Tag: devin singletary

Texans RB Devin Singletary heralded for big game against the Cardinals

Houston Texans running back Devin Singletary picked up some praise from NBC Sports’ Peter King for the second straight week.

Devin Singletary’s second straight 100-yard performance looms large, not only for the Houston Texans, but for the rest of the NFL.

According to Peter King from NBC Sports, Singletary’s 22 carries for 112 yards and a touchdown in the 21-16 win over the Arizona Cardinals were worthy enough to qualify for an offensive player of the week slot in King’s “Football Morning in America” column.

Devin Singletary, running back, Houston. For the second straight week, the Buffalo castoff was crucial in a narrow Texans win that kept Houston (6-4) a game behind Jacksonville heading into their showdown for AFC South supremacy next Sunday in Houston. He rushed 22 times for 112 yards and a touchdown. His 11-yard TD score in the second quarter gave the Texans the lead for good. His 262 rushing yards in the last two weeks — in relief of the injured Dameon Pierce — lead all NFL backs over Week 10 and 11.

While Singletary is enjoying the benefits of being the Texans’ feature back, according to offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, Houston still has plans for Pierce as the dominant ball carrier once he returns.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1365]

WATCH: Texans RB Devin Singletary rushes for 11-yard TD against the Cardinals

Houston Texans running back Devin Singletary rushed for an 11-yard score against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 11.

Devin Singletary is taking advantage of opportunities.

The former Buffalo Bills running back has been filling in as the feature back for the Houston Texans for the past three games with Dameon Pierce sidelined with an ankle injury.

Facing a second-and-10 from the Arizona Cardinals’ 11-yard line in Week 11 Sunday, Singletary gave Houston the lead with a touchdown run with 11:27 to go in the second quarter. An extra point from Matt Ammendola gave the Texans 14-10 lead.

The strong showing from Singletary follows a Week 10 performance wherein he delivered 30 carries for 150 yards and a touchdown, by far the most production for a Texans running back in 2023.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=601914802]

Texans RB Devin Singletary optimistic about run game

Houston Texans running back Devin Singletary is enthused about the direction of the run game.

Houston Texans running back Devin Singletary had a feeling that he would have a breakout game against the Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday at Paycor Stadium. The fifth-year veteran was called upon to replace injured teammate Dameon Pierce, who missed his second consecutive game due to an ankle injury.

“As soon as I seen the game plan I said, ‘It is going to be a good week,’” Singletary said to the Texans Wire. “When I got on the field, it was just a cool, calm, and collected feeling over me, and we were able to get busy.”

Singletary, 26, had a career day by rushing for 150 yards on 30 attempts. He added a touchdown to help the Texans defeat the Bengals 30-27. It is the 16th time a Texan has rushed for 150-plus yards in a single game and the fifth career game that he has rushed for 100-plus yards. Houston had not had a player rush for over 100 yards since Dameon Pierce completed the feat last November against the Philadelphia Eagles.

All the hard work on the field paid off for Singletary, who was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week. Singletary was the only player in the NFL to surpass 125 yards on the ground last week, as his 150-yard total stands as the ninth-highest single-game total in the league this year.

Although he was awarded individually, Singletary is well aware that he could only have accomplished his career day with some help from his teammates.

“The big guys [offensive line] was able to move some people,” said Singletary. “You even had the receivers coming into the box and getting real dirty; a lot of receivers do not like to do that. run. That was all it came down to.”

With Pierce out for the third straight game Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, the Texans offense will be hoping for a repeat performance from Singletary. A victory would help keep the division title and playoff goals Houston has for themselves alive heading into next week’s showdown with the Jacksonville Jaguars. It would also help further the bond the players have developed in the locker room.

“You can feel the momentum we got going,” Singletary said about the locker room atmosphere. “The brotherhood we have is growing and getting stronger. Guys are locked in. We are ready to play some meaningful football. It is that time. November and December, guys are locked in.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1416]

Fantasy football start ’em, sit ’em: Week 11

Check out these starts and sits for fantasy football in Week 11.

As the Week 11 slate of games kicked off Thursday night, the attention now turns to the start/sit decisions managers will face over the weekend as they stare down their fantasy football lineups.

For the third week in a row, four teams will be on a bye, including the Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons.

Doing start/sit articles can be a little challenging. The players featured on the list below should not be taken as “must starts” or “must sits.” Instead, these are more suggestions on what we believe managers should do with fringe players heading into the weekend. The choice is ultimately up to the manager.

Just because a player is listed as a “start” doesn’t mean he should be put in the lineup over the secure, bona fide studs. Vice versa for the “sits.” If there’s no better option on the waiver wire or the bench, a manager shouldn’t automatically sit the player. That’s why these can be tricky waters to navigate.

