Aireontae Ersery flashed as Houston’s left tackle in his NFL debut, drawing early praise from Baldy for length and hand usage as he faced Vikings edge Dallas Turner. The Texans’ 10-play opening drive culminated in a Mills-to-Berrios TD, signaling both a fresh start for an overhauled line and a path toward fewer sacks after last year’s 52 allowed. The piece also outlines Houston’s offseason OL overhaul, including the culling of Tunsil and Mason and the addition of Brown, Robinson, Tomlinson and Ingram, and frames Ersery as a potential cornerstone of the rebuild with immediate fantasy relevance should protection improve.

As fantasy-specific takeaways, the breakdown suggests Stroud and Mills could reap the benefits of better pass protection, while Braxton Berrios could see steadier targets in a more competent offense. Ogunbowale’s involvement on the opening drive indicates a versatile backfield that could diversify Houston’s weekly floor and ceiling. Ersery’s performance against a first-round Vikings rookie also provides a blueprint for how soon the Texans’ line might stabilize and unlock deeper playmaking from the unit surrounding the rookie.

Davis Mills showed he can run Houston’s Caley-era attack, completing 4 of 5 throws for 50 yards and a TD on the Texans’ lone scoring drive, capping preseason optimism about the offense. The wideout room will be fiercely cut, with Metchie, Hutchinson and Berrios pushing for two spots behind Collins and Nico. On the line and in the backfield, the Texans liked what they saw from Ogunbowale, Marks and Jordan, while Taylor and Speed anchored a stout, swarming defense. Mertz, coming back from ACL rehab, faced the rookie scrutiny, Slovis offered steadier relief, and Stroud’s preseason absence drew deserved critique as reps matter early. The Kubiak-influenced play-action system already feels familiar, even as the Texans sort depth at DB and on the O-line and chase continuity for the opener.

Dare Ogunbowale led Houston’s backfield in the Texans’ 20-10 preseason loss to Minnesota, taking five carries for 29 yards to pace the depth chart. Graham Mertz, the ex-Wisconsin quarterback, struggled, finishing the night with seven completions on 14 throws for 28 yards and three interceptions as Houston leaned into Ogunbowale’s versatile skill set.

Ogunbowale’s contract situation stands out too: a one-year, $2 million extension signed in March keeps him in Houston’s plans for 2025, where he projects as a complement to Joe Mixon. Last season he appeared in all 17 games, mixing primary special-teams duty with occasional backfield work, posting 30 carries for 112 yards and 19 receptions for 198 yards. The opener underscored his role as a dependable, multi-purpose option who could see expanded usage with the regular season looming.

The Texans used their 20-10 preseason setback to spotlight youth and depth rather than showcase seasoned starters. E.J. Speed surged all over the field, delivering a big hit and two coverage plays, signaling he’ll be on the field this season even if he doesn’t start. Aireontae Ersery and Jake Andrews opened massive running lanes on the first Texans drive, with Davis Mills efficient (4-of-5, 50 yards, TD) behind a coherent push from the first-team line. Dare Ogunbowale averaged close to six yards per carry, Braxton Berrios looked healthy in his return and accounted for a TD and return work, and Braxton Berrios showed versatility as a weapon after ACL rehab. Braxton’s early impact could help him push for a spot. Blake Fisher, by contrast, struggled mightily—false starts, six pressures, a half-sack—cementing his precarious status as trade-season looms. The safety corps is also thinning with C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s knee issue, forcing Russ Yeast to play essentially the entire game and M.J. Stewart to log significant snaps. The Texans face roster decisions on several bubble players as Saturday underscored who’s rising and who’s falling while plans for the offensive line, pass protection, and safety depth tighten ahead of Cut Day.

Houston’s backfield signs a high-variance path for 2025 fantasy drafts. Nick Chubb leads the Texans’ ground game while Joe Mixon heals, with Dameon Pierce stepping in as the likely early-down engine behind the uncertain offensive line. Dare Ogunbowale provides passing-game familiarity, but the rookie Woody Marks is the sleeper the lineup hints at, thanks to USC-era receiving chops and multi-down potential. Jawhar Jordan also looms as a development piece, while Marks’ upside in PPR formats keeps him squarely in the conversation for late-round targets.

Chubb’s pedigree and lead-back role offer week-to-week floor early on, but recent injury history and the ambiguity of Houston’s run-blocking raise the ceiling and floor in tandem. Marks, meanwhile, is flagged as a viable three-down option who might emerge as Mixon’s absence prolongs, giving him massive upside in PPR formats at a modest cost. Pierce remains the one to watch for an immediate Week 1 role if the injury timetable pushes Mixon deeper into the season. The draft strategy boils down to patience for Marks and opportunistic pull for Chubb if you need immediate help behind Mixon’s absence.

In this dynamic, managers should weigh Chubb for immediate value against Marks for late-season upside. If Mixon’s return is delayed, Marks and Pierce could anchor a better-than-expected Texans’ committee, especially in a pass-friendly scheme. If you’re drafting with a patient build, Marks’ upside makes him an enticing late-round gamble; if you need Week 1 reliability, Chubb remains the safer anchor, with Pierce offering a floor-raising option in the early part of the season.