August 30, 2022 3: 50 pm ET
It was pretty clear early this preseason simply how much the Houston Texans liked tailback Dameon Pierce. Word out of training camp spread rapidly about the novice’s capability on the restoring club.
But in a position group congested by veterans Marlon Mack, Royce Freeman and Rex Burkhead, it appeared like Pierce had his work cut out for him to make an effect right off the bat.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the fourth-round choice was able to do simply that. On Tuesday the Texans cut Mack, basically making Pierce the group’s RB1.
This had an instant effect for dream supervisors and gamblers alike.
Already the buzz around Pierce was palpable.
FantasyPros tracked his balanced draft position throughout Yahoo and ESPN leagues at No. 89—with Pierce going as high as No. 40 in some drafts—despite being the No. 36 ranked tailback. Tuesday’s lineup cuts now have lotsof dream experts forecasting Pierce as a leading-20 running back this season. For leagues that have currently prepared, this is incredible news for his supervisors. For those who are waiting to draft till this weekend, the leading sleeper on the board is no longer a concealed trick. You can anticipate Pierce will be on the mind of every supervisor—especially in dynasty leagues.
Another surprise: Texans are launching veteran running back Marlon Mack, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 30, 2022
Pierce was likewise thoughtabout a sleeper choice for Rookie of the Year, where he has agreement +1148 chances. That put him behind Kenny Pickett (+789), Breece Hall (+824), Chris Olave (+1000), George Pickens (+1000), Drake London (+1030) and Skyy Moore (+1100). Some books have currently began to relocation lines in Pierce’s favor.
The truth of the scenario is this: Pierce is playing in a rather weak AFC South and has a quite developed offending line stopping ahead of him. While no one anticipates the Texans to blow out numerous groups this year—limiting how typically they’ll let Pierce kill the clock—Houston definitely doesn’t have the most intimidating schedule ahead.
Tankathon ranks the Texans’ schedule at No. 15 total this year. They’ll get to face the Jacksonville Jaguars (twice), Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders and New York Giants in2022 And while looking at last year’s group statistics isn’t the finest predictor of future results, it is significant that the Bears, Giants and Raiders all ranked amongst the bottom half of the league’s rush defenses in 2021.
Pierce has loads of advantage this season. Houston is allset to see how much it can get out him.
Fantasy experts were delighted about the Texans calling Pierce RB1
Every dream expert’s response about Dameon Pierce post-Marlon Mack cutting. … pic.twitter.com/snox2B7WdP
— Brad Evans (@NoisyHuevos) August 30, 2022
RB1 pic.twitter.com/jrCqd71nP4
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) August 30, 2022
dameon pierce roy chances going up https://t.co/Xy0uy2eZw3
— prince j. grimes (@pgprincej) August 30, 2022
Live appearance at Dameon Pierce: 📈📈📈📈📈 https://t.co/WAqABUcyMB
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) August 3