Feel free to ask any specific start/sit questions via X, formerly Twitter, (@KevinHickey11), or check out our start/bench list for Week 11:

Six points with David Dorey

Friday’s quick look at six fantasy items to know

The season is just about two-thirds done on the fantasy calendar, and playoffs are starting to come into view in the distance. Some large contests start in Week 14, and most leagues happen in Weeks 16 and 17, so there is still time to move up the standings. But the waiver in your league is likely bare outside of some bonehead dropping a fantasy starter.

Defenses and kickers still offer worthwhile finds, but only injury will uncover a new starter. The rest of the way is more about making optimal starting decisions and starting to look toward matchups your players will have in your playoffs.

Injuries continue to degrade all positions, and quarterbacks seem to have an unusual number of injuries. Ten have missed at least one game, and that is eleven if Joe Burrow misses time with the wrist injury he suffered last night. That’s one in three quarterbacks that have been injured, and there are eight more games in the season.

The topic for this week is NFL backfields and how they continue to change. After ten games, some teams have soured on their Week 1 starter and others just see more from the No. 2 guy. Here are my Top-6 backfields that are – or may be – in transition for the next few weeks and could heighten the fantasy prospects for one back while decreasing the other.

  1.  Tony Pollard / Rico Dowdle (DAL) – The Cowboys rushing offense apparently left with Ezekiel Elliott. What was once a strength is now a weakness. Tony Pollard turned in 1,007 yards on 193 carries (5.2 YPC) last year under a different coach and as the No. 2 back. He’s gaining 3.9 yards per carry, looking like a No. 2 miscast as a No. 1 back. Last week, the Cowboys clobbered the Giants 49-17, and Pollard only had 15 runs for 55 yards. Rico Dowdle had a career-best 79 yards and a score on 12 rushes. Chances are high that neither back is going to shine, but at least Dowdle looks likely to get more work at the expense of Pollard. It was very telling when Pollard couldn’t score from the 1-yard line on a fourth down. Dowdle later scored from the 1-yard line on a first down.
  2. D’Onta Foreman / Khalil Herbert (CHI) – Herbert has been on injured reserve since Oct. 13 with an ankle injury, but he’s entered the 21-day window to be activated and just had a full practice last week. Herbert averaged 5.7 YPC last year and 5.3 YPC through Week 5. But D’Onta Foreman has been very effective and handled 20 carries the last two weeks. At this point, it is most likely to see Foreman remain the primary but cede touches to Herbert and Roschon Johnson. The backfield cannot be truly evaluated until Herbert proves 100% healthy and is no longer being eased back in. The next two weeks should set the stage for expectations for after the Week 13 bye.
  3. De’Von Achane / Raheem Mostert (MIA) – All eyes are on the Miami backfield. Achane is expected to return and add to his ridiculous 12.1 YPC. But Raheem Mostert is there and still healthy, amazingly enough. After his breakout in Week 3, Achane and Mostert split carries 11:10 and 8:7. They faced the visiting Broncos and Giants and did much less at the Bills. More soft matchups await for the next month and we’ll see how long Achane needs to be active and at full strength endurance. Miami will split their workload and doesn’t like a workhorse. Facing the Raiders this week is another soft matchup, so it should be productive. But the key will be the total amount of carries in this pass-first offense.
  4. Dameon Pierce / Devin Singletary (HOU) – It appears that Pierce is no lock to return this week from his ankle injury. And in his absence, Singletary ran for 150 yards and a score on 30 rushes (5.0 YPC). The Texans host the Cardinals and their No. 32 defense versus running backs, so Singletary should really shine again. But the Houston O-line is one of the worst, and Singletary only totaled 62 runs for 209 yards through Week 9 (3.4 YPC). In Week 9, he was alone versus the Bucs and only gained 26 yards on 13 rushes. The passing game is improved in Houston as well. The most that will happen is that these backs start to split 50:50 and negate what minimal fantasy value there was.
  5. Kyren Williams / Darrell Henderson (LAR) – Williams is expected to return in Week 12 when he is eligible to come off injured reserve where he landed with a high-ankle sprain. Henderson and Royce Freeman have filled in, and Henderson logged 18 rushes for 61 yards and a score versus the Steelers, while Freeman totaled 66 yards on 12 runs. Freeman scored in Dallas but that game went sideways early. Williams should return to his same role, and both Henderson and Freeman should take a step back to just relief work. HC Sean McVay is already talking about his excitement in getting Williams back. The backfield should look good this week versus the visiting Seahawks, who are weak versus the run, but whatever happens won’t dampen the switch back to Williams when he is active again.
  6. Jaylen Warren / Najee Harris (PIT) – Last year, the Steelers’ run game took off in the second half of the season, and it appears that it may be repeating. The offensive line is playing better and Jaylen Warren is tearing off as many longer runs as anyone lately. The duo started the year with Harris as the 3:1 lead, but they have morphed into a true committee now with their best game of the year in Week 10 when they split 31 carries for 183 yards and two touchdowns versus the Packers. The last few games were at home and the next two are at the Browns and Bengals. The remaining schedule is better than most, though, and for now, these two swap out regularly. That helps Warren and dings Harris.

