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    Ryans taking over defensive play-calling in HOU

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    HOU Head Coach #59
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    DeMeco Ryans said he will take over play-calling duties from defensive coordinator Matt Burke.

    Ryans told reporters he wants to help streamline the communication from the sidelines to the defense. The Texans are built to be a defense-first title contender. They have allowed the seventh-most points this year and are still searching for their first win. The defense was no better when looking at EPA per play allowed, so their poor performance can’t be written off as a series of flukes. Something had to change. Ryans will now bear more responsibility on his side of the ball. If things don’t turn around in a hurry, Ryans’ job will almost certainly come into question.
Purdy, 49ers headline this week's Fanta Five
John Fanta delivers his Fanta Five after an action-packed NFL Week 5 slate; San Francisco 49ers headline the list after an impressive win against the Seattle Seahawks.

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  • HOU Head Coach #59
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    They can still win the division and get as high as the No. 3 seed, so, yes, we expected this to be the outcome. Any fantasy leagues in the wilderness relying on Woody Marks, Nico Collins, and C.J. Stroud need not worry about them not playing. At least as long as this game doesn’t get out of hand.
  • HOU Offensive Coordinator
    ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime reports Ryans has no plans to move off of offensive coordinator Nick Caley, despite the team’s offensive struggles. The Texans are coming off a 27-19 Monday night loss to the Seahawks and have crossed 20 points only in games against the weak Titans and Ravens defenses. C.J. Stroud and company have not found the same success as his 2023 rookie season and despite the issues, Ryans is not making changes yet. He said, “It all starts with me...We got to play better. We got to execute better on game day.” The Texans head into a Week 8 matchup against a 49ers defense that ranks No. 7 in scoring and may be missing WR Nico Collins (concussion) for the game.
  • HOU Head Coach #59
    Speaking to reporters Monday, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said that starters will see snaps against the Steelers in preseason Week 1. “You just have to go through and play live reps of football before September. You’ll see our ones go out and get reps this week against Pittsburgh.” How long the starters will remain in the game remains to be seen, but it is now evident that we will see them on the field against the Steelers.
  • HOU Head Coach #59
    Ryans noted that the Texans only have one quarterback, Davis Mills, on the roster and will need to add two more. It’s almost certain that the Texans will take a quarterback with their first-round pick, so the team’s interest in drafting the position isn’t exactly a surprise. To that point, Ryans noted that he thought Alabama QB Bryce Young was an “outstanding quarterback.” He also stated that he thinks “the system is built around the quarterback as opposed to trying to fit a quarterback into a certain system.” Ryans appear highly motivated to spend resources on the quarterback position, which will be a welcome change for a team that spent—some might say wasted—two seasons with Mills under center.

  • HOU Head Coach #59
    Ryans may not see every wish granted, but it’s not uncommon to see coaches from one staff follow a newly minted head coach to his new gig. We already know that Ryans is interested in passing game coordinator Bobby Slowik, but according to Barrows, he is also interested in defensive quality control coaches Andrew Hayes-Stoker and Stephen Adegoke. Barrows also notes that safeties coach Daniel Bullocks has been “his [Ryans’] eyes in the coaches’ booth on game days” and that he’d likely be interested in bringing him on staff as well.

  • HOU Head Coach #59
    Down Bad in a way that few franchises have been the last two years, the Texans over the last four months have shed chaplain Jack Easterby, fired Lovie Smith, and now hired one of the most-qualified coaching candidates in the NFL. Also, he just so happens to have played linebacker for them at one point. Assuming Ryans brings 49ers offensive components and staff with him, they should quickly start to function like a real NFL organization again. It’s a big up arrow for Dameon Pierce and Nico Collins this offseason, as well as Brandin Cooks if he doesn’t get traded. It is impossible to speak to how big this move is for a franchise that has not won more than four games since 2019 -- it signals a positive sea change that was needed in the worst way.

  • HOU Head Coach #59
    All signs are pointing to Ryans becoming the next head coach of the Texans if all goes according to plan. Ryans has reportedly moved on from any prospects of joining the Broncos, and little has been mentioned of the Colts and Cardinals since he interviewed with them nearly two weeks ago. A former second-round pick by the Texans in 2006, Ryans returning to Houston as its next head coach would be a celebrated reunion for both sides, as the Texans hope to finally land a coach who can give them more than one year of service.

