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Deshaun Watson Coming Along

Texans say quarterback will be ready for training camp

The Texans are saying they expect Deshaun Watson will be ready for the start of training camp. He’s one of the most compelling question marks entering the season. He was remarkably good as a rookie, but he’s also hardly played at all and is coming off a serious knee injury.

Ian Rapoport of The NFL Network says the Texans don’t believe Watson or J.J. Watt is a candidate to start the season on the PUP list.

So where do you slot Watson?

There are a lot of healthier quarterbacks who look pretty certain to play 16 games and might be just as good (or better) anyway – Matt Ryan, Matthew Stafford, Kirk Cousins and Jimmy Garoppolo, I think, are in that group.

But with there being unprecedented depth at quarterback, that also makes it more appealing to maybe gamble on Watson. If you select him, you can also pick up another quarterback who’ll help you through if he winds up getting hurt again. Alex Smith, Andy Dalton and Derek Carr, for example, might be available really late in drafts, and those guys might be really good.

But when Watson was on the field last year, he was unbelievably good. He started only six games, but in those contests, he put up the best per-game (standard scoring) numbers of any quarterback in this century. Watson not only averaged 3 TD passes per game, he also averaged 42 rushing yards (which is like another 84 passing yards in typical formats).

Among quarterbacks starting at least 6 games, here are the top 40 since 2000. (Wildest name I see on here is Billy Volek from 2004, who played some really impressive ball after Steve McNair got hurt).

TOP 40 PER-GAME QUARTERBACKS OF THIS CENTURY
YearPlayerStPassTDPRunTDRPts
2017Deshaun Watson, Hou.62663.0042.3332.2
2013Peyton Manning, Den.163423.44-2.0631.0
2010Michael Vick, Phil.112581.8252.8230.5
2011Aaron Rodgers, G.B.153103.0017.2030.4
2011Drew Brees, N.O.163422.885.0629.8
2007Tom Brady, N.E.163003.136.1328.9
2015Cam Newton, Car.162402.1940.6328.5
2004Daunte Culpepper, Minn.162952.4425.1328.2
2011Tom Brady, N.E.163272.447.1927.9
2016Aaron Rodgers, G.B.162772.5023.2527.9
2011Cam Newton, Car.162531.3144.8827.8
2014Andrew Luck, Ind.162982.5017.1927.7
2012Drew Brees, N.O.163242.690.0627.3
2013Drew Brees, N.O.163232.443.1927.3
2013Nick Foles, Phil.102652.4022.3027.2
2002Donovan McNabb, Phil.102291.7046.6026.8
2011Matthew Stafford, Det.163152.565.0026.7
2004Peyton Manning, Ind.162853.062.0026.7
2016Drew Brees, N.O.163262.311.1326.4
2000Daunte Culpepper, Minn.162462.0629.4426.4
2017Russell Wilson, Sea.162492.1337.1926.0
2016Matt Ryan, Atl.163092.387.0025.9
2014Aaron Rodgers, G.B.162742.3817.1325.7
2017Carson Wentz, Phil.132542.5423.0025.7
2016Andrew Luck, Ind.152832.0723.1325.7
2012Aaron Rodgers, G.B.162682.4416.1325.7
2009Aaron Rodgers, G.B.162771.8820.3125.6
2015Blake Bortles, Jac.162772.1919.1325.4
2015Tom Brady, N.E.162982.253.1925.4
2000Jeff Garcia, S.F.162671.9426.2525.3
2012Tom Brady, N.E.163022.132.2525.3
2015Drew Brees, N.O.153252.131.0725.3
2015Andrew Luck, Ind.72692.1428.0025.1
2015Russell Wilson, Sea.162522.1335.0624.9
2016Tom Brady, N.E.122962.335.0024.8
2004Billy Volek, Tenn.82872.256.1324.7
2009Drew Brees, N.O.152932.272.1324.7
2014Peyton Manning, Den.162952.44-2.0024.6
2001Kurt Warner, St.L.163022.254.0024.6
2014Drew Brees, N.O.163102.064.0624.5

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index