C.J. Stroud Week 1 Outlook - Texans at Ravens

By Derek Brown (FantasyPros), Sun, Sep 10th 2023, 12:05pm EDT

C.J. Stroud is a fantasy football player to avoid for Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season. His opening matchup against the Baltimore Ravens on the road is far from ideal, making it hard to trust a late-round QB when you can't confidently start him in the first week. Additionally, Stroud is facing a severe lack of weapons, with Dalton Schultz and Nico Collins as his top two pass-catching options. This is a stark contrast to the talented receivers he had in college, such as Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Marvin Harrison Jr. Stroud is likely to encounter growing pains as he adjusts to a less experienced and talented receiving corps. All these factors combined with some offensive line injuries make him a risky fantasy option for Week 1. Kenyon Greene and Juice Scruggs were both expected to be starting options, but both have been placed on IR prior to Week 1.