Fantasy fanatics, the time for doing your due diligence to scope out the upcoming fantasy prospects has finally arrived! While everyone will be arguing over who the overall best fantasy talents are, the cerebral fantasy football aficionado will always keep one eye on the underrated athletes throughout the season. Speaking of which, rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson could be a compelling fantasy asset assuming he can continue to display the confident poise that he did in his first professional appearance.
After Tom Savage took the field initially, Watson received ample playing time during the second and third quarters against the Carolina Panthers in the Houston Texans first preseason game. While Watson has to work on his down the field accuracy, his pocket presence and comfort within the Texans offense were exceptional. Working out of the bootleg, Watson was patient at keeping his eye downfield while making his reads, never once attempting to the thread the needle by throwing into double coverage. Even in play action situations, Watson proved to be very scrappy at extending plays thanks to his athleticism and was able to garner a rushing touchdown in the third quarter as a result.
However, what was even more impressive than his flashy footwork was his discipline with the football. After making every effort to extend a play, Watson was content to throw the ball away rather than force an ill-advised pass, an attribute that former starter Brock Osweiler sorely lacked. Although it may be too early to proclaim Watson as the week one starter now, his dynamic abilities as the Texans’ signal caller could earn him the starting role sooner rather than later.
With all of that being said, the question becomes is the Clemson great worth a late round pick in your fantasy lineup? The short answer is no….for now. If Watson can maintain his composure and can continue to work on his efficiency when leading long drives down the field, it seems likely that Watson could get the nod within the first four weeks of the season. As capable as Savage is at keeping the football secure, he lacks the big play potential that the Texans need to take the next step at winning the AFC South and ultimately competing for a Super Bowl. As of now, Watson is player worth keeping a close eye on at the start of the season as he could be a favorite waiver wire pick up sooner rather than later.
