Houston Texans 2019 season preview: Bill O'Brien all-in to protect Deshaun Watson

The Houston Texans are ranked No. 11 in ESPN's preseason Football Power Index. Here's everything you need to know about the Texans heading into the 2019 NFL season:

The big question: Will Deshaun Watson get hit less in 2019?

The Texans were worst in the NFL with 62 sacks allowed last season. They addressed a big hole at left tackle but paid a large price, trading two future first-round picks and a second-rounder to the Dolphins for Laremy Tunsil (also acquiring WR Kenny Stills) on Saturday. Watson started all 16 games last season but played through several injuries, including to his ribs and lungs that required him to take a bus from Houston to Jacksonville, Florida, in Week 7. Coach Bill O'Brien said he believes Watson has improved at getting the ball out quicker, but "the proof will be in the pudding when the real games start." The Texans won the AFC South in 2018 and are the favorite to repeat after QB Andrew Luck's sudden retirement in Indianapolis. -- Sarah Barshop

Offseason in a nutshell

The Texans attempted to improve Watson's protection by signing tackle Matt Kalil in free agency and using two of their first three draft picks (Tytus Howard in the first round and Max Scharping in the second round) on offensive linemen. Then they traded for Tunsil. Tunsil, Howard and Scharping could begin the season as starters on the line. They didn't make many other additions and traded former No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowneyto the Seahawks after he refused to sign the franchise tag. -- Barshop

Inside the Texans' schedule

Most important game: Week 13 against the Patriots. The Texans and Patriots have become familiar foes in recent seasons, playing five times in the past four years. New England has dominated Houston in those games, winning all five. O'Brien never has beaten his former boss, Bill Belichick, so this Sunday Night Football matchup late in the season will be a big test for the Texans.

Toughest stretch: Weeks 6-11. The Texans play four out of five games on the road, including a trip to London. Even with a bye in Week 10, this is still a challenging stretch for Houston, which will have to travel to face Kansas City and the division-rival Colts in back-to-back weeks.

Over or under 8.5 wins? Over. The Texans won 11 games and the AFC South in 2018, but they did it with the easiest schedule in the NFL. This season, they have the fourth-toughest schedule. The Texans' defense took a hit after the team traded Clowney to the Seahawks, but adding Tunsil to protect Watson should be a big enough move to give them a chance to win the AFC South in 2019. -- Barshop

Schedule ranking: No. 14

Houston's three hardest projected games come in the first six weeks, with its schedule getting easier after midseason. And the Texans get a big benefit from where and when they play, as opposed to whom they play. Based on average DVOA of opponent, Houston would rank seventh. But the Texans get a neutral-site London game against Jacksonville in Week 9. They play only one team coming off a bye (at Indianapolis, Week 7) and no teams coming off Thursday games, plus their own Thursday game is at home (also against the Colts, Week 12) and then they get to host the Patriots with that extra half-week of rest. -- Football Outsiders | See the full 1-32 ranking

Breakout fantasy star: WR Keke Coutee

A 2018 fourth-round pick, Coutee played at least two-thirds of Houston's offensive snaps in only five games as a rookie. He averaged 10.0 targets per game (28% team share) and had more targets than DeAndre Hopkins. Coutee is unlikely to score many touchdowns at 5-foot-10, 181 pounds, but his rookie-season usage suggests he won't be short on volume, even between Hopkins, new addition Stills andWill Fuller. -- Mike Clay | More fantasy coverage

The view from Vegas

Super Bowl odds: 35-1 (opened 35-1)

Over/under: 8.5 (O +120/U -140)

Playoff odds: Yes +120, No -140

Odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook as of Sept. 2.

Most interesting player prop

Over/under 4,050.5 passing yards for Deshaun Watson:

• Barshop: Over. Watson hit that in 2018 without having Fuller for more than half of the season, and the pair has combined for 11 touchdowns in 11 games.


• Clay: Under. Watson is one of two quarterbacks in NFL history to clear 4,050 passing yards and 90 carries in the same season, but he required 99.9% of the snaps to do so (and history suggests it's a long shot he'll be able to repeat).

Bold prediction: Fuller will score more TDs than Hopkins

Hopkins sees the opposing team's best cornerback, and he's often double-teamed as well. This should allow Fuller to get behind defenses as a home-run target for Watson. Of course, this assumes Fuller stays healthy, which hasn't happened in his first three NFL seasons. In 11 games with Watson, Fuller has 11 touchdowns. -- Barshop

Where the Texans landed in NFLRank

• No. 5: WR DeAndre Hopkins



• No. 14: DE J.J. Watt


• No. 47: QB Deshaun Watson

Speed reads before the opener

• Barshop:Laremy Tunsil, Jadeveon Clowney moves will define Texans, Bill O'Brien


• Barnwell:Bill O'Brien wants the Patriot Way. His trades go against it


• Barshop: Behind the scenes of J.J. Watt's Wisconsin homecoming


• Barshop: Texans' DeAndre Hopkins never satisfied in quest 'for greatness'


• Barshop: Deshaun Watson, offensive line share blame for Texans' league-high 62 sacks


• Barshop: Texans' cerebral second-year safety Justin Reid taking leadership role


• Barshop: From Facebook message to first-round pick: Tytus Howard's long road to Houston