In a significantly less exciting move than the Bears acquiring D.J. Moore, a second wide receiver domino fell on Friday. Robert Woods joined the Houston Texans after a disappointing year in Tennessee. Can the soon-to-be 31-year-old Woods bounce back with a division rival, or are the Texans buying the damaged goods we saw in 2022?
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Contract Terms
The Texans signed Woods to a two-year contract worth $15.3 million, with $10 million guaranteed.
Fantasy Impact
The Texans need wide receiver help. Unfortunately, based on what we saw in 2022, Woods won't be the final piece to solve this puzzle. While appearing in 17 games, Woods was targeted 91 times but reeled in just 53 receptions for 527 yards and only two touchdowns. Some of those woes are due to poor quarterback play, but that is not guaranteed to improve with the Texans.
The good news is that there is little competition for targets in Houston. Brandin Cooks followed up an excellent 2021 with a down season of his own, and it appears his time in Houston might be coming to a close. Nico Collins did little to establish himself in 2022 despite Cooks missing three games. Collins only played in 10 games, catching 37 passes for 481 yards and two touchdowns. Houston drafted John Metchie in the second round of last year's draft. However, a preseason cancer diagnosis kept him from playing in 2022, and his future is still uncertain. The Texans need wide receiver help.
With 100-200 vacated targets from last year, depending on what happens with Cooks, there is room for a sleeper wide receiver in Houston. If Woods can return to 2020 form, his last relevant season, he could be a steal for fantasy managers.
On this roster, Woods could easily lead the team in targets. He just needs to be more efficient than he was in 2022. Based on his performance over the previous two years, he won't cost much in fantasy drafts. You'll likely be able to land him as a fourth or fifth wideout on your roster and hope for the best.
Fantasy Fallout
Since the Titans flat-out released Woods, there was never a chance he was returning, so the fallout is clear-cut. They will put all their hopes in last year's first-round pick, Treylon Burks. It was a rough rookie season, but Burks showed flashes of talent, especially down the stretch. Tennessee will likely address the position again in the 2023 draft. Burks, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, and Kyle Phillips are the only wide receivers left on the roster who contributed last season.
Tennessee likely sticks with Ryan Tannehill at quarterback. However, with the team getting younger, it could be another rough year for the veteran quarterback, who is off most fantasy radars.
Stock Watch
After disappointing managers over the last two seasons, Woods' stock couldn't be much lower than it is now. The move to Houston will only move the needle a little. Still, there is definite sleeper potential, depending on who is throwing him the ball and who the team adds to compete for targets.