Dameon Pierce to be Texans' Lead Back?

According to Jonathan M. Alexander of The Houston Chronicle, Texans rookie rusher Dameon Pierce is “looking more like he could be the lead back” for Week 1’s contest against the Indianapolis Colts.

Houston’s fourth-round selection in April’s draft, Pierce has been a standout at Texans training camp, thoroughly impressing coaches with his speed and explosiveness. He showcased those traits in Houston’s preseason opener on August 13, rushing five times for 49 yards (9.8 YPC). Head coach Lovie Smith praised Pierce’s performance, saying:

“Dameon Pierce definitely caught my eye and everybody’s eye that was watching him. And that’s what we’ve seen in training camp also. He’s a good football player.”

Competing with fellow backs Marlon Mack and Rex Burkhead, Pierce was notably held out of the Texans’ second preseason contest – a strong indication he has potentially solidified himself as Houston’s RB1.

Ripe with big-play ability, the 22-year-old is shaping up to be a solid selection in 2022 fantasy drafts, particularly for those owners who employ the zero running back strategy in the early rounds.

FanDuel Sportsbook currently has Pierce at +1600 odds to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.