CJ Stroud faced early-season heat after Houston’s Week 1 setback, but the rookie signal-caller stays focused and resilient. He finished 19-for-27 for 188 yards with no TD and an INT, yet his best work came under duress, completing 9-of-10 for 102 yards under pressure and scrambling for 32 yards. Houston shed penalties and sacks only to squander a late chance, reminding fantasy players that upside remains if the o-line and play calls clean up. The next test arrives on MNF against Tampa Bay, a high-visibility stage that could propel Stroud’s fantasy value if Caley’s Patriots-rooted concepts click sooner than later.

Stroud’s mindset is simple: flush the noise, grow the scheme, and trust teammates. He emphasized staying “like a horse” with tunnel vision, a posture aimed at turning this rough start into a springboard. With Caley’s system building from Patriots-era concepts, and the offense capable of pop moments, Stroud remains a high-upside, low-floor fantasy option as Houston aims to turn those negative plays into scalable positives.