Case

Keenum

The timing of the move will result in Keenum missing the entirety of the 2024 regular season, leaving the Texans with only David Mills behind franchise quarterback C.J. Stroud. It is likely the team pursues a quarterback from waivers in the coming days. Keenum’s 11-year career has taken him all over the league but he has not operated as a starter since the 2018 season with the Broncos.

With the Texans trailing 36-7 at the 12:31 mark of the fourth quarter, Keenum was asked to take a seat for Davis Mills. The No. 3 quarterback was much better, though he was also facing a team that was so far ahead it benched Joe Flacco for several series. Mills deserves credit for making some big plays against soft coverage, but it wasn’t exactly a telling outcome. Thankfully for the Texans and their in-limbo playoff chances, C.J. Stroud (concussion) is trending toward a Week 17 return vs. Tennessee.

Stroud is not expected to play in Week 16 and him missing the opening practice of the week keeps that as the expectation. Case Keenum is expected to start in Week 16 against the Browns. Keenum threw for 229 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Keenum will keep the Houston offense functional for Week 16, but he is a massive downgrade from Stroud.

Boyle spent time as the Jets starter earlier in the season, throwing just one touchdown to four interceptions in two games. He was released after Week 13 and now the Texans will add him to their practice squad. With C.J. Stroud still in concussion protocol, the team is padding its depth in case of a lengthy absence from the rookie. Boyle is mere practice squad depth and should not see the field unless anything happens to Case Keenum and Davis Mills.

Keenum, in his first start of the season, mostly dinked and dunked his way down the field in a Texans offense missing Tank Dell (leg) and Nico Collins (calf). To his credit, Keenum played through a handful of big hits from Tennessee defenders and made safe, accurate throws, mostly to Noah Brown. Keenum would only be a superflex option if he gets another start for C.J. Stroud (concussion) in Week 16 against the Browns.

Per Wilson, the Texans are opting for Keenum’s experience under center as they chase a playoff berth without C.J. Stroud for a week. Stroud is listed as doubtful because of a concussion. Wilson noted that Keenum took the majority of the first-team reps in practice this week. Keenum has yet to take a snap this year and only attempted seven passes as a backup in Buffalo last year. He did, however, pull off two wins in his pair of starts for the Browns in 2021. Keenum will be tasked with protecting the ball and taking what the Titans’ defense gives him. That should result in plenty of check-downs to the running backs and easy completions to tight end Dalton Schultz.

C.J. Stroud suffered a concussion in Week 14 and did not practice at all this week. He was listed as doubtful for Week 15, giving him next to no shot at playing this week. Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans declined to name a starter on Friday, only saying both players are prepared to start. Bien-Aime added that his sources say the two quarterbacks have split reps during practice. Though the Texans are dragging this out, we expect Davis Mills to get the starting nod on Sunday. Case Keenum has not been active for a game this year and Mills has occasionally taken the field in Stroud’s place. Mills is a massive downgrade from Stroud, though he should be able to keep Dalton Schultz alive as a low-end TE1 and Noah Brown on the WR3 radar.

A seasoned veteran of the league, Keenum will likely serve as a bridge for whoever the Texans select with the No. 2 overall pick in next month’s draft. Keenum actually started his career with the Texans back in 2013 but has traveled around the league for the last several seasons, with his lone multi-year stop being in Cleveland (2020-2021). Keenum is most famously remembered for his 2017 run with the Vikings, where he went 11-3 while throwing for 3547-22-7 before losing to the Eagles in the NFC Championship Round.

McDermott described Allen both as “day to day” and “hour to hour.” By Saturday, that could turn into “minute to minute.” We will continuing monitoring the situation. Allen hasn’t practiced this week after suffering the elbow injury in Week 9 against the Jets. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported this week that the injury is not considered “major.” Allen is unlikely to miss extended time but could sit this week against the Vikings. Stefon Diggs and the rest of the Buffalo offense should be downgraded for fantasy purposes if Case Keenum is under center against Minnesota.

“I’m not going to get into the medical report,” McDermott added. Allen won’t practice Wednesday after suffering a sprained elbow in Week 9 against the Jets -- an injury NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said was not “major.” Allen could conceivably miss the entire week of practice and still play in Week 10 against Minnesota. Case Keenum would get the nod if Allen sits out and lets his elbow heal for the stretch run. All Bills players would be downgraded significantly for fantasy purposes if Keenum is under center.