Houston Texans wide receiver Cecil Shorts III is dealing with a hamstring injury and will not play in the team’s Week 8 game against the Tennessee Titans, according to beat writer Drew Dougherty. Shorts has played hurt throughout the season and already missed one contest earlier this year.
Cecil Shorts III ruled out for Week 8, afternoon on fantasy sidelines imminent
Houston Texans wide receiver Cecil Shorts III has been struggling with injuries all year long and it looks like he’ll be out again. We break down the fantasy implications.
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Fantasy impact: Shorts had made a name for himself in years past as the only pass catching option in the Jacksonville Jaguars’ offense. In his first year with the Texans, he has superstar wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins alongside him.
While it’s not exactly a shock to see Shorts’ numbers take a bit of a hit considering the Texans have a running game and Hopkins at their disposal, he still gets targeted often when he’s out there which has allowed Shorts to maintain some fantasy value.
He obviously won’t be an option for fantasy owners this week, but given that the Texans now have to go on without running back Arian Foster thanks to a season-ending Achilles injury, Shorts may surprise some people if the Texans are forced to throw the ball more than they would like to late in the season.
That said, Nate Washington will get more looks while Shorts recovers. Washington had nine catches for 127 yards and two touchdowns last week against the Miami Dolphins which may have killed Shorts’ value. Washington may be worth a look this week after posting such big numbers.
