C.J. Stroud

The knock on Stroud entering last year’s draft was his supposedly sub-par processing ability. It took about two games to kill that narrative. The No. 2 overall pick set a rookie record with 191 pass attempts before his first interception -- in Week 6 -- and two weeks later sewed up Rookie of the Years honors when he passed for a rookie-record 470 yards and five touchdowns. Stroud’s 4,108 yards -- in 15 games, mind you -- ranked third all-time for a rookie, his 23:5 TD:INT was the second-best ratio by a rookie since the merger and his 8.2 YPA was the highest mark for any rookie since 1970 with at least 300 attempts. The strong-armed Stroud continually pushed the ball downfield with a 9.0-yard average target depth, second in the NFL, and excelled throwing deep, completing 58.8 percent of his attempts of at least 20 yards (2nd), with eight touchdowns and no interceptions. His overall accuracy (22nd in on-target percentage) should improve in Year 2, and the addition of Stefon Diggs gives the Texans one of the league’s better WR trios with the 30-year-old joining Nico Collins and Tank Dell. TE Dalton Schultz returns to give Stroud a fourth playmaking target, and the trade for RB Joe Mixon ensures the Texans have a competent pass catcher in their backfield. At 6-3, 218, Stroud moves well in the pocket, but using his legs a bit more could be the key to unlocking additional fantasy value (QB9 last year). Read Past Outlooks