John Metchie fantasy outlook: Is Texans WR worth taking a shot on in 2023?

John Metchie was selected by the Houston Texans last year as a wide receiver prospect in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

He appeared to have a ton of upside due to his athletic abilities with an expected large role in a Texans offense lacking legitimate weapons. This made him an intriguing Fantasy Football option last year.

Unfortunately for Metchie and his fantasy owners, the excitment for his rookie season fell apart when he was shockingly diagnosed with leukemia, a type of blood cancer. Not only was he forced to miss the entire 2022 NFL season, but his future in general was jeopardized by the diagnosis.

After making a ton of progress with his health during the past year, John Metchie recently received excellent news ahead of Texans training camp. He has officially been cleared to resume all football activities and begin practicing.

He's expected to be ready for Week 1 and is even currently projected to be named a starting wide receiver.

This all makes Metchie an interesting Fantasy Football option ahead of the 2023 NFL season. His top competition for targets among the Texans' wide receivers are currently Nico Collins and Robert Woods.

Collins is completely unproven as a prospect himself, while Woods appears to be declining at the back end of his career. Thus a legitimate case can be made that John Metchie will eventually emerge as the top wide receiver for rookie quarterback CJ Stroud this year.

While the Texans aren't expected to be a high-scoring team, Metchie's projected volume of targets can potentially give him fantasy value. This is especially true considering where he's likely to be available in fantasy drafts.

Metchie is one of the better late-round fliers in fantasy drafts this year, especially in Dynasty leagues due to the fact that he's essentially a second-year rookie. He holds value in redraft formats as well due to the upside associated with potentially becoming his team's WR1.

While some may avoid Metchie due to the relative health risks and weak offense, taking a shot could pay off.

John Metchie college football stats

John Metchie

John Metchie played a prominent role for the Alabama Crimson Tide during the 2020 and 2021 college football seasons. He also increased his output in 2021 as compared to 2020.

He posted a massive 96 receptions for 1,142 yards and eight touchdownsi 2021, after a solid 55 receptions for 916 yards and six touchdowns the year before. His progress further increases his intrigue in Fantasy Football as he continues to deveolp as a growing prospect.