Will Chris Johnson have another big game against the Texans?
While the show has ranged from the Bengals falling to the Raiders, the Saints dismantling the Buccaneers, Matthew Stafford delivering a sensational performance, or Brett Favre showing he still has it, the 11th week of the 2009 NFL season has shown us that we need to constantly be on guard.
Tonight’s Monday night match-up between the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans should be no different, as we’ll see the explosive Texans passing offense, led by Matt Schaub, against the Titans tough defense and the insane hot streak that running back Chris Johnson is on.
Read on for some quick fantasy analysis for each key player at each position for both teams:
Tennessee Titans
QB Vince Young
If you’re contemplating whether to start Young or not, chances are you forgot to start a quarterback and just picked him up off the waiver wire, or you mistakenly chose him over Matthew Stafford or Brady Quinn this week. Hey, at least you didn’t play Mark Sanchez, right?
Young will be a fine play tonight, so long as Chris Johnson and the running game keeps to it’s promise and gets the job done. I don’t see any real issues with that, so you can bank on getting 12-15 points from Young this week. Let’s just hope you don’t need 20.
Prediction: 13-20, 197 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT, 4 att, 26 yds, 0 TD
Let’s not be mistaken. This Houston run defense that got torched by the Jets and Jaguars to start the season (oh, and Tennessee), isn’t what they used to be. They’ve turned things around of late and have developed into a respectable overall defense. That’s great and all, but if we go back to earlier this season, changed defense or not, this Texans run defense gave up 197 rushing yards and two touchdowns to Chris Johnson. Yikes.
Simply put, CJ has at least two scores in his last three games, and has topped 128 yards rushing in four straight. The odds aren’t good that his ridiculous run stops against the team he destroyed in week two.
Prediction: 22 att, 166 yds, 2 TD, 4 rec, 33 yds, 0 TD
White is nothing more than a stop-gap at this point in the season, as his role is small or inconsistent, and he doesn’t even get goal-line carries like he did last season. Jeff Fisher can co. are running with the hot hand (Johnson), and won’t be changing the course any time soon.
White has minimal value as a Flex and could get lucky, but don’t attach your fate to him
Prediction: 5 att, 19 yds, 0 TD, 1 rec, 4 yds, 0 TD
WR Kenny Britt
The better the Titans rush offense gets, the less pressure will be on Vince Young and the passing game. When Young can play relaxed, mistake-free football, the better his receivers chances of having success are.
Britt is now Young’s number one option with Justin Gage out indefinitely with a back injury, so despite being a rookie, Britt still holds some value at this point in the season.
He had two catches for 55 yards last week after registering just three catches in his previous four games. Believe it or not, that’s what we like to call “progress”.
Prediction: 5 rec, 70 yds, 0 TD
Washington was signed away from the Pittsburgh Steelers to be the Titans number three guy, and has now moved up to the number two spot due to an injury to Justin Gage. Considering the Titans’ offensive approach, he clearly isn’t even a WR3 in standard fantasy leagues, but his knack for touchdowns and the fact that he’s caught the ball at least twice in seven of Tennessee’s nine games.
Doesn’t sound like much? Well, considering he was getting passes thrown to him by the inept Kerry Collins for much of the season, that’s actually fairly impressive. Washington may not be your team’s savior, but he gives you a realistic chance at 30+ yards and a score in any given week.
Prediction: 3 rec, 42 yds, 1 TD
TE Bo Scaife
Like the rest of Tennessee’s aerial weapons, Scaife will see progress when Vince Young does. And as previously stated, an out-burst by Young is coming, and as long as the running game continues to dominate, it’s only a matter of time.
While there is no guarantee that Young (or any of the Titans receiving options) will be studs on Monday night, any owners of Scaife can at least take solace in the fact that the offense round him is improving, and as the current starting tight end, he could be among the first to start reaping the benefits.
Prediction: 3 rec, 34 yds, 0 TD
Houston Texans
QB Matt Schaub
Despite facing an overall solid Titans defense, and an improving pass defense in particular, Schaub remains a must-start this week for fantasy owners. Schaub has struggled against solid pass defense, putting up forgettable performances against the likes of Oakland and Indianapolis.
However, with Tennessee’s having a solid run defense, combined with Houston’s inability to runt the ball consistently, there’s little doubt that Schaub and the passing game will be active early and often. How effective it will be, however, will depend on just how much help it receives from Steve Slaton and the rushing offense.
Prediction: 25-43, 376 yds, 3 TD, 3 INT
RB Steve Slaton
Slaton has re-gained Houston’s starting running back gig, and while that has many fantasy owners thinking like it’s 2008 again, they should all be reminded that being the head Houston running back lately doesn’t necessarily mean fantasy dominance.
Slaton should easily get 10+ touches, but with a tough match-up this week, is not as stellar of a play as he might sound.
Prediction: 13 att, 46 yds, 0 TD, 5 rec, 39 yds, 1 TD
RB Ryan Moats
Moats may have been sent back to the bench, but considering how effective he’s been when called upon, there’s almost no way Gary Kubiak leaves him out of the offense and lets Steve Slaton take over all by himself.
Count on Moats to stay close to Slaton as far as the carry count goes, and also get a few cracks at some goal-line carries.
Prediction: 11 att, 55 yds, 1 TD, 3 rec, 16 yds, 0 TD
Where tonight’s opponent Chris Johnson has succeded, so has Andre Johnson. There’s little room for argument that Tennessee’s pass defense is what it was when Johnson tore it up for 10 catches, 149 yards, and two scores, but it also can’t be ignored.
Johnson is a clear start every week, and especially so against a team that he owned earlier this season. We give a fair warning that the Titans pass defense has improved drastically over the past few weeks and it’s secondary is playing with great confidence, but nothing they’ve faced lately can come close to comparing to what AJ can do.
Prediction: 9 rec, 122 yds, 1 TD
WR Kevin Walter
With the loss of Owen Daniels, Matt Schaub needed someone to step up and take some targets over the middle. Walter has been that guy. He caught five passes last week, the most he’s had this year since catching seven passes in his first appearance earlier in the year.
While this almost guarantees that Walter will continue to be more involved in the offense, the return of ultra-athletic tight end James Casey would quickly cancel out his new-found success.
Prediction: 6 rec, 66 yds, 0 TD
TE James Casey
Casey stepped up and caught two passes for 14 yards a few weeks ago in the game that sent Owen Daniels to the IR, and will now be counted on to start filling in for Daniels in a full-time receiving role.
While Casey missed last week’s action due to a knee injury, he has returned to full practice and has the backing of his coaches and teammates, all suggesting that he’s ready for a bigger role, and that he’s in the teams plans for the rest of the season. We may find out just what we’re in for with Casey when the nation tunes in on Monday night.
Prediction: 6 rec, 59 yds, 1 TD
