Should I Start Dameon Pierce In Week 2? Fantasy Football Outlook

The Houston Texans will return home at NRG Stadium for their Week 2 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts.

The Texans backfield is much slimmer than last season, and Dameon Pierce is once again locked in as the team's starting running back. The Texans acquired Devin Singletary in the offseason, but Pierce's rookie season proved he is a much more talented back than Singletary.

Pierce's preseason usage on third downs hinted at a potential expansion of his receiving role in addition to his lion's share of the carries, but Pierce was only in on 13.3% of third downs and 47% of the snaps in Week 1. So, should fantasy managers start Pierce in Week 2 despite his questionable usage in Week 1?

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Does Dameon Pierce Have A Good Matchup In Week 2?

The Texans face one of their division rivals, the Indianapolis Colts, in Week 2. In Week 1, the Colts surrendered 86 rushing yards on 26 carries (3.3 YPC) and two rushing touchdowns to the Jacksonville Jaguars running backs. Last season, the Colts allowed the seventh-most rushing touchdowns and 12th-most yards per game on the ground. While those stats made Indianapolis look like a juicy matchup, they allowed the sixth-fewest rushing yards per attempt last year. 

Now, let's take a look at the Texans' rushing attack. Dameon Pierce is the lead rusher for this offense, and the usage last week proved that. Pierce led the backfield with 11 rushing attempts and two receptions on three targets. With those 14 opportunities, Pierce collected 47 total yards and zero touchdowns. Those numbers are not likely to encourage fantasy managers, but it is worth mentioning that the Texans faced the Baltimore Ravens, who have one of the best rush defenses in the NFL. 

The negative game script had a massive impact on what the Texans' offense was able to produce in Week 1. Another factor to consider is it was the first game for rookie C.J. Stroud under a new Texans coaching staff. Pierce was rumored to be more involved in the passing game, but that did not come to fruition in the season's first game. Pierce's level of involvement in a better matchup is something for fantasy managers to watch.

Should I Start Dameon Pierce In Week 2 Fantasy Football?

Pierce had a lot of hype surrounding him during draft season. The speculation surrounding Pierce's potential passing game involvement inflated his draft cost. Pierce made it a point to mention how he has lost weight in preparation for all the routes he will be running in Texans' offensive coordinator Bobby Slowick's offense. Last season, Pierce was a borderline RB1 most weeks without passing game involvement, and the expectation was that he would build upon his strong rookie season. 

I have seen numerous reports stating that Pierce will not be the bell cow running back that everyone expected him to be, and it is too early to make that assumption based on a one-week sample size against an excellent rush defense. Slowick has already said he would like to get Pierce more touches in Week 2. Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud also popped up on the Friday injury report with a limited practice and is considered questionable for Sunday's contest.

If Stroud misses, expect the Texans to lean more on Pierce to shoulder the offensive load. This week's showdown with the Colts should be a more favorable matchup for him on the ground, and Pierce's goal-line role should give him opportunities for a touchdown. Yes, you should start Dameon Pierce in Week 2.

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