  • HOU Head Coach #59
    Ryans remains the top candidate for the Texans’ head coaching vacancy and was reportedly the top option for the Broncos after they appeared to lose out on Sean Payton. With the 49ers now eliminated from the playoffs, interviews should ramp up for Ryans this week. A reunion with the Texans remains a very real possibility, as Ryans could opt to return to the team that made him a second-round draft pick in 2006. He is expected to hold a second interview with the Texans sometime this week.

  • HOU Head Coach #59
    Rapoport adds that there is “mutual interest” and that he’s expected to have a second interview with the Texans after Sunday’s NFC Championship. Ryans is also reportedly a frontrunner for the Broncos job after yet another outstanding season coordinating the 49ers defense. The Texans have also had multiple interviews with former Broncos DC Ejiro Evero and Giants OC Mike Kafka, and may also bring in Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon and OC Shane Steichen for second interviews. Rapoport later added that the timeline “may not align” with Denver for Ryans. It sounds like Ryans to the Texans has a lot of momentum.

  • HOU Head Coach #59
    This comes just days after a report that Sean Payton would likely remain in broadcasting for the 2023 season. Payton and the Broncos were linked closely to one another through the first few weeks of the offseason, but the team may need to shift their focus elsewhere, and Ryans appears to have the inside edge. This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, as Ryans has been one of the most sought-after coaches this offseason, but has seen delays in the interview process with the 49ers being in the middle of a playoff run. The 49ers defensive coordinator could make for an excellent fit in Denver, who boasted one of the better defensive units in the NFL last season despite the team’s 5-12 record.

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  • LA Wide Receiver #17
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    Davante Adams caught 5-of-7 targets for 51 yards and two touchdowns in the Rams’ Week 5 loss to the Bills.

    Adams cashed in on a corner fade from four yards out in the second quarter and ran a beautiful route on a double move slant from five yards out for his second score in the fourth quarter, proving that he remains an elite red zone weapon for an offense that has now attempted 51 or more passes in three straight games. Adams is back to modest target rates following the Week 4 return of Puka Nacua but remains a weekly WR2 due to his red zone acumen, which remains true ahead of a much more forgiving matchup against the Cardinals in Week 6.
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    Tyler Higbee caught 5-of-6 targets for 83 yards in the Rams’ Week 5 loss to the Bills.

    Higbee continued to operate as the primary pass-catching tight end against the Bills, something that must please fantasy managers considering Colby Parkinson returned from a one-game absence. Furthermore, the team carried only three tight ends on the active game-day roster after being at either four or five through the first month of the 2026 season. Higbee is a middling TE2 in fantasy circles ahead of a juicy matchup against the divisional rival Cardinals in Week 6.
  • LA Wide Receiver #12
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    Puka Nacua caught 17-of-24 targets for 138 yards and a touchdown in the Rams’ Week 5 loss to the Bills, adding nine yards on two carries.

    Nacua operated as the primary option through the air for a Rams team that attempted more than 50 passes for the third straight game. The veteran alpha was mostly confined to short-area work, something that could be attributed to the groin injury that continues to have his name on the injury report in practice, but that would not keep Nacua from returning another elite WR1 performance. Nacua was also inches away from padding his stat line further after failing to come down with what would have been a 51-yard touchdown reception on the final play of the first half. Nacua and the Rams fall to 2-3 ahead of a Week 6 divisional showdown against the Cardinals, where he will remain one of the top fantasy assets in the league.
  • LA Running Back #24
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    Blake Corum rushed five times for 19 yards and a touchdown in the Rams’ Week 5 loss to the Bills, adding 53 yards on three receptions.

