Should I start C.J. Stroud in Week 1?

QB · HOU · Bye 8

Week 1 · 2026 season · Consensus updated September 3 at 1:20 PM EDT

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SitConsensus QB24 · range #21–#27

Consensus QB24 — outside the starting range in 1QB leagues.

Week 1 consensus by format

FormatQB rankBestWorstSplitFlex rankProj. pts
PPRQB242127±1.516.0
Half PPRQB242127±1.516.0
StandardQB242127±1.516.0

Expert consensus and ownership data via FantasyPros · rostered in 28% of ESPN and Yahoo leagues

Latest news

  • C.J. Stroud expected to play Thursday

    C.J. Stroud is expected to play a few series in Thursday's preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

    Leo Sells · FantasyPros · Aug 20, 12:53 PM EDT

What the analysts are saying

Initial reports suggested that the Texans were going to rest their starters against the Raiders, but now they have made the decision to let some starters play a few series, including Stroud and the team's starters on the offensive line. He will be extremely limited in this game, so there's unlikely to be enough data to draw any fantasy conclusions from this preseason matchup.

Leo Sells, FantasyPros · C.J. Stroud expected to play Thursday

Ranked around him this week

The QBs directly above and below on the Week 1 consensus board — the players you're actually choosing between.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should I start C.J. Stroud in Week 1?
Sit. Consensus QB24 — outside the starting range in 1QB leagues. The expert range runs from #21 to #27. The consensus projection is 16.0 PPR points.
Where is C.J. Stroud ranked for Week 1?
The FantasyPros expert consensus has C.J. Stroud at QB24 for Week 1. The expert range runs from #21 to #27.