Davis Mills Starts as Fantasy Football Sleeper While CJ Stroud is Out With Concussion

CJ Stroud will be sidelined for his 2nd straight game, due to a concussion. Davis Mills will slot in to start following a thrilling Week 10 comeback victory.

Nov 9, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback Davis Mills (10) looks on against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second half at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

As of Thursday afternoon, CJ Stroud has been ruled out for the second game in a row with a concussion. This will slot Davis Mills in for his second start of the season and it may not be so terrible. Mills put up an effort that had him finish as the QB1 in some formats. The Texans have an array of weapons in a favorable game in Tennessee. We will breakdown the Texans offensive outlook, and whether or not Mills may be a sleeper pickup piece for your team.

Fantasy Football Outlook

Mills filled in for Stroud in Week 10 and he lead a massive comeback victory over a rather good Jaguars defense. He threw 27-45 with 292 Yards, 2 Touchdown, 1 Rushing Touchdown, and 1 Interception.

Mills also played much of Week 9 after Stroud had gotten concussed. In that game versus the Broncos, he went 17-30 with 137 Yards.

By no means is Mills world-beater, but he has been around and played many games. He is a very quality backup quarterback in the NFL. The Titans will oppose the Texans and they are a subpar group against Quarterbacks. They are 19th versus Play-callers and 24th versus Wide Receivers.

Mills could be a longshot pickup if you need, although we must remember that, despite a good game, he is still one of the lesser Quarterbacks on the field this week.

Never tell Davis Mills and the @HoustonTexans the odds 😏 pic.twitter.com/g0wneq2n9i

— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) November 11, 2025

Nico Collins will be the beneficiary. Over his near two games with Mills this season, Collins has 26 Targets. This is a near 40% Target Share. Mills will keep feeding his WR1 and the Titans are unlikely to be able to stop it.

As for the rest of the receiving core, they are generally unaffected and unstartable. That includes Christian Kirk, Xavier Hutchinson, Jayden Higgins, and Dalton Schultz.

It is unlikely the Houston passes any more with Mills than they had with Stroud, therefore the rushing offense also does not shift much. Mills is just as mobile as Stroud.

Stock Watch

Davis Mills is a longshot sleeper option with good upside in this matchup.

Nico Collins is a rare upgrade, Top-10 Wide Receiver with WR1 overall upside.

Fantasy Sports On SI Week 11 Rankings:

• Davis Mills: QB32
• Nico Collins: WR11
• Christian Kirk: WR58
• Jayden Higgins: WR69
• Xavier Hutchinson: WR70
• Dalton Schultz: TE9

CJ Stroud Ruled Out of Week 11 With Concussion

CJ Stroud has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Titans; QB Davis Mills starts again.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 13, 2025

Concussions vary in severity and so we never truly know how long a player will be out. As for Stroud, he remains out for a second straight week. Mills will now start his 28th career NFL game.

In his five year career, Mills has a 62.2% Completion Percentage, 161.4 Yards per Game, 37 Touchdowns, and 26 Interceptions. His entire career has been with Houston, so the system in very familiar, making this a relatively reliable backup spot.