DameonPierce

News: 3 days agoPierce rushed five times for eight yards and brought in three of six targets for eight yards in the Texans' 30-15 loss to the Dolphins on Sunday.

Spin: The rookie saw disappointingly low usage for the second straight game, although the fact the Texans were down 30-0 at the half naturally played the biggest role in him being iced out of the offense. Pierce' s talent as both a runner and receiver is undeniable, but his attachment to a team with significant quarterback issues does him no favors. He'll look to break out of the two-game funk against the Browns in a Week 13 home matchup.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Pierce was selected by Houston in the fourth round of April's draft. He is a strong, explosive back capable of producing as a rusher and receiver. He showed well in terms of forcing missed tackles and after contact (3.6), picked up 10-plus yards on a class-best 20% of his carries and showed pass-catching prowess by hauling in all 19 catchable targets and averaging 10.8 yards per target. Pierce seems to have major upside, but lacks top-end speed (4.59 40-yard dash) and it's fair to wonder if he'll be viewed as a three-down back after never clearing 106 carries or 23 targets during four seasons at Florida. Still, he has a shot at a major role with 32-year-old Rex Burkhead his primary competition for touches. Pierce is on the flex radar who could flirt with RB2 numbers.