    Corum provided a much needed spark in relief of lead back Kyren Williams, contributing three clutch receptions that kept drives alive in addition to a third quarter touchdown. That said, his modest volume continued while Williams turned in a third straight game with 20 or more opportunities, including 28 total targets in that stretch. Corum remains a top fantasy handcuff but is unlikely to return useful fantasy weeks for as long as Williams is healthy.
  • LA Running Back #23
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    Kyren Williams rushed 16 times for 49 yards and a touchdown in the Rams’ Week 5 loss to the Bills, adding 27 yards on six receptions.

    Williams has yet to see more than the 16 carries he saw against the Bills this season but the team’s recent pass-heavy nature has left the veteran lead back with six or more receptions in three straight games, including 27 total targets in that span. The elite-level aerial volume made it three consecutive games with 20 or more opportunities for Williams, who continues to return RB1 fantasy weeks while playing in one of the league’s top offenses. Williams remains a middling RB1 ahead of a Week 6 divisional showdown against the Cardinals at home.
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    Matthew Stafford completed 40-of-54 passes for 383 yards and three touchdowns in the Rams’ 37-34, Week 5 loss to the Bills.

    It was the third consecutive game in which Stafford attempted 51 passes or more in what has become the most voluminous passing offense in the league. The two powerhouses felt each other out throughout the first half as only 20 combined points per scored before the break. Things would get aggressive for the final 30 minutes as seven combined touchdowns were scored on nine second half possessions, four of which were accounted for by the Rams. Stafford directed a whopping 24 targets toward alpha wide receiver Puka Nacua, who set a career high with 17 receptions in a short-area role. The reigning MVP returned an instant classic performance against the 2024 MVP, ultimately coming up short in overtime following a blocked field goal attempt from Harrison Mevis. The Rams fall to 2-3 ahead of a home matchup against the more forgiving Cardinals in Week 6. Stafford is once again a fantasy QB1 in that matchup.
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    Dalton Kincaid caught 1-of-2 targets for seven yards in the Bills’ Week 5 win over the Rams.

    The Bills clearly came into this one intent on establishing the run, attempting 37 rushes to just 19 Josh Allen pass attempts in a game played without both DJ Moore and Joshua Palmer. Kincaid has now seen three or fewer targets in each of his last three games after erupting for 225 yards through the air in the first two weeks. The ceiling was never in question, but fantasy managers have to be reeling after three consecutive down performances for the enigmatic tight end. Kincaid remains an upside TE1 ahead of a Week 6 meeting with the Raiders.
  • BUF Wide Receiver #0
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    Keon Coleman caught 1-of-2 targets for seven yards and a touchdown in the Bills’ Week 5 win over the Rams.

    Coleman was largely erased by the lockdown corner play of the Rams but had a receiving line also heavily influenced by a ground-heavy game plan from a Bills team that attempted only 19 passes in almost 70 minutes of football. It was quite the letdown fantasy performance for managers looking to take advantage of the absences of both DJ Moore and Joshua Palmer. Coleman is a borderline FLEX play in Week 6 against the Raiders, pending the status of Moore.
  • BUF Wide Receiver #10
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    Khalil Shakir caught all three targets for 80 yards in the Bills’ Week 5 win over the Rams.

    Shakir’s modest target total was primarily a product of a ground-heavy approach from the Bills, who were playing without both DJ Moore and Joshua Palmer. His quiet fantasy outing was quickly remedied through a 57-yard, catch-and-run reception on the team’s second possession of overtime to set up the game-winning, Tyler Bass field goal. Shakir remains a shaky fantasy bet ahead of a Week 6 meeting with the Raiders.
  • BUF Running Back #4
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    James Cook rushed 25 times for 111 yards and two touchdowns in the Bills’ Week 5 win over the Rams, adding seven yards on one reception.

    Cook’s elite rushing line was overshadowed by two fumbles, the second of which was a lost fumble on the team’s first possession of overtime, placing the Rams in position to complete the comeback and steal away the victory. A blocked field goal on what would have been the game-winning kick breathed new life into the Bills, who demonstrated confidence in their lead back by throwing him right back out there on the following possession to eventually win the game. The 26 touches go down as a season high for the veteran back, who found paint for the fourth consecutive game in the thrilling overtime win. Cook remains a top-tier RB1 for fantasy purposes ahead of a Week 6 meeting with the Raiders in Las Vegas.