Predictions Summary Projections by Position Projection Team Boxes

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Prediction: BUF 17, HOU 23 (Line: HOU by 3)

Update: Arian Foster was limited in all practices this week and was called a game time decision by HC Bill O’Brien. Alfred Blue will start if Foster is unable to play. Check game time inactives before using Foster. This is an early Sunday game.

The 2-1 Bills are tied for the AFC East lead and are 1-0 in road games. The Texans are also 2-1 and lead the AFC South with a 1-0 record in home games. This should be a close one that could go either way.

The Bills could not hold off the Chargers last week but beat the Fins by 19 points the previous week. The Bills defense is keeping them in games this year and already the biggest hope for the offense is that they just do not get in the way with errors and turnovers. The rushing effort remains good but the passing offense needs plenty of work. That will haunt them whenever they need to mount a comeback.

QUARTERBACK : E.J. Manuel is just a game manager who so far has only thrown one interceptions. But that was against just one passing score in each game and around 200 yards per week. Manuel is not going to be a difference maker in a positive sense. But so far he’s avoiding being a liability.

RUNNING BACK : Not a lot from the rushing offense. C.J. Spiller scored just once this year and that was on a reception. But he’s stuck at around a dozen carries per game and enough receptions to yield roughly 70 yards each week. Fred Jackson also scored just once – on a reception – and comes off a season high of 78 yards on eight catches with 34 as a runner. Combined the two post average sort of stats though they have yet to run in any score. No one is winning their league because they own either Spiller or Jackson. But they are not losing it for you either.

WIDE RECEIVER : Sammy Watkins caught eight passes for 117 yards and one score versus the Dolphins. But that was it for any wideout with a decent game this year. Watkins reverted to only two catches for 19 yards last week. Mike Williams cannot break 36 yards so far. This is a weakness that will not improve with Manuel as the quarterback but there is no movement away from him. That strips away the fantasy value from this players.

TIGHT END : Scott Chandler has yet to score but surpassed last week with 74 yards on five receptions. That still only nets him 13 catches for 118 yards on the season. No fantasy merit here.

MATCH TO THE DEFENSE: The Texans have been particularly good when at home where the Redskins were unable to score via the pass. This will be the fourth straight mediocre offense to go against the Texans. They have allowed three rushing scores and last week Rashad Jennings ran for 176 yards and one touchdown. Spiller and Jackson make moderate plays here but this game is in Houston. They have allowed a score and 100 yards to the last two opponents #1 receiver. Expect a decent showing by Jackson and Spiller and even Sammy Watkins has minor upside this week.

The Texans stumbled last week in a surprising loss to the Giants but it was just one of many upsets on the day. The Texans are back at home and facing what should be a rather daunting schedule the rest of the way. This is a good chance to get back on track at home before traveling to Dallas the next week.

QUARTERBACK : Ryan Fitzpatrick is another one of those average quarterbacks who are always good for one passing score and rarely more than one. Unfortunately his success has not swept up Andre Johnson who is becoming more of a decoy each week but all the Texans want is a game manager. The rushing offense is good and the defense is normally enough to win. The only time Fitzpatrick has thrown an interception or been sacked was in the one loss.

RUNNING BACK : Arian Foster was scratched last week because of his hamstring and the Texans are less than forthcoming about his readiness for this week. Alfred Blue replaced him in New York and ran for 78 yards on 13 carries along with a catch for ten yards. That while the rest of the team was struggling in a loss. I will assume that Blue gets the start again this week but it may come down to a game time decision if only as gamesmanship. Only one game with Blue as the runner but he looked just as powerful as Foster. Maybe more.

WIDE RECEIVER : Andre Johnson has always been light on the touchdowns but he made up for it as a yardage king. Not so much this year. Johnson comes off a bad 24 yard effort in New York with only four receptions. He hasn’t scored yet and totals 191 yards on the season which ranks only as 22nd best. Consider fantasy points and he ranks 48th. But DeAndre Hopkins comes off his best game of six catches for 116 yards. He’s scored twice this year and totals 227 yards. He ranks 12th best in fantasy points and – have to say it – he is the new Johnson and one that also catches touchdowns too. No wonder Johnson wanted to be traded.

TIGHT END : No fantasy value.

MATCH TO THE DEFENSE: The Bills have allowed at least one passing score in each game and their only road trip resulted in 349 yards and two scores for Jay Cutler. So far no team has rushed in a score on the Bills though Forte rolled up 82 rush yards and 87 more yards as a receiver on them in the only road trip so far. The starting back should turn in a good game here but Foster’s status may take time to be known. But this is a 1 PM game on Sunday so you’ll have time to know which running back will play. Hopkins and Johnson are both worth considering in this home game and both Jeffery and Marshall gained 70 yards on them in Chicago.

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