C.J. Stroud has been outstanding as a rookie for the Houston Texans. He’s played his way to what seems like an easy Rookie of the Year win, but he should also be considered one of the competitors for the league MVP award. However, he’s been banged up multiple times this season, and he was injured on a hit in the third quarter against the Jaguars.
C.J. Stroud Injury Update
Houston’s QB appeared to suffer a lower body injury against the Jaguars in the third quarter. He struggled to put pressure on his left leg after it was fallen on. He was sacked on the very next play by an unblocked Josh Allen, and he was slow to get up and off the field for the punt unit.
#Texans QB C.J. Stroud limping after getting his ankle rolled up on.
The rookie is still in the game.
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) November 26, 2023
The broadcast showed Stroud staying loose on the sidelines during the Jaguars’ next offensive drive.
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Stroud returned to the field on the very next offensive drive, but his ankle will be something to monitor in the fourth quarter.
When Stroud returned, the Texans were down by 10 points. Stroud’s magic, despite clearly being impacted by his flat tire, was able to construct a five-play, 55-yard drive to bring the game within three points with five minutes remaining.
Stroud then led an 11-play drive that picked up 50 yards, despite taking multiple ugly hits along the way, including a 15-yard sack on an attempted screen.
Although Houston lost, this was the fourth consecutive game that Stroud went over 300 yards passing, which is the first time a rookie has ever accomplished that feat.
Talking to the media after the game, Stroud put the loss on his shoulders despite his impressive stat line. “I’ve got to be better when throwing the ball high and things like that. We’ve just got to have better execution. We need to fight, we need to be dogs out there”.
Regardless, Stroud expressed how confident he was in the team in front of him and emphasized the positive trajectory that the Texans have showcased since he took over at quarterback.
“It’s a long year, we’ve got seven more games to play like there’s a lot more football left and you can see the trajectory we are on. We are taking strides, but we need to play complimentary football”.
Potential Fantasy Impact
The impressive rookie campaign of Texans QB C.J. Stroud continued in the team’s Week 12 matchup against the Jaguars with 221 total yards and two total scores through two-plus quarters of action before getting banged up.
Stroud has been the engine to a completely revamped Texans offense in 2023, which has produced an average of 23.8 points per game heading into Sunday. If Stroud misses any time moving forward, Davis Mills would be the next man up under center.
The loss of Stroud would immediately drop the fantasy value of Tank Dell, Nico Collins, and Dalton Schultz significantly in the weekly fantasy rankings.
— Fantasy analysis by Derek Tate