2023 NFL Power Rankings: Houston Texans

On the hot seat: TE Brevin Jordan

The Texans drafted Jordan in the fifth round in 2021. He has 306 career receiving yards and three touchdowns in three seasons, but the Texans had higher hopes for him. Throughout camp, Jordan has dealt with a lower leg injury, so he hasn't practiced much. If Jordan doesn't produce more this season, the Texans can chose to move on from him before the start of the 2024 season, as they have less than $90,000 guaranteed in his contract for 2024. -- DJ Bien-Aime

What would represent a successful season for rookie QB C.J. Stroud? Expectations will always be high for the second overall pick in any draft, but perspective is important. Twenty-two rookie QBs have started 12-plus games over the previous decade, and their collective averages are pretty middling: 3,161 passing yards, 60.7 percent completion rate, 17 TDs and 13 INTs in roughly 14 starts. Those numbers feel reasonable for Stroud. The run game will help, some of the young targets have promise and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik is viewed as an up-and-comer. But the offensive line hasn't lived up to expectations, and Stroud threw cautiously in the preseason (4.5 yards/attempt). He'll have Dalton Schultz and Robert Woods as security blankets, but this offense has limited firepower.

They are a year away. The roster is young and it will take time, especially with quarterback C.J. Stroud starting as a rookie. But watch out next year.

They've got the second quarterback (C.J. Stroud) taken in the 2023 draft, but questions remain as to whether he has the requisite downfield weapons ... and how long new HC DeMeco Ryans needs to get the AFC's worst defense in 2022 up to speed.

Best-case scenario: DeMeco Ryans, Coach of the Year. In this organization, that still might not be enough for him to keep the job, but it's something. Derek Stingley Jr. and Jalen Pitre combine to give Ryans a difference-making secondary, while Will Anderson Jr. looks more than worth the high price the team paid for him. With a top-10 defense, Stroud isn't asked to do too much, and Dameon Pierce leads the league in rushing. The weakness of the division sends the Texans to the playoffs as 8-9 division champs.

Worst-case scenario: Stroud looks overwhelmed and the Texans finish with the worst record in the league, only to watch as the Cardinals use their pick to draft the next Patrick Mahomes.

DeMeco Ryans gets to play with house money in Year 1 as a head coach. All that matters is that C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr. play like top-five picks; the rest is gravy. Of course, given Ryans' defensive pedigree, it would also be fun if he could mold the Texans' young defense into a formidable unit.

Dameon Pierce played almost every down with the starters in preseason. He won't log near a 100% snap count, but he is going to be the centerpiece of Houston's offense and he has the talent to have a huge year. Hopefully he's your RB2 on your fantasy football team.

They're gradually digging their way out of what seemed to be incurable dysfunction.

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