Getty Houston Texans WR Keke Coutee
It seems the Houston Texans are now fully loaded at wide receiver, making life even tougher than it previously was for fantasy football owners. In Week 4, we saw Will Fuller suffer a first-half injury, leading to a breakout performance from rookie Keke Coutee.
The fourth-round pick out of Texas Tech received a total of 15 targets from Deshaun Watson, resulting in 11 catches for 109 yards during the 37-34 overtime win. But the question becomes, is Coutee capable of putting up solid numbers with Fuller back on the field? Better yet, should fantasy owners consider starting him in their lineups?
There’s no question that last week was an outlier to this point for Coutee, but he’s deserving of a larger role, and we’re going to take a look at whether or not he’ll remain fantasy relevant.
Keke Coutee’s Week 5 Fantasy Outlook
The Texans getting Fuller back on the field will hurt Coutee’s production, and it’s risky to play him without seeing a full game of how the offense looks with the trio of pass-catchers together. But based on what NFL’s Next Gen Stats revealed, there’s at least reason for optimism that Coutee could continue to produce.
Per @NFL‘s Next Gen Stats, #Texans WR Keke Coutee saw a lot of work from the slot and seemingly very little from the outside. Also got the ball a variety of ways, which could help him stay relevant for #FantasyFootball owners, even with Will Fuller back.
The Texans took unique routes to get the ball into the hands of their young wideout, and he also played inside quite a bit. If that trend continues, there’s no question he can remain productive while DeAndre Hopkins and Fuller, who both can play all over the field, hold down the outside.
Coutee also played 93 percent of the offensive snaps in Week 4, with Fuller receiving 31 percent prior to injury and Sammie Coates drawing 33 percent, per Football Outsiders. In turn, expecting somewhere around 55-65 percent of the snaps this week seems possible for the 21-year-old.
Should You Start or Sit Coutee?
Although I’m incredibly intrigued by Coutee’s upside, I’d much prefer to see him play a full game alongside Hopkins and Fuller before starting him. If bye weeks or injuries leave you in a bind, I’d understand him as a flex play or WR3/4 in 12-team leagues, but I don’t love it. He’s also worth considering in 14-team leagues based on the same situation, and he’s a much more viable option in larger leagues.
Aside from just his potential workload, Coutee’s matchup isn’t ideal. The Dallas Cowboys have allowed just 39 receptions to wideouts, the fourth-fewest in the league. Although they have given up 589 yards and four touchdowns to the position, it means receivers on teams facing them have combined for less than 10 receptions per game.
Temper expectations on Coutee for a week, but don’t be surprised if he receives 5-7 targets here.
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