Houston Texans' C.J. Stroud Emerging, But Should You Draft Him in Fantasy Football?

Yahoo Sports isn't buying the hype of Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud for fantasy football.

Aug 9, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) takes the field against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud took the NFL by storm his rookie season, putting up historic numbers on his way to earning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and a Pro Bowl invite - catapulting him into the conversion of a top 10 quarterback in the league.

Stroud's electrifying rookie season looked great in person, but in fantasy football land it was only good enough to place him as a top 12 quarterback. Now fantasy football is different and is mainly for the fans who consume the NFL's product each week, and for those fans it is important to have the right quarterback to lead their team each week.

Stroud figures to once again be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in 2024, especially with the new additions of Joe Mixon and Stefon Diggs, but will that necessarily vault him into a fantasy football must-draft? Yahoo Sports writer Kate Magdziuk doesn't believe so as she has Stroud as her top quarterback on her "All-Fade" team for fantasy.

"It's difficult to fade Stroud given the strength of his receiving corps; the opportunity to throw to the trio of Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell is nothing to scoff at, and it should lead to continued efficiency in the passing game and likely, an increase in touchdown production," Magdziuk writes. "But will it be enough to make up the lack of edge he gives in terms of rushing?

READ MORE: Houston Texans' Cam Akers Earning Spot with Team in Training Camp

Stroud will be entering his second season in the league and still has a ton to prove as his career is just getting started. Stroud is an agile quarterback, but Magdziuk makes a valid point that the lack of rushing ability, or the willingness to run, can and will hold Stroud back from becoming an elite fantasy quarterback.

Stroud has all the weapons at his disposal and he likely will be one of the hotter commodities as fantasy drafts get underway, but there there is a ceiling and you could be better off waiting for another quarterback to grab in later rounds that likely could have the same fantasy output or better than the Texans signal caller.

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