5 Fantasy football trades to make before Week 2

#2. Dameon Pierce, RB, Houston Texans, Week 1: 6.7 pts

To nobody's surprise, the Houston Texans were never really a match for the Baltimore Ravens, and Dameon Pierce never got the ball rolling in the right direction. But there's plenty of good news for fantasy players looking to pounce on disgruntled Pierce owners.

Rookie second-overall pick C.J. Stroud actually didn't play that poorly on Sunday, especially considering the matchup he was up against. He wasn't well-supported by his running backs, who totaled 53 yards on 18 carries. The game script was terrible, but Stroud did his thing and Pierce actually looked OK, all things considered.

The second-year pro outcarried new signee Devin Singletary 11-7, and was far more productive, outgaining Singletary 38-15. Pierce actually played less than half of the Texans' offensive snaps (49 percent), but took 61 percent of the carries and had a higher route participation than any other Texans tailback (39 percent). Mike Boone had one more target (4) than Pierce (3), but given the game script and how the Texans played catchup all game, the minor discrepancy is amazing news for Pierce.

Pierce's involvement in the passing game is a sign of good things to come in fantasy, as it means he might see targets in more competitive games to help keep opposing defenses on their toes. The AFC South boasts some tough run defenses and talented front-sevens, so Pierce will need to evolve his game to stay on the field. Through one week, it seems Houston is giving him that opportunity as he ran 16 more routes than Singletary.

The Texans don't have the most RB-friendly or fantasy-friendly schedule this year, but things should lighten up for Pierce if Stroud continues to develop and helps keep defensive coordinators honest. High volume equals high fantasy potential, and Pierce is a safe bet for improvement over the course of 2023 and a buy-low candidate.