The 2016 Houston Texans are the Black Hippy of the NFL
So I figure you’re reading this for one of the following reasons:
A) You’re trying to figure out what the hell a Black Hippy is.
B) You are genuinely curious as to how the Houston Texans shape up for this coming football season, especially from a fantasy perspective.
C) You clicked on this link by mistake (no need to apologize, I got your click).
or D) A combination of the three.
Never fear, I will attempt to answer any and every question you may have. Let’s begin.
What is Black Hippy?
Black Hippy is a hip-hop supergroup comprised of rappers Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock, and Ab-Soul, all of whom are currently signed with Top Dawg Entertainment. Each of them are respected in the hip-hop community, have been successful in their field of work in a relatively short period of time, and have their own unique sound, flow, and delivery. But what makes Black Hippy a “supergroup” is the art that is created when joining forces. Their styles not only fit in seamlessly together, but build off of each other as one artist tries to outperform the next.
In other words, this is Black Hippy:
We get the point, what’s all that got to do with the Texans?
Actually, a lot of things that are said about Black Hippy could be applied to Houston’s players. The Texans’ have earned respect around the league, have recently been successful in their field of work, and each have their own unique abilities that they bring to the table. If everything shakes out the way they are supposed to, the Houston Texans could be the “supergroup” of the NFL.
Here is how each of Houston’s best fantasy options compare with the members of Black Hippy:
Brock Osweiler/Ab-Soul
You never know with Ab-Soul. You don’t know if he keeps that poofy hair that leaks out of his ball cap because no one has told him to get it trimmed or if it gives him Samson-like strength. You don’t know why his shades are permanently attached to his face (and more importantly, what is he really looking at? Our souls?). There will be songs where you question why he’s even part of Black Hippy, but there will also be songs that make you question why this guy isn’t your favorite of the group. And when he does you can’t help but shake your head in astonishment. That guy just did that.
You also never know with Brock Osweiler either. Osweiler was 5–3 while holding down the starting gig in Denver, and was a solid fantasy option during that time. He posted a stat line of 1,967 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. Osweiler’s most notable flaw, which ultimately cost him his full-time spot, is his inconsistency . He’ll have games like he did in Week 15 against the Pittsburgh Steelers when he threw for three touchdowns and ran another one in, and then follow it up with games like he had in Week 17 against the San Diego Chargers where he threw two interceptions. I think the inconsistencies will follow him to Houston, especially in the early weeks. I consider Osweiler a lower-tier QB2 who could be a perfect fill-in candidate during a bye week. He is bound to have some games that make you shake your head in astonishment. That guy just did that.
Lamar Miller/ScHoolboy Q
I used this picture of ScHoolboy Q from his music video of “Tookie Knows II” for one reason only. Stop whatever you’re doing right now (hopefully it’s reading this article), log onto Twitter, open a new draft and type in “@HoustonTexans #FreeLamar”. Send. They’ll know what it means.
Despite dropping three previous albums and having one of the most distinct sounds in hip-hop, ScHoolboy Q was not a relatively household name. In fact, you probably found out about Q through Black Hippy where his hard and raw delivery added a whole new dimension to the group. Then “Blankface” dropped, ScHoolboy Q’s fourth studio album, and, in my opinion, the best album that has been released this year thus far. It received better reviews than both Kanye West’s “The Life of Pablo” and Drake’s “Views.” The production fit so well with Q’s style that you just couldn’t stop yourself from listening to it over and over and over again.
Lamar isn’t necessarily a household name either coming into this season. He received limited opportunities in Miami which led to a low fantasy ceiling. In his best season as a Dolphin, he finished with 1,374 combined yards and 9 combined touchdowns; solid, but not stellar. His restricted touches ultimately led to the creation of the popular hashtag, coined by Matthew Berry himself, #FreeLamar.
