CJ Stroud – 2023 Fantasy Football Outlook
Quarterback – Ohio State
6’3” 218 lbs
1st Round – 2nd Pick (2nd Overall) – Houston Texans
After a tumultuous journey navigating the whirlwind of rumors, CJ Stroud has been drafted second overall to the Houston Texans per Ari Meirov on Twitter. To anyone who was paying attention, it’s obvious that Stroud was the last quarterback on the board that could step in week one and compete at a high level.
Stroud’s success in college was due in large part to his impressive physical tools and football IQ. He has a strong arm and quick release, allowing him to make accurate throws at all levels of the field. Though he rarely had the chance to show it, he has pressure evasion and play extension skills that were on full display against Georgia in the 2022 college playoff.
Throughout the draft process, the former Ohio State Buckeye has faced countless nay-sayers. He has been questioned on his ability to make plays out of structure. He has been questioned on his ability to play football when not surrounded by world-class offensive talent. While these questions may be valid, no prospect is perfect, and all of these players will have to improve when taking the leap from college to the pros.
In one of the weirder turns I’ve seen as of late, an information leak occurred within a week of the draft. This leak was none other than the results from the S2 cognition test, a metric that is being vetted to replace the legendary Wonderlic. Stroud scored an 18% on the test which reportedly evaluates one’s ability to diagnose new information.
For what it’s worth some say that this test is for the quarterbacks what the 40-yard dash is for the running back position. Personally, I will be holding back on basing evaluations based on these scores. After Stroud went second overall, it appears the league is still skeptical.
Fantasy Football Outlook
As a member of the Houston Texans, Stroud is entrusted with leading a team in transition. The Texans are in the process of rebuilding, and Stroud will be expected to help lay the groundwork for the team’s future success.
With the addition of Stroud comes a rising expectation for the resident receiving options. Nico Collins is the presumed X for this offense. Although he is no Marvin Harrison Jr., he will be a reliable big body to throw jaw-dropping moonballs to. Additionally, John Metchie III has reportedly been catching passes at voluntary camp this spring. Despite his diagnosis of leukoma last year, he is on track to play in the near future. When he does he will be a reliable slot option for Stroud to throw to.
Now for the other new faces on the 2023 Texan offense, Robert Woods and Dalton Schultz. Both are in line to be key pieces on the offense, though there is very little room for them to return to the form they had in the past with the Rams and Cowboys respectively.
While he will undoubtedly face challenges in his rookie season, Stroud’s talent and potential make him an exciting addition to the Texans’ roster. If he can continue to develop and improve, he has the potential to become one of the league’s top quarterbacks in the years to come.
Dynasty Outlook
I would not let him slip further than the 1.04 in any of my Superflex rookie drafts because of his high floor as a locked-in starter and polished pocket passer. As for 1QB leagues, he’ll be going at the beginning to middle of the 2nd round.
As far as rankings go, he is a top-15 quarterback in dynasty fantasy football leagues by default. Overall, if he reaches his ceiling he may just be batting with the big boys before we know it.
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