2024 Houston Texans Projected Finish, Key Signings and Fantasy Stars

In the 13th of a 32-part series, we are featuring all National Football League teams with a prediction of where each team will finish within their division, key off-season acquisitions and their top fantasy stars. Here are the Houston Texans.

Key Off Season Acquisitions

The Houston Texans were exceptionally busy in the offseason. They acquired three offensive players via trade and three key defensive players via free agency.

The three offensive players the Texans acquired via a trade were running back Joe Mixon of Oakley, California, and wide receivers Stefon Diggs of Gaithersburg, Maryland, and Ben Skowronek of Fort Wayne, Indiana. The three notable defensive players the Texans acquired via free agency were linebackers Danielle Hunter of St. Catherine, Jamaica and Azeez Al-Shaair of Tampa, Florida and defensive end Denico Autry of Albermarle, North Carolina.

Mixon is joining his second NFL franchise after seven seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. He was a Pro Bowler in 2021. During 2023, Mixon had 257 rushes for 1034 rushing yards, and nine rushing touchdowns, along with 52 catches for 376 receiving yards and three touchdown catches. Mixon was traded from the Bengals for a seventh round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Diggs is joining his third NFL franchise. He previously played five seasons with the Minnesota Vikings from 2015 to 2019, and the last four seasons where he was a Pro Bowler all four seasons with the Buffalo Bills. In 2023, Diggs had 107 catches for 1183 receiving yards and eight touchdown catches. Diggs was traded with a sixth round pick in 2024 and a fifth round pick in 2025 for a second round pick in 2025.

Skowronek, who won a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022, has played the last three seasons with the Rams. In 2023, he had eight catches for 66 receiving yards and one touchdown. Skowronek was traded from the Rams to the Texans with a seventh round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft for a sixth round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Hunter signed a two-year deal worth $49 million. He has spent the last eight seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023. Last season, Hunter led the NFL with 23 tackles for a loss. He also had 83 combined tackles (54 solo tackles and 29 assisted tackles), 22 quarterback hits, 16.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and two pass deflections.

Al-Shaair signed a three-year contract worth $34 million. He previously played four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers from 2019 to 2022, and one season with the Tennessee Titans in 2023. This past season, he had 163 combined tackles (84 solo tackles and 79 assisted tackles), nine tackles for a loss, six quarterback hits, four pass deflections, two sacks and one fumble recovery. The fumble recovery came in a 28-23 Titans win over the Atlanta Falcons on October 29.

Autry signed a two-year deal worth $20 million. He previously played four seasons with the Oakland Raiders (2014 to 2017), three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts (2018 to 2020), and three seasons with the Tennessee Titans (2021 to 2023). With the Titans in 2023, Autry had 50 combined tackles (30 solo tackles and 20 assisted tackles), 12 tackles for a loss, 17 quarterback hits, 11.5 sacks, four pass deflections, and two forced fumbles.

Fantasy Stars

At quarterback, Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud of Rancho Cucamonga, California is ranked fifth. As a Pro Bowler and Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2023, Stroud completed 319 passes in 499 attempts for 4108 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and five interceptions, with 39 rushes for 167 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

At kicker. Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn of Kailua, Hawaii is ranked ninth in the NFL. In 2023, he made 27 of 28 field goals and 21 of 22 converts.

Projected Finish

The Texans are a part of an intriguing AFC South Dvision to say the least. They have a quarterback with exceptional poise, accuracy and skill, an exceptional supporting cast which includes a top-15 running back (Mixon), two top 30 wide receivers (Nico Collins of Birmingham, Alabama and Diggs), and a top 15 tight end (Dalton Schultz of Sandy, Utah). The Texans won the AFC South in 2023, and are poised to defend their title.