2021 NFL Power Rankings: Post-Draft

Power Rankings. You love them. I love them. We all love them. It’s the type of easy reading that compartmentalizes something vague and hazy during the offseason.

Following the 2021 NFL Draft, ESPN updated their NFL Power Rankings, along with which existing player on the roster benefited the most from their team’s draft. This is what they had to say about your Houston Texans.

32. Houston Texans

Post-free-agency ranking: 32

Player who benefited most from draft: RB David Johnson

While the Texans have three veteran running backs on their roster, none are under contract past the 2021 season. The Texans had already signed Phillip Lindsay after they had restructured Johnson’s contract, but by not drafting a running back, Houston didn’t add another player who could take carries away from Johnson. Johnson was the Texans’ lead running back last season and ran for 691 yards and six touchdowns on 147 carries in 12 games. — Sarah Barshop

For a team with talent issues, there wasn’t a position off limits for the Texans this offseason, perhaps aside from offensive tackle. After adding Phillip Lindsay and Mark Ingram in free agency and keeping David Johnson on the roster—even though an injection of youth at the position would have been helpful—the Texans opted to not draft a running back. There were other positions that needed more help than RB. Johnson is now part of a Texans running hydra. Thankfully for him, the snake didn’t grow another head.

Yes, it’s another power rankings where the Texans are ranked 32nd. Get used to it. They’re going to be at that spot for awhile.