FANTASY FOOTBALL NFL PLAYERS

Posted: 4/21/2013 11:37pm et

Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson said he would like to play five more seasons before his career is over.

Huddle Up: Johnson, who will be 32 when the season kicks off, looked to be running a career fade pattern after missing a combined 12 games over the the 2010 and 2011 seasons and recording 119 catches for 1,708 yards, but he nearly matched those totals in 2012 alone, hauling in 112 passes for a career-high 1,598 yards. He most certainly could use a more formidable running mate on the other side, but Johnson again figures to ranks among the top 10 fantasy wideouts this coming season barring an injury.

Posted: 2/7/2013 9:42pm et

The Houston Texans must look to add a No. 2 receiving option in the offseason who can help take pressure off of WR Andre Johnson. There was a 71-catch difference between the number of balls Johnson caught (112) and the second-best wide receiver caught (WR Kevin Walter, 41) this past season.

Huddle Up: The Texans added a trio of young wideouts -- DeVier Posey, Lestar Jean and Keshawn Martin -- last offseason and they might just bank on one of three stepping forward rather thancommiting more resources to the position. If they do add another WR, though, it figures to be an older, experienced vet.

Posted: 1/31/2013 10:59pm et

Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson has triggered a $3.3 million escalator in his contract and is now scheduled to earn a $9.5 million base salary in 2013.

Huddle Up: Well deserved after Johnson finished with the second-most catches (112) and most yards (1,598) in his 10-year career. The only disappointment for Johnson's fantasy owners were his 4 TD catches.

Posted: 12/18/2012 2:21pm et

Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson (groin) had only nine catches for 164 yards in the first four games of the season, but he wasn't completely healed from a groin injury that he suffered in training camp. Since Week 4, Johnson has averaged 8.4 catches and 119.6 yards per game. 'I'm feeling a lot better,' Johnson said. 'I feel like my explosion came back. That's a big part of my game, so I feel a lot better than I did at the beginning.' He's coming off an eight-game stretch in which he has 68 catches for 1,002 yards. Johnson needs just seven grabs and 140 yards in the final two games to join former WR Marvin Harrison as the only receivers with at least 100 catches and 1,500 yards in three seasons. He could also join former WR Jerry Rice as the only wideouts with 100 catches and 1,500 yards in their 10th season or later.

Huddle Up: Johnson has made quite a rebound from his injury-filled 2011 season and his slow start to 2012, and it's paid big dividends to those fantasy owners who've believed in him. He's now regained his place among the elite fantasy WRs, especially in PPR leagues.

Posted: 11/29/2012 12:43pm et

In his last two games, Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson put together the best back-to-back outings by a receiver in NFL history with a total of 461 yards.

Huddle Up: Johnson has played a huge role of late as the Texans have got caught up in back-to-back OT shootouts with the Jaguars and Lions. The Week 13 matchup against the Titans doesn't figure to play out the same, but then again, no one thought that about the Jags' contest, either. For now, you definitely have to roll with the hot hand.

Posted: 11/22/2012 10:16pm et

Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson had nine receptions for 188 yards in Week 12 against the Detroit Lions Thursday, Nov. 22. Johnson has managed 23 receptions for 461 yards over his past two games. It was Johnson's 42nd career 100-yard receiving game.

Huddle Up: Johnson's timing couldn't be better for his fantasy owners who are making a late playoff push. The veteran wideout only had 2 100-yard receiving games in the season's first 10 weeks, but he's put together back-to-back big-point outings as the Texans prevailed in a pair of shootouts. He didn't have a TD grab among his 9 catches Thursday, but you can't argue with 188 yards in a game where the Lions knew they had to keep the wideout under control.

Posted: 10/17/2012 3:13pm et

Houston Texans head coach Gary Kubiak said that difficulty running the ball has hurt the team;s ability to throw the deep pass to WR Andre Johnson.

Huddle Up: This is a bit funny coming from such a run-heavy team, but Kubiak has a point. While Foster has been able to deliver with some touchdowns for his fantasy owners, the running game has sputtered as a whole for the Texans. Foster is averaging just 3.8 YPC on the season; being unable to hit big runs will affect the passing game.

Posted: 10/13/2012 7:52pm et

Some critics have said Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson is no longer the player he once was; however, QB Matt Schaub believes Johnson is ready to breakout soon. 'He's obviously one of the best receivers in this league. And teams obviously know that. They gear and gameplan things to take him away. We understand that,' Schaub said. 'We still try to get him the football. But we have a lot of weapons on this offense both at wide receiver, tight end with Owen Daniels and Garrett Graham, James Casey at fullback and our running backs make a lot of plays. We spread the wealth around, but we know that No. 80 is ready to go and have a big game at any moment.'

Huddle Up: In the 4 contests since his impressive start to the season (8 catches, 119 yards, TD) in Week 1, Johnson only has 9 grabs for 164 yards and a TD. He still should be starting in almost all fantasy leagues, but he clearly isn't the elite wideout GMs thought they were getting in their drafts this summer.

