C.J. Stroud: Everything you need to know

Stroud improved his diet this offseason in an effort to lose weight, according to DJ Bien-Aime of ESPN.com. Stroud shouldn't lack for motivation, coming off a 2025 campaign in which he and his offensive line were the weak links on an otherwise loaded team. The Texans then picked up his fifth-year option this offseason, though it's not some huge vote of confidence when the price tag ($25.9 million) is lower than what it costs to re-sign even a mediocre starting QB. There's still hope in Houston that Stroud can be more than mediocre, with help from a remade offensive line that added first-round pick Keylan Rutledge and veterans Braden Smith, Wyatt Teller and Evan Brown. The combination of better blocking and a locked-in QB could do wonders for Houston's offense, but even a slimmed-down version of Stroud is unlikely to offer much in the way of rushing stats for his fantasy managers.

The Texans have exercised the fifth-year option of Stroud's rookie contract Wednesday, Field Yates of ESPN reports. Stroud thus remains under contract through 2027, though his fifth-year option being picked up doesn't necessarily preclude Houston from inking the 24-year-old quarterback to an extension. Trade rumors surrounded Stroud early in the offseason, but GM Nick Caserio doubled down on the team's long-term commitments to the 2023 first-round pick during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine and the league's annual owners meetings. Across 14 regular-season appearances in 2025, Stroud threw for 3,041 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions, the lowest TD and yardage totals of his career to date. The case for Stroud to rebound for fantasy purposes next year relies on projecting wideouts Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel to take a step forward in Year 2 alongside No. 1 WR Nico Collins, and potentially also for Tank Dell (knee) to resume producing after missing all of 2025. The Texans also have Xavier Hutchinson, Justin Watson and TE Dalton Schultz (calf) rounding out the receiving corps.

The Texans have no plans to trade Stroud, DJ Bien-Aime of ESPN reports. Per Bien-Aime, the QB's name surfaced online in trade speculation in the wake of a playoff run that included seven turnovers. However, GM Nick Caserio firmly denied such a possibility Tuesday, while noting of Stroud, "we are not trading the guy. He's our quarterback. He's going to be playing quarterback for the Houston Texans in 2026." Stroud, who was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, is coming off a 2025 regular season in which he threw for 3,041 yards, with 19 TDs and eight interceptions in 14 games. Looking ahead, WR Christian Kirk is the team's most notable pass catcher in line to become a free agent next month, but otherwise Houston's top wideouts and tight ends are on track to be available options for Stroud this coming season.