The Houston Texans have rushed for at least 100 yards in three of its last four games, but this week, they’re up against a top-10 rushing defense in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With this in mind, let’s take a look at which Texans running back is worth starting on your fantasy football team this week.
Should You Start Dameon Pierce or Devin Singletary This Week?
In the Pro Football Network Start/Sit Optimizer, PFN’s Consensus Rankings say that Dameon Pierce is the player to start. His projected 10.4 points include a projection of 52 rushing yards, two receptions, and 13 receiving yards. That projected stat line outperforms the consensus projections for Devin Singletary (8.2 points).
However, when I look at my rankings, I see Singletary outperforming Pierce this week because the matchup with Tampa Bay does not favor Pierce.
Fantasy Outlook for Dameon Pierce This Week
Pierce hasn’t been getting a ton of carries in recent weeks — just 25 rushing attempts combined over his last two games — and he has not had a reception or even been targeted since Week 5.
Although he has been the starter for Houston at running back all season, it’s not as if his production has been dominating in that starting role. In fact, he has the lowest yards per carry average — 3.0 — of any player in the NFL who has at least 100 rush attempts.
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According to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, Pierce has -27 rushing yards this season before contact this season, the fewest in the NFL. On the positive side, Pierce’s 354 rushing yards after contact ranks seventh in the league.
These aren’t the numbers you want heading into a game against a Buccaneers team that ranks 10th in rushing defense, allowing 98.6 rush yards per game.
Fantasy Outlook for Devin Singletary This Week
In his first season with the Texans, Singletary has not been given many opportunities thus far, with only 49 total rushing attempts in seven games. Lately, though, he’s getting more and more chances to produce for Houston.
Singletary has reached double digits in rushing attempts in each of the last two weeks — the first time all season with 10+ carries in a game — and he’s rushed for 88 yards total over the last two weeks (4.0 yards per carry).
Two weeks ago, Singletary had season highs in offensive snaps (34), rush attempts (12), and rushing yards (58) in a win over the Saints. All those numbers did go down in last week’s loss to the Panthers — 23 snaps, 10 carries, 30 rush yards, 3.0 yards per carry.
However, Singletary did catch two passes against Carolina, and even though he’s seen much less on the field than Pierce, he has nearly as many receptions (7) as Pierce (9).
Singletary hasn’t found the end zone yet this season, but I’m expecting that to change at some point since he does have 14 total touchdowns combined over the last two seasons.
The PFN Start/Sit Optimizer projects Singletary to finish with 32 yards and catch two passes for 15 yards.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Setting DFS lineups? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!