Justin Houston

Justin Houston

35-Year-Old LinebackerLB
 Free Agent  
Free Agent
2024 Fantasy Outlook
There was no outlook written for Justin Houston in 2024. Check out the latest news below for more on his current fantasy value.
RANKS
$Signed a one-year contract with the Dolphins in January of 2024.
Catches on with Miami
LBMiami Dolphins
January 9, 2024
Houston (hamstring) agreed to a contract with the Dolphins on Tuesday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
ANALYSIS
The 34-year-old edge rusher previously appeared in seven games with Carolina this season, tallying a half-sack and nine tackles before he was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring strain in early November and then getting granted his release Dec. 19. Now presumably back to full health, Houston could be thrust into a significant role in Miami's wild-card matchup with the Chiefs on Saturday with the Dolphins' depth on the edge having been decimated in recent weeks. With the team's top three pass rushers -- Jaelan Phillips (Achilles), Bradley Chubb (knee) and Andrew Van Ginkel (foot) -- all lost for the season, look for Miami to rely heavily on Houston, and fellow veteran outside linebackers Melvin Ingram and Emmanuel Ogbah to generate pressure on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
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2024 Justin Houston Split Stats
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Measurables Review
How do Justin Houston's measurables compare to other linebackers?
This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.
Height
6' 3"
 
Weight
270 lbs
 
40-Yard Dash
4.62 sec
 
Shuttle Time
4.37 sec
 
Cone Drill
6.50 sec
 
Vertical Jump
36.5 in
 
Broad Jump
125 in
 
Bench Press
30 reps
 
Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Justin Houston See More
Exploiting the Matchups: Wild-Card Round Breakdown
277 days ago
Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff may be headed for a shootout in Detroit.
NFL Game Previews: Eagles-Chiefs Matchup
334 days ago
Erik Siegrist previews the Monday night matchup as Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs take on the Eagles.
NFL Game Previews: Broncos-Bills Matchup
341 days ago
Erik Siegrist previews the Monday night matchup as Russell Wilson and the Broncos travel to Buffalo for a date with the Bills.
Gameday Injuries: Week 3
Gameday Injuries: Week 3
September 24, 2023
September 24, 2023
Juan Carlos Blanco has the latest Sunday morning updates on a Week 3 injury report where the quarterback position takes center stage.
NFL Game Previews: Monday Night Matchups
September 21, 2023
Erik Siegrist previews the Monday night matchups as Matthew Stafford and the Rams travel to Cincinnati in the nightcap.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2020
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2013
2012
2011
Houston will need to fall off at some point after turning 31 this winter, but for now it seems too early to count him out. Not only did he post 44 tackles and 11 sacks on just 685 snaps last year, but the Colts made Houston's job easier by acquiring elite defensive tackle DeForest Buckner from San Francisco. If Buckner draws more double teams and collapses the pocket better than Margus Hunt before him, then Houston might see more favorable working conditions than a year ago. Still, Houston's days as a 700-snap player appear to be gone, and with that goes his former 20-sack upside.
There's always risk in buying a declining defender, but Houston has an opportunity to age gracefully playing end in defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus' 4-3 defense, and it's not like the 30-year-old needed any help coming off a season where he posted nine sacks in 719 snaps. The Colts have a lot of defensive line contributors and it would surprise if Houston played more than 800 snaps, but Indy projects to lead frequently and his per-snap sack rate could jump as he plays more of an edge-rushing specialist role.
One of the few veteran holdovers from the 2017 roster, Houston has failed to regain his 2014 form that saw him rack up 22 sacks and 69 tackles, falling just a half-sack short of tying Michael Strahan's single season record. On a positive note, the linebacker remained healthy for 15 games for the first time since that campaign. He had missed parts of each of the last two seasons due to knee issues. A corresponding boost in production followed, but Houston missed double-digit sacks by a half-sack in 2017, recording 9.5 in addition to his 59 tackles (46 solo). Still just 29 years of age, Houston will look to recapture his star form in 2018 with a new-look defense surrounding him.
Houston didn't return to the field until Week 11 after undergoing surgery for a torn ACL prior to 2016, but turned that into a sizeable output. Despite being limited to just five regular-season games, he finished with 21 tackles (20 solo) and four sacks. The 28-year old outside linebacker is now three years removed from a 22-sack season, but could re-emerge in 2017 if he can stay on the field.
A season after nearly matching Michael Strahan's record for sacks (22 in 2014, 0.5 short of Strahan), Houston had a rather disappointing 2015 campaign, finishing with just 30 tackles and 7.5 sacks. He underwent offseason surgery on his right knee for an ACL that didn't work properly and was handed a timetable of 6-to-12 months. The veteran will start the 2016 season on the Chiefs' PUP list.
Houston dominated offensive lines in 2014, racking up a league-leading 22 sacks on the season, falling just short of Michael Strahan’s 22.5-sack single-season record and doubling his previous career-high total. The 26-year-old outside linebacker added 69 tackles (60 solo) and four forced fumbles to that, placing him among some of the top IDP options last season. He’s fortunate enough to have a similar pass-rushing pedigree across from him in Tamba Hali, preventing opposing offenses from focusing their protection on one side or the other. Back in Kansas City on the Chiefs’ franchise tag for 2015, it’s unrealistic to expect a season to match the previous campaign, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Houston once again proves a force rushing the quarterback.
Coming off a season in which he recorded 44 tackles (41 solo), 11 sacks, four passes defended, two fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble in 11 contests, the two-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker enters the final year of his rookie contract, and on the IDP radar thanks to his ability to get to the quarterback.
Houston recorded 10 sacks last season and is expected to start at outside linebacker for the Chiefs in 2013.
Houston came on very strong late in his rookie year, notching 24 total tackles and 5.5 sacks in the team's final five games. He has tremendous burst coming around the edge as a pass-rushing outside linebacker and could be in line for a major breakout playing opposite Pro Bowler Tamba Hali. Opposing offenses will simply not be able to devote as much attention to him as Hali, and in leagues that reward heavily for sacks, Houston could emerge as a productive IDP option.
A sack specialist in college, Houston projects as a situational pass rusher in his rookie season, as he must adjust to his linebacker role in the 3-4 defense before he can play more downs without being a liability. His upside is high, but after a lockout-shortened offseason and a brief contract holdout, he is behind in his development and not likely to contribute much in 2011.
More Fantasy News
Exits after request
LBFree Agent
Hamstring
December 19, 2023
Houston (hamstring) was waived by the Panthers on Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
ANALYSIS
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Heads to IR
LBCarolina Panthers
Hamstring
November 4, 2023
Houston (hamstring) was placed on injured reserve Saturday.
ANALYSIS
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Sitting against Indy
LBCarolina Panthers
Hamstring
November 3, 2023
Houston (hamstring) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Colts.
ANALYSIS
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Exits game with hamstring injury
LBCarolina Panthers
Hamstring
October 29, 2023
Houston (hamstring) is questionable to return to Sunday's game against the Texans, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
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Good to go Sunday
LBCarolina Panthers
September 24, 2023
Houston (calf) has been deemed active ahead of Sunday's game against Seattle.
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Wants to play for contender
LBFree Agent
December 19, 2023
Houston, who was waived by the Panthers on Tuesday, wants to play again this season but only for a contender, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
ANALYSIS
Houston has been sidelined since Week 8 with a hamstring injury. He made minimal impact with the Panthers, accruing only 0.5 sacks in seven games this season. However, he showed his ability as a pass rusher in 2022 by racking up 9.5 sacks, which could make him intriguing for a contending team, particularly because of his lengthy history with both Kansas City and the Ravens.
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