Posted: 10/12/2012 4:09pm et

Houston Texans head coach Gary Kubiak said this week that he wants to call more plays for WR Andre Johnson.

Huddle Up: Johnson has been in on less than 85 percent of his team's offensive snaps thus far, a surprising statistic for the No. 1 receiver in Houston. His fantasy owners have been frustrated, so this should come as welcome news.

Posted: 10/10/2012 7:16pm et

Houston Texans RB Andre Johnson (groin) was limited in practice Wednesday, Oct. 10.

Huddle Up: For a change, Johnson has played every game, but he's been a bit of a fantasy disappointment so far with 17 catches -- with only 9 and one TD coming in his past 4 games. Maybe the veteran WR is hurting more than he's letting on.

Posted: 10/9/2012 12:14am et

Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson managed just one catch for 15 yards in the Week 5 game Monday, Oct. 8, against the New York Jets. There was no apparent injury, it just seemed that the Jets' defense keyed on him and took him out of the game, forcing QB Matt Schaub to find others to beat them.

Huddle Up: Johnson was blanketed by CB Antonio Cromartie for most of the night, and despite tying for the team lead with 6 targets, he finished with his worst statistical game since a 1-catch, 9-yard outing versus the Raiders in 2006. In 5 games this season, he only has 17 catches for 283 yards and 2 TDs.

Posted: 10/5/2012 5:01pm et

Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson (groin) was limited in practice Friday, Oct. 5.

Huddle Up: Johnson had some groin issues during the offseason, but this appears to be minor/precautionary. He gets a pretty good matchup against the Revis-less Jets this week, but the offense is so balanced that he could be in for another 50-yard day without a touchdown.

Posted: 9/29/2012 1:16am et

Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson (groin) was limited during practice Friday, Sept. 28, and is listed as probable for Week 4.

Huddle Up: Johnson only has 18 targets and 13 catches so far, but he does have 212 receiving yards and a pair of TDs. He also has favorable matchup this Sunday against the Titans.

Posted: 9/7/2012 8:31pm et

Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson (chest) fully participated in practice Friday, Sept. 7, and is listed as probable for Week 1.

Huddle Up: Johnson is looking good to go so go ahead and roll with him in your starting lineup this week.

Posted: 9/5/2012 7:18pm et

Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson (chest) practiced in full Wednesday, Sept. 5.

Huddle Up: It's a show-me season for the uber-talented wideout, who has missed 12 games over the past 2 years with injuries. He finished with only 33 catches last season -- easily a career low -- and slipped a bit in fantasy drafts this season (end of 2nd round/start of third) as a result.

Posted: 8/25/2012 11:21pm et

Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson left the third preseason game Saturday, Aug. 25, because he had the wind knocked out of him.

Huddle Up: Hey, this is great news for Johnson and the Texans after the wideout's hamstring troubles over the past year. This type of injury they can deal with.

Posted: 8/6/2012 11:45am et

Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson returned to practice Monday, Aug. 6.

Huddle Up: Johnson started his injury cycle early this season, missing time at training camp with a groin injury. Consider it a friendly reminder that, as talented as Johnson is, spending an early fantasy pick on him comes with its share of injury risk.

Posted: 8/2/2012 6:32pm et

Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson (groin) and OT Duane Brown (leg) will not practice the rest of the week, according to head coach Gary Kubiak Thursday, Aug. 2.

Huddle Up: This isn't the start to camp Johnson and the Texans were looking for. The Houston stud was limited to seven games with hamstring injuries a season ago, and a groin ailment is more or less more of the same. Johnson could really use a dose of preseason health to ease the early-round concerns of potential drafting owners.

Posted: 8/1/2012 1:38am et

Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson strained his groin on Sunday, July 29, the second day of training camp.

Huddle Up: He's expected to miss this whole week of practice. Johnson doesn't really "need" to be on the field right now, but he does "need" to be a healthier football player. Aside from Calvin Johnson there is no other comparable package of hands, strength and speed; but it don't mean squat if you're hurt.

Posted: 7/27/2012 6:55pm et

Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson said he is fully recovered from the knee surgery he had this offseason and will be able to fully participate in practice.

Huddle Up: His 2011 season was torpedoed by a nasty hamstring tear in his right leg. Then he had a left knee scope on May 21st. There's hasn't been much else to report about Johnson of late so we'll assume no news is good news.

Posted: 5/22/2012 7:00pm et

Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson (knee) is expected to miss three to four weeks after having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. He already sat out the team's first organized team practice, two weeks after his surgery. Johnson expects to be read for training camp later this summer.

Huddle Up: He should be fine for training camp in late July. Did you realize this is Johnson's 10th season in the NFL? All these injuries are becoming a concern. He's missed significant parts of four of the last seven seasons.

Posted: 5/22/2012 11:00am et

Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson is not participating in the organized team activities Monday, May 21, because he recently underwent arthroscopic knee surgery. He is expects to be ready for training camp.

Huddle Up: Perhaps AJ is getting his injury out of the way early. No need for him to be on the field during OTAs, as long as he's back at it in August.