QB C.J. Stroud - (79.0 OFF/ 75.4 Pass/ 78.4 Run)
For some reason, C.J. Stroud isn't the top-rated offensive player of the Houston Texans. At least not after eight games. The Ohio State product has been every bit as good as the team had hoped for, if not more so. He's defied expectations and led the Texans to be in playoff contention after just a handful of weeks.
A rebuild that many thought would take a few seasons may be almost over at this rate, as the Texans are proving they can hang with some of the NFL's best, while also finding ways to win games, as they did against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A lot of that is on Stroud's playmaking and decision-making abilities.
He was able to lead the Texans to a game-needing touchdown against the Buccaneers late in the fourth quarter. With kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn getting injured against the Buccaneers, the Texans couldn't just kick field goals and instead relied on Stroud to score touchdowns and two-point conversions when needed.
Asking a seasoned pro to go the length of the field in less than a minute is hard enough, but that's what was asked by Stroud. Down by four, Stroud threw the go-ahead touchdown with just six second left ont he clock, bringing the game to a dramatic close.
It was an incredible moment and one that really helped solidify Stroud as the legend he's quickly becoming. Not many pros throw five touchdowns in a game, let alone rookies.