2011 Fantasy Football, Week 15 Gold Mine: Meet Houston Texan’s TJ Yates
T.J. Yates, QB, Houston Texans: 300 yds, 2 TDs, 1 INT
Yates is on the radar now that he’s led Houston to its first playoff appearance and its first division title. Before Sunday’s last second victory, Yates was a mediocre backup for those that lost the steady services of Matt Schaub. As in other Gold Mine columns, the question is, where did Yates come from and where is he going?
T.J. is an interesting story. He wasn't one of those guys that was a star all four years in high school. In fact, Yates didn't play ball until his senior season. He passed for 17 touchdowns and ran for seven more. Yates was a four-year starter at University of North Carolina, where he set the record for most career passing yards, and most passing yards in a season. Not bad for a dude that picked up the pigskin his final year in high school.
The Texans drafted Yates in the 5th round of the 2011 NFL Draft, a round that also included Iowa standout Ricky Stanzi and Idaho signal caller Nate Enderle.
Yates' performance against the Bengals was an impressive one: On the road, for one, and against a pretty decent defense. The Texans have a soft schedule from here on out, beginning this weekend with the Panthers. Houston faces Indianapolis next week and concludes the season against the Titans. It's hard to say how they will handle Yates: Will the Texans grind out the season with Arian Foster, who faces two of the worst run defenses in the league? Or will they let Yates throw more often now that a division title is in the bag? Either way, if you are in a jam and need to start someone this week for your playoff matchup, consider Yates.
He’s owned in only 5% of Y! leagues. For those that dabble in Yahoo’s Salary Cap leagues (a must-play for serious fantasy enthusiasts), Yates will cost you a mere $8.45.
Written by James Duren exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com.
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(August 31, 2011 – Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images North America)
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