Fantasy Football 2009: The Top 5 Houston Texans to Draft

The 2008 season was a tale of two halves for the Houston Texans, a team that won five out of its last 6 games of the season to close with an overall 8-8 record. Looking to improve this season, the team used its first two draft picks to shore up a defense that was rated in the bottom third of league. Yet Fantasy Football owners will still find value within the Texans' Offense, an Offense that ranked third overall in the NFL in yards per game, and which is loaded with talented players. Here then are the top five Texan players to go after in a Fantasy Football Draft this year.

Andre Johnson (WR)
Johnson is top tier receiver who can put up huge numbers. Last year Johnson posted 7 games of + 10 catches to go along with 8 games in which he went over the 100 yard barrier. Along the way, Johnson enjoyed a 178 yard performance against the Dolphins and a 207 yard game against the Titans. What's more, Andre has the size (6-3, 225 lbs) to be a Red Zone target. While he may not be able to duplicate his career year of 2008, look for Johnson to get 90-100 catches for over +1,200 yards this season. If he is true to form, he will also net you 8 or 9 touchdowns in the process.

Steve Slaton (RB)
Slaton, Houston's 3rd round draft pick in 2008 enjoyed an outstanding rookie campaign, gaining 1,282 yards on the ground, and another 377 yards receiving (on 50 receptions). Slaton also managed to get into the end zone 10 times last season. The question now is, can he duplicate the effort during his sophomore season? Given the fact that he finished strong during the second half of 2008, it may be a safe bet to say that Slaton will not be a one year wonder. Go ahead and pencil Slaton in for another 1,500 yards from scrimmage this season, and take him in the top 3 rounds of the draft.

Kevin Walter (WR)
Playing opposite of Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter has quietly put together back to back production seasons in Houston. Last season, the 6-3, 215 lbs receiver caught 60 passes for 899 yards and 8 touchdowns. Considering the amount of passes that were thrown in the direction of Johnson, Walter's numbers were impressive. Had he not tailed off noticeably during the last three games of the season, he may have reached the 1,000 yard plateau in the process. Look for Walter to continue to improve in 2009, and possibly make it to the 1,000 yards mark. In most leagues he may be a sleeper pick worth picking up in the late rounds.

Owen Daniels (TE)

That the Texans took two Tight Ends in the Draft this season should not take away from the fact that Daniels will be a "go to" target again this season. To ensure that, the Texans inked him to a one year deal that makes Daniels one of the highest paid Tight Ends in the league. Last season Owen caught 70 passes for 862 yards and there is little reason to believe that those numbers will not be in the same neighborhood again this season. Though not a top tier Tight End, Daniels nevertheless will put up numbers to rival the best at the position. If he slips unnoticed in the Draft, pick him up in the late middle rounds.

Matt Schaub (QB)

Had he stayed healthy last season Schaub's numbers might have rival those of some of the NFL's better quarterbacks. As it is, Schaub passed for 3,043 yards and 15 touchdowns in 11 games last season. What's more his QB Rating was a sparkling 92.7, and he enjoyed a 414 yard passing day against Green Bay. Though no one will mistake him for an elite QB yet, Schaub can still be a good option at the position in any Fantasy Football league. If you are not able to land a premier QB, taking Schaub may be the next best thing.

Statistical Sources: http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/hou/stats;