Antony

Auclair

The fifth-round rookie won the Texans’ No. 3 tight end job over veteran blocking TE Antony Auclair. Getting placed on IR means Quitoriano will miss at least the first four weeks. Houston may look to re-sign Auclair after Week 1.

Auclair started 13 games for Houston in 2021. He served primarily as a blocker, catching all five of his targets for 47 yards and a touchdown. The Texans seem determined to keep their terrible band together.

Presumably Houston’s No. 1 tight end, Akins was out-gained by Antony Auclair (2-23 on two targets) and Brevin Jordan (2-9 on two targets). None of these players will be worth more than some cheap touchdowns in fantasy football the way the season is trending for the Texans this year. Houston’s on bye in Week 10.

The Texans tight ends are cannibalizing each other’s progress, with Pharaoh Brown (2/22/3 targets) and Akins each averaging about 2.5 targets a game and Anthony Auclair (1/11/1 target) bogarting the touchdown in this one. They’re matchup-dependent TE2 fliers in bye weeks at best.

Auclair, 28 next month, appeared in 40 games for the Bucs across his four years in Tampa Bay. He was targeted just 14 times across those contests, totaling 10-84 with no touchdowns. Auclair will compete for a job in a no-name Houston tight end group.

Auclair is a blocker but not a particularly good one. He has 10 career receptions. The Bucs locking Auclair up at this stage of the offseason suggests he should keep his 53-man roster spot.

Auclair frequently makes “starts” as a blocker but has 10 career catches, just one of which came in 2019. 26-year-old Auclair will be a free agent at season’s end.

Auclair (6’6/256) was invited to January’s Shrine Game after playing H-back, slot receiver, and tight end in the Canadian college ranks, where he caught only 17 passes during Laval’s nine game 2016 season but averaged 13.5 YPR. While Auclair is an obvious project, he offers ideal NFL size with huge arms (34 ¼"), and reportedly runs a 4.84 forty. Auclair is a practice squad candidate.

The Bucs are getting back SS T.J. Ward and WLB Lavonte David this week.