RADIO
Houston Texans quarterback T.J. Yates isn't supposed to be in the position he is in right now.
Yates, who was originally drafted by the Texans back in 2011, was sitting on his couch, drinking coffee when the Texans called him in late October to join the team. Now, a Ryan Mallett cut and a Brian Hoyer injury later, Yates is leading the Texans to wins in consecutive weeks.
After coming into last week's game against the Bengals in relief of the injured Brian Hoyer, and leading the Texans to a 10-6 victory, Yates started Sunday's matchup against the New York Jets. Yates was clearly up to the challenge, having a solid game en route to a 24-17 victory.
Yates threw for 229 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions on 16-for-34 passing. He played well with the help of the Texans defense, which tallied two sacks and two interceptions, and the help of a solid offensive game plan with plenty of wrinkles.
J.J. Watt nearly caught a touchdown pass from Yates in the first quarter, and Cecil Shorts III threw for a touchdown in Houston's victory. Yet despite his solid performance, Yates is not a viable fantasy play.
The two touchdowns thrown by Yates were caught by none other than DeAndre Hopkins. Hopkins and Yates clearly have built a rapport, with Yates targeting Hopkins a game-high 12 times. Hopkins ended the game with five receptions, 118 yards, and two scores.
Hopkins was the most targeted receiver in the league this season prior to Sunday's matchup with the Jets, showing how much the Texans lean on him for offense. Hopkins has clearly become one of the best receivers in the game, and is a clear cut WR1 in any format.
