Normally, I use this space to shill the good products at Vicks and pick a fantasy sleeper. Today, I just cannot do this for two reasons.
Reason the first: The game plan should be fairly simple against a porous Carolina run defense. Running backs Arian Foster and Ben Tate should see a lot of carries and gain a lot of yards. Both men, however, cannot be considered sleepers given their seasons and draft status. Defensively, we will see what we typically see, so I cannot say someone on the fantasy waiver wire is going to pull a Kevin Walter and make a difference.
There really is not a Texans sleeper, so there is no point in pretending that there is. Sunday should be a straightforward game, fantasy-wise. Plus, why would I give away a good secret when I am competing in three fantasy football semifinals match-ups?
Reason the second: I step on the soapbox, after the jump, and deliver a more important message than who'll be a fantasy sleeper.
On behalf of Arian Foster, Owen Daniels, Duane Brown, Chris Myers, J.J. Watt, Connor Barwin, Brian Cushing, and Johnathan Joseph, I implore you - yes you - to click this link and vote people to the NFL Pro Bowl game.
What? Why am I stumping? Why do I have to go to bat for these great players? Simple.
According to recent NFL information, your Houston Texans only have one player who leads the vote at his position, running back Arian Foster, and only five others make the top five at their position. Those would be fifth-place fullback James Casey, third-place tight end Owen Daniels, fourth-place defensive end Antonio Smith, fourth-place inside linebacker Brian Cushing, and fourth-place kicker Neil Rackers.
Yes, the Pro Bowl is a farcical honor given how many players pull out.
Yes, I know many will say our very own Houston Texans will not be able to play in this game.
However, those eight (healthy) Texans have earned this honor with their play this season and should be recognized for it. Foster's putting up the numbers, Daniels is second among all AFC tight ends in catches and yards, Brown has not allowed a sack, Myers is beasting in the middle, Watt is an impact player who has been a revelation all year, Barwin sits third among AFC OLBs in sacks and is still improving, Cushing is back to playing as he did as a rookie, and Joseph is locking down his side of the field weekly. Sorry Casey, Smith, and Rackers, but I cannot vote for you if I am stumping on merit.
Additionally, it is about time we, as a fanbase, rally around our guys and vote them in as they should be. We are Houston friggin' Texas - the nation's fourth-largest city. We should be able to stuff the ballot for our guys when need be.
So get out and vote - click here - and send those deserving Texans to the beach. If we did it for Vonta, we can do it for the Pterodactyl, OD, Rivers' favorite draft pick, Ragdoll, Mario Blanco/Honey Badger/GigaWatt, Brain Crushing (a/k/a Tim's favorite draft pick_, and J-Joe.
Next week, the final edition of Sleeper of the Week!
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