Davis Mills

It wasn't easy being Davis Mills (or any Texan) the last two seasons. The 2021 third-round draft pick was given an opportunity most mid-round quarterbacks don't get, but it wasn't an ideal situation. All the blemishes of Mills' game showed -- inconsistency, decision making, red zone-futility -- all while operating an offense with minimal threats under two consecutive one-and-done head coaches. For the first time since Bill O'Brien's final season in Houston, the organization is looking forward instead of treading water. Second-overall pick C.J. Stroud is the expected starter, and if either Mills or veteran Case Keenum are playing much this season, things have gone wrong.

A 2021 third-round pick, Mills replaced an injured Tyrod Taylor early in the year before finally taking over the starting job for good. Mills struggled with efficiency - 23rd in on-target percentage (72.8) and 25th in YPA (6.8) - but he improved late in the season, posting 9/2 TD/INT and 7.4 YPA in his last five games. At 6-4, 225, Mills does not have an elite arm, but he fared well throwing deep (11th in both on-target and completion rates on 20-plus-yard attempts). He wasn't a running threat, however, and the Texans didn't have consistent pass catchers besides Brandin Cooks. The situation is similar this season, as the Texans added only second- round pick John Metchie, coming off an ACL injury and recovering from leukemia (he's not expected to play this year). They also signed RB Marlon Mack and drafted Dameon Pierce in Round 4, adding quantity if not quality to the running game. Perhaps a revamped scheme under Pep Hamilton, last year's QB coach now promoted to OC, will work in Mills' favor, but without rushing skills and surrounded by a poor roster, his fantasy outlook is limited.

Mills was selected in the third round of the 2021 draft and it's no surprise the Texans took a quarterback, as the organization suddenly faces uncertainty at a position that once appeared set for the next decade. The Stanford product's maturation as a pro could take some time due to limited experience. His first two years with the Cardinal were capped due to injuries, and he started just 11 games over the last two seasons. With Deshaun Watson's future with the team cloudy, Tyrod Taylor could well take over as the starter to start the coming campaign, with Mills potentially getting a look by midseason. The Texans need to determine if he's their signal caller of the future, or if they'll go QB hunting in the first round of the 2022 draft.