About last night…

Credit: Sam Greene-USA TODAY Sports

Bengals 20, Ravens 34

There were more points than most Thursday games, but it is the aftermath of that game that will be more important. Joe Burrow injured his throwing wrist and he’ll be examined on Friday. The outward signs suggested it was a serious enough injury that he could miss a game or more. Mark Andrews had his ankle rolled up on a tackle and left the game after two catches. He’s expected to be out for the rest of the season with a high-ankle sprain “plus more.” Losing Anderson puts a ding in the Ravens’ offense, but one that the rest of the receivers can try to compensate for. Losing Burrow for any time sinks the fantasy value of the entire Bengals’ offense and signals that the 5-5 Bengals likely face the reality that the postseason is out of reach.

The Bengals had enough trouble moving the ball with Burrow, and after he left, Jake Browning took over with minimal success. Tight end Tanner Hudson led the Bengals’ receivers with four catches for 49 yards – the second-best performance of his four-year career. But Tyler Boyd (3-22) and Ja’Marr Chase (2-12, TD) were little used, and Chase’s score was with one minute left in the already-decided game. Joe Mixon was the only Bengal that met expectations when he ran for 69 yards on 16 rushes and caught a team-high five passes for 31 yards and a touchdown. The 5-5 Bengals host the Steelers in Week 12.

Lamar Jackson turned in a standard performance. He ran for 54 yards and threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns. Nelson Agholor (1-37, TD) and Rashod Bateman (1-10, TD) caught those, while Odell Beckham (4-116) led all receivers before leaving with a shoulder injury. Zay Flowers (3-43) was quieter than expected. The win boost the Ravens to 8-3 still atop the AFC North and they head to Los Angeles to face the Chargers.

Texans RB Devin Singletary named AFC Offensive Player of the Week

Houston Texans running back Devin Singletary has earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his 30 carries for 150 yards and a TD in Week 10.

For the third time in team history, the Houston Texans have back-to-back players of the week.

The NFL announced Wednesday running back Devin Singletary as the AFC Offensive Player of the Week. Singletary had 30 carries for 150 yards and a touchdown in Houston’s 30-27 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10.

The former Buffalo Bill was the only player to go over 125 yards on the ground the past week, and the 150 yards is the ninth-best single-game total league-wide in 2023. Singletary is also the eighth player in team history to attain the 150-yard threshold.

The Texans now have had a player of the week 54 times, and it is the 19th time an offensive player has won the award. Singletary joins Blake Cashman and C.J. Stroud as the other Texans to win player of the week honors in 2023.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1365]

Texans RB Devin Singletary could offer fantasy value during stretch run

The Houston Texans’ surging run game may provide value for RB Devin Singletary as fantasy football moves into late season.

The NFL season is halfway over for some teams, but for fantasy football enthusiasts, twilight is growing nigh on the 2023 campaign. Customarily the start for fantasy football playoffs is Week 15.

As is the case in the NFL, teams are constantly tinkering with what works. For the Houston Texans, it appears that Devin Singletary as lead running back produces results. The former Buffalo Bills rusher generated 30 carries for 150 yards and a touchdown in what was Houston’s best rushing output of the season.

According to Gordon McGuinness from Pro Football Focus, Singletary deserves consideration for fantasy rosters entering the final stretch.

Devin Singletary is only rostered in 51% of Yahoo leagues and is coming off a game where he put up 150 yards in relief of the injured Dameon Pierce. Even when Pierce returns, Singletary can still expect to see roughly 10 carries per game if they split time, and there is the potential that his big game against the Cincinnati Bengals will cause a Texans team that had struggled to get the running game going to turn to him more down the stretch.

Prior to Week 8 when Pierce injured his ankle, there were only two games Singletary went over 10 touches, let alone carries.

The Texans may be more likely to go with Singletary earlier in games if Pierce is still struggling to find daylight. Pierce has to know his job is at stake given Singletary’s performance against the Bengals, which could motivate the former 2022 fourth-rounder to keep Singletary on the bench.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1416]

The Texans are better than you think, and it’s not just about C.J. Stroud

The Houston Texans are better than you think as a team, which means that it’s about more then just C.J. Stroud.

