Danny

Amendola

Amendola retired after the 2022 season and will join literally every other former dynasty era Patriots offensive player in Vegas. Will the next coaching staff addition be Kevin Faulk or Shane Vereen? Stay tuned.

Amendola, 36, entered the NFL as an UDFA out of Texas Tech and spent his rookie year on the Cowboys’ practice squad before getting a chance with the Rams in 2009. He quickly developed into Sam Bradford’s favorite target out of the slot but battled injuries in St. Louis before signing a five-year deal with the Patriots in 2013. Amendola won two Super Bowls in New England with Tom Brady and was got his “Playoff Danny” nickname due to his postseason heroics. At the end of his career, Amendola bounced around as a veteran slot man with the Dolphins, Lions, and Texans. He finishes his career with a 617-6,212-24 receiving line across 163 games. Amendola played in another 13 playoff games for the Patriots, posting a 57-709-6 line. He’s reportedly interested in a broadcasting career.

Amendola played just eight games for the Texans, and his biggest game was in Week 18 against the Titans when he notched more than 100 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Otherwise, it was a pretty uneventful year for the aging slot receiver. The former Patriot’s best days are behind him, and he’s off the fantasy radar for 2022.

Amendola is out indefinitely after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. The veteran slot receiver has yet to be placed on IR but could be shut down for the season.

This could explain why the Texans brought in Phillip Dorsett for a visit on Friday. Amendola has not done anything when healthy this year, and it is looking like his season could be over.

Both of Collins’ catches came during the first drive of the game that was looking quite well until Tyrod Taylor was picked off by a defensive lineman on a tipped pass. Nico was wide-open on a deep touchdown target by Taylor but appeared to let off the gas late in the route and watched it fall harmlessly incomplete. The Texans non-Brandin Cooks receivers (Danny Amendola 3/23 on five targets, Chris Conley shut out from box score) remain tough to roster, let alone start.

Conley’s three catches in Houston’s first three drives staked the Texans to a 13-0 lead, and he vanquished Nico Collins (1/9 with a red zone target) and Danny Amendola (0/0 on one target) to supporting roles in this game. It remains to be seen if that is a long-term change, but either way, Conley’s upside remains so light that it’s hard to count on him. The Texans play the Jets in Week 12.

Amendola busted loose for a 39-yard completion on a pick play on third down, and watched two Tyrod Taylor targets that would have been enormous plays and potentially touchdowns fall harmlessly over his head. Taylor and Amendola combined for six targets in six quarters before Taylor’s injury in Week 2 -- some how, some way, the world has willed yet another Amendola deep-league PPR season on a bad team into existence. The Texans are on bye in Week 10.

It’ll be Amendola’s first action since Week 2. The veteran slot man has six catches for 43 yards and one touchdown this season. Inactive for the Texans are QB Deshaun Watson, CB Jimmy Moreland, TE Brevin Jordan, RB Scottie Phillips, DT Jaleel Johnson, WR Davion Davis, and C Jimmy Morrissey.

Nico Collins and Chris Moore are the main non-starting wideouts behind Brandin Cooks and Chris Conley. The Texans will use Justin McCray at center and have elevated Lane Taylor and Cole Toner off the practice squad. This is the second straight inactive for Omenihu after a solid start to the season, and Davion Davis is inactive after a DNP last week. The rest of these are the Texans standards at this point.