Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce flashed as a rookie after being selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, but his season ended after 13 games thanks to an ankle injury.
The 23-year-old Florida product commanded a workhorse role for Houston last season, so he should have the same opportunity for touches in 2023 after the team didn't add much to the running back room. That said, his health will be a big factor.
Is Pierce healthy or injured and what is his 2023 fantasy football outlook? Let's get into it.
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Dameon Pierce Injury Update For Fantasy Football
Pierce (ankle) looked healthy while participating in organized team activities on Tuesday. In a video posted by HoustonTexans.com's Deepi Sidhu, Pierce caught a short pass from rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud and looked to be running without any issues on his ankle after the catch.
Pierce landed on Injured Reserve late last season after suffering a high-ankle sprain in Week 14. Before that, he rushed 220 times for 939 yards (4.3 YPC) and four rushing scores, adding 30 receptions for 165 yards and another touchdown.
His rookie season was nothing but promising for things to come, so a clean bill of health would be a great sign for 2023.
Dameon Pierce 2023 Fantasy Football Outlook
Pierce was the RB22 in fantasy points per game last season, but in the context of the lifeless Texans' offense, that was fairly impressive. His current half-PPR ADP prices him as a low-end RB2, which feels appropriate.
Offenses often struggle with rookie quarterbacks, but since the Houston offense was so bad last season, there's a chance it improves immediately with C.J. Stroud under center. The additions of Stroud, offensive guard Shaq Mason, center Juice Scruggs, tight end Dalton Schultz, and wide receivers John Metchie III, Robert Woods, Nathaniel Dell, and Xavier Hutchinson could prove to elevate the offense to at least a respectable unit.
Pierce will compete for touches with Devin Singletary, but he should get the majority of the red zone and goal line work. Ultimately, his ceiling could be capped by the overall effectiveness of the offense, but he should have a decent floor and high-end workload in 2023.
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