[anyclip-media thumbnail=”” playlistId=”undefined” content=”PHNjcmlwdCBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vcGxheWVyLnBvcHRvay5jb20vYW55Y2xpcC13aWRnZXQvbHJlLXdpZGdldC9wcm9kL3YxL3NyYy9scmUuanMiIGRhdGEtYXI9IjE2OjkiIGRhdGEtcGxpZD0iZzQydW10dDJncnp1ZXEyeG52ZnRld2xjbTV5aGs1enoiIHB1Ym5hbWU9IjE5OTgiIHdpZGdldG5hbWU9IjAwMTZNMDAwMDJVMEIxa1FBRl9NODMyNSI+Cjwvc2NyaXB0Pg==”][/anyclip-media]

When the Houston Texans started the 2023 season 0-2 with losses to the Baltimore Ravens and the Indianapolis Colts, it seemed as if Houston’s NFL franchise would be nothing but an interesting footnote with new head coach DeMeco Ryans and quarterback C.J. Stroud. Coming off a 3-13-1 2022 season as they had, the Texans went all-out in the draft, taking Ohio State’s Stroud with the second overall pick, and trading up to select Alabama pass-rusher Will Anderson Jr. with the third overall pick. Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio also made some interesting free-agency moves, and took Houston speed receiver Nathaniel “Tank” Dell, but in those first two games, the Texans still looked worlds away from competitive status.

What a difference a couple of months can make. The Texans have won five of their last seven games since that 0-2 start, Ryans and his staff seem to have multiplied and maximized the efforts of just about every player on the roster, and Stroud has graduated from a college quarterback with some question marks about his NFL potential to one of the best quarterbacks in the league, regardless of tenure.

Stroud is the force multiplier for the Texans in conjunction with offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, but is this team good enough to get to the playoffs and make noise there? Houston has had one of the league’s tougher schedules this season, and they close out the 2023 regular season with games against the Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Denver Broncos, NEw York Jets, Tennessee Titans, and the Colts. So, it’s a legitimate question, and when you look at the Texans’ entire squad, there’s more than just Stroud to talk about. In truth, the Texans are performing over their projections at just about every position, and they’re doing so with a lot of players you may not even know. 

“For us and our team and where we are, we’re still just grinding one week at a time,” Ryans said Monday, one day after his team beat the Cincinnati Bengals in a 30-27 last-second thriller. “Really focused on us and focused on getting better. From our game yesterday, I really loved the fact that everyone contributed to the win. I think that’s the most impressive thing to me about that game. True team win. Everybody stepping up, everybody made a play. If you were up in that game, you made a play, and that’s the cool part about our team is that it doesn’t matter who is out there, we expect everyone to do their best, play to the best of their ability, play fast, play physical, and that’s what you saw from our entire team yesterday.”

More and more, it’s what we’re seeing from the Texans week in and week out as things come together for them.

So, it’s time to focus on the feature question: Who are these guys, anyway, and why are they winning all of a sudden?

It’s about more than the quarterback.

Fantasy Football: 10 best waiver wire targets for Week 11

Vikings running back Ty Chandler headlines this week’s list of fantasy football waiver wire targets.

Following the Denver Broncos’ game against the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football in Week 10, fantasy football managers will begin putting in waiver wire claims for Week 11.

So, who are the best waiver wire targets this week? Our list includes options at running back, wide receiver, tight end, quarterback and kicker. The list is highlighted by a pair of young RBs who might be on the verge of getting larger workloads.

In Baltimore, Gus Edwards continues to lead the Ravens’ backfield (he had 11 carries on Sunday), but rookie Keaton Mitchell won’t go away. Mitchell only got three carries in Week 10, but he turned them into 34 yards and a touchdown. He also caught one pass for 32 yards.

In Minnesota, Ty Chandler might be on the verge of taking over the Vikings’ backfield. Chandler (15 carries) was more involved than Alexander Mattison (eight carries), and the second-year RB also scored a touchdown.

Chandler and Mitchell are the top priorities on the waiver wire this week.

Each player’s rostered percentage in ESPN fantasy football leagues is listed in parentheses. Ready? Let’s get to the full list!

Fantasy football waiver wire: Week 11 free-agent forecast

Here are the top targets on the waiver wire in Week 11.

With just a few more weeks until the fantasy football playoffs are here, the waiver wire has a number of intriguing targets for managers to consider entering Week 11.

The slate of Week 10 games will come to a conclusion Monday night when the Buffalo Bills host the Denver Broncos.

Teams on a bye in Week 11 include the Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons.

We’ll be taking a look at the top available players rostered in Yahoo leagues, using the 75% rostered mark as the threshold. If you have any questions about prioritizing a certain player over another, don’t be afraid to hit me up on X, formerly Twitter, (@KevinHickey11). Your questions and comments are always welcome!

We also will be taking a look at some deeper players to stash and the top streaming options for the upcoming week.

Fantasy football waiver wire recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated.

Check back for any updates throughout Monday and Tuesday as more injury news becomes available.