But now Miller is in Houston, and there are many signs that indicate a breakout season for the former 4th round pick. For instance, with Brock Osweiler at the helm, Bill O’Brien might be content to run the ball more as his new quarterback gets his feet wet in the new offense. Or that per Pro Football Focus, the Texans offensive line is no worse at run blocking than the Dolphins’. Or that Miller hasn’t missed a game in the past three seasons. Or that his receptions have increased every year, finishing last year with 47 catches. Or how about that Miller, who already has a high yards per carry average (4.6 for his career), has the highest YPC average in the redzone and the most redzone touchdowns since entering the league in 2012. In other words, Miller is a great fit for Houston, adding a whole new dimension to the team. I consider him to have a RB10 floor with top 5 upside, which means you should be starting Miller over and over and over again. Could this season be Lamar Miller’s “Blankface”?
Will Fuller/Jay Rock
So Black Hippy can get a little weird. Okay, a lot weird. I mean have you seen Ab-Soul? So thank god for Jay Rock. Of the four, Jay Rock is the most traditional rapper in the group. His no-nonsense style compliments the outlandish sounds that the other three often come up with. He’s not much of a risk-taker, but you’ll rarely find a verse by Jay Rock that wasn’t solid. In this way, Jay Rock fills his role perfectly.
Things got weird for the Texans last year. Brian Hoyer won the starting job over Ryan Mallet in the preseason, but ended up only playing in 11 games, allowing Ryan Mallett, Brandon Weeden, and T.J. Yates to get significant playing time. And with Arian Foster injured most of the season, the Texans only viable offensive game plan was to throw the ball to DeAndre Hopkins — regardless of whether he was in triple coverage.
Enter Will Fuller, the wide receiver taken out of Notre Dame with the 21st pick. Fuller is a bonafide deep threat (4.32 40-yard dash) who was drafted by Houston to hopefully draw attention away from Hopkins. Rookie receivers often struggle in their first couple of seasons, especially when shaky quarterback play is involved. Unless you’re in a dynasty league, Fuller isn’t worth much more than a late round flyer.The Texans don’t need Fuller to be this year’s Odell Beckham, they just need him to open things up for the offense, and in that way, Fuller should be able to fill his role perfectly.
DeAndre Hopkins/Kendrick Lamar
Make no mistake, Kendrick Lamar is the star of the group. Not only is he the most popular member of Black Hippy, he’s also the most successful. The reason that he’s received so much acclaim is because of his versatility. Lamar has multiple sounds and deliveries, and always knows which one to use on every beat. He does it all. There’s a reason he’s considered one of the greatest rappers of his generation.
DeAndre Hopkins is also the star of the Houston Texans. Remember the thing I said about how weird last season was for Houston? How their only option was to throw to Hopkins in triple coverage? He finished the year with 111 receptions, 1521 yards, and 11 touchdowns. So what makes Hopkins so special? He’s able to run multiple levels of routes. Short, middle, deep, Hopkins does it all. On top of that, there’s room for improvement. The addition of Lamar Miller and Will Fuller should draw attention away from Hopkins (meaning he would only get double coverage as opposed to triple). Almost anyone should be better than the motley crew of quarterbacks the Texans put together last season. Speaking of which, five of Brock Osweiler’s 10 touchdowns last season went to Demaryius Thomas, the top receiver for Denver.
Of course there’s risks. Osweiler wasn’t that much better than Hoyer last season. You could even make the argument that he was worse. A lack of trust could leave Bill O’Brien to lean on the run game significantly early on. But you know what’s not a serious risk? Hopkin’s health. He hasn’t missed one game in his 3-year career.
Overall, I think that Hopkins ends up as a top 5 WR, with the potential to be the best in the league. If his production from last year is any indication, he’s got the capability to be one of the greatest of his generation.
Wait, what about the Tight Ends?
What about the tight ends? Can you honestly name them off the top of your head? (I can’t). Houston’s tight ends primary responsibility is to help block. Consider them undraftable in any format, unless your league only counts points scored by Houston Texans. If that’s the case, C.J. Fiedorowicz is your man (I had to look it up).
Wait, what about the Defense/ST?
Dang, I really didn’t think this through. Let’s say that if Houston’s offense are the members of Black Hippy, then the defense is the beat they rap on. It’s raw, powerful, and gives its counterparts a platform to perform on. Easily one of the best in the biz.
Wait, what about the Kicker?
Nick Novak? Yeah he’s okay.
There you have it. Be sure to draft Houston Texans, listen to more Black Hippy, hit the like button and leave a comment.
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