto the field. D.J. Swearinger is a great athlete and his aggressive style of play should fit into Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips’ scheme nicely giving them quality depth. Houston added a pair of OTs and DEs in the middle rounds, all four of which have the potential to develop into solid pros.

Fantasy Impact

DeAndre Hopkins is the fantasy gem of this draft for Houston. He had an up and down career at Clemson, but is an explosive player and will get to learn from one of the best in the game in Andre Johnson. Hopkins will step in as a starter, and the attention that Johnson will receive combined with the great running game that forces opponents to commit 7 or 8 players to the box will give Hopkins plenty of opportunities to make plays down the field. This guy should be one of your top rated rookies on draft day and could find himself in the top 25 of all WRs by seasons end. The regular warnings apply about trusting rookie receivers, but the skills and the role make him a worthwhile reach in the later middle rounds of your draft.

WR Alan Bonner out of Jacksonville State is not going to be turning any heads with big plays but is a solid route running who could develop into a good possession receiver. Where Bonner really excels is as a return man and those abilities should earn him a roster spot in Houston. Don’t expect too much in the way fantasy points this season, unless return yardage factors into your scoring format.

Brennan Williams and David Quessenberry will at the very least provide solid depth on the offensive line, and it is possible you could see one or both of them work their way into the rotation at some point this season. Houston showed last year that their scheme does not rely on dominant offensive linemen as they did not skip a beat with the loss of Eric Fisher.

Houston has had a solid fantasy D since the day Wade Phillips arrived, and they added some nice pieces that will add to their depth. Swearinger is going to be a playmaker at safety, and while DEs Sam Montgomery and Trevardo Williams are going to require some time to develop and one or both may change positions, they are both great athletes who made big time plays for their teams in college.

Draft Results