Houston Texans' Andre Johnson Eyes Big Season

Wide out Johnson may slip under the radars of some fantasy leagues because of an injury-interrupted 2007 season, but smart owners will grab him early. He’s Houston’s top offensive threat, is in his prime and is due for a monster season.

The 6-foot-3, 223-pound Johnson missed seven games in 2007 with a knee injury but put up 851 yards and eight scores and had two TDs of longer than 70 yards, big bonuses in some fantasy formats. Those numbers project to 1,513 yards and 14 scores this year. Anything in the neighborhood would thrill fantasy owners who take him. He caught 103 passes for 1,147 yards in 2006.

Another sleeper might be tight end Daniels. Daniels (6-3, 237) is entering his third season and is a sure starter. He doubled his output from his 2006 rookie year (34 catches/352 yards) in 2007 (63/768). He should work his way into the top 10 tight ends in the league in 2008.

And the Texans have two competent quarterbacks in Matt Schaub and Sage Rosenfels. Resisting David Carr pun. Rosenfels subbed ably when Schaub was injured last year, but Schaub should enter the season as the starter. Schaub (2,241 yards, 9 TDs, 9 INTs in 2007) should have some fantasy value.

The Texans’ situation at running back only bolsters the fantasy value of the receivers. Ron Dayne was the team’s leading rusher with only 773 yards in ’07, and the team scored just 12 rushing TDs. But keep an eye on the progress of rookie burner Steve Slaton, who clocked a 4.36 in the 40-yard dash and ran for 3,923 yards and 50 touchdowns at West Virginia.

Were they not in the same AFC division as three teams that made the playoffs in 2007, the Houston Texans likely would be favored to reach the post-season for the first time in franchise history in 2008. The Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans all made the playoffs last season, and at least Indy and Jacksonville will be favored to advance again in 2008.

But the Texans could pass Tennessee this season, an achievement that would carry no small amount of symbolism. Houston’s original franchise, the Oilers, left for Tennessee, and the Titans helped pour criticism on the Texans in 2006 by drafting Houston area native Vince Young, the QB who led the University of Texas to the national championship.

Houston could’ve taken Young, and the Texans were widely booed when they passed him up for North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams, who struggled his rookie season while Young was voted offensive rookie of the year in 2006.

But it was Young who sputtered in ’07, while Williams blossomed and recorded 14.5 sacks for a defense that should be even stronger in ’08.

And a stronger defense will mean more opportunities for Johnson, Daniels and Co.

(fantasyfootball.suite101.com)