Justin Watson Fantasy outlook and stats for 2026
- Age
- 30
- Height / weight
- 6'2", 215 lb
- Experience
- 9th season
2025 Season
- PPR PPG
- 3.0
- Pos rank
- WR155
- Rostered
- -
Justin Watson Fantasy Football Stats & Analysis
Scoring rate
3.0 PPG
Played
2 games
Role
Depth
Trend
Stable
Should You Start or Roster Justin Watson?
Watson's value has always lived on the vertical plane, and the numbers confirm a shrinking role. His best campaign came in 2023, when he turned 53 targets into 460 yards and three scores on a 17.5 air-yards-per-target diet and a healthy 1.35 yards per route. That market share quietly eroded the next year in Kansas City, where his target share slipped to 5.6 percent on 32 looks for 289 yards, even as his 0.596 EPA per play showed he remained efficient when used.
The 2025 stretch tells the real story: just three games, a 38.7 percent snap rate, four targets and 31 routes before things stalled. Now 29 and buried on Houston's depth chart, he profiles as a special-teams contributor and emergency deep option rather than a fantasy asset. Projections in the low single digits and near-zero roster rates are appropriate. Leave him on waivers until a clear path to volume materializes.
Career Fantasy Stats by Season
| Season | Team | GP | Tgt | Rec | Rec yds | Rec TD | FPTS | PPG | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | HOU | 3 | 4 | 3 | 30 | 0 | 6.0 | 2.0 | WR188 |
| 2024 | KC | 17 | 32 | 22 | 289 | 2 | 62.9 | 3.7 | WR104 |
| 2023 | KC | 16 | 53 | 27 | 460 | 3 | 89.0 | 5.6 | WR77 |
| 2022 | KC | 17 | 34 | 15 | 315 | 2 | 58.5 | 3.4 | WR106 |
| 2021 | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | WR206 |
| Career | 93 | 163 | 90 | 1,352 | 9 | 278.2 | 3.0 |
Rest-of-Season Outlook and Availability
Outlook
The 2025 stretch tells the real story: just three games, a 38.7 percent snap rate, four targets and 31 routes before things stalled. Now 29 and buried on Houston's depth chart, he profiles as a special-teams contributor and emergency deep option rather than a fantasy asset. Full outlook
Injury status
Active, no designation
He has missed 15 games this season. Career games missed to injury: 0. Injury history
- 2025headPlayed through
WRs like Justin Watson
WR184Tom KennedyLions7.6 PTS
WR188Dareke YoungRaiders6.8 PTS
WR190Jalen BrooksCardinals6.1 PTS
WR192You are hereJustin WatsonFree agent6.0 PTS
WR193Tai FeltonVikings5.5 PTS
WR196Devin DuvernayCardinals4.6 PTS
WR197Jordan Watkins49ers4.6 PTS
Justin Watson Fantasy Football FAQ
Is Justin Watson worth rostering in fantasy football?
Mostly not: Justin Watson is waiver-wire material in 12-team PPR, 10-team PPR and half-PPR leagues.
Justin Watson 2025 Stats
He didn't score a touchdown, so all of his fantasy production came from volume.
- Receptions
- 3
- 4 Targets
- Rec yards
- 30
- 10.0 Y/R
- Rec TD
- 0
- Catch %
- 75.0%
Fantasy (PPR)
- Fantasy points
- 6.0
- Position rank
- WR192
4.7 Best Week 1 LAR1.3 Worst Week 2 TB
Justin Watson Receiving Stats
| Metric | 2025 2 games |
|---|---|
| Efficiency | |
| Yards per route run | 1.00- |
| Fantasy points per target | 0.75- |
| YAC per reception | 4.7- |
| Catch rate | 75.0%- |
| Usage | |
| Target share | 0.7%- |
| Route participation | 5.2%- |
| Air-yards share | 0.7%- |
| Red-zone targets | 2- |
| Style | |
| Average depth of target | 8.3- |
Percentiles: 2025 (2 games, weeks 1–17): below the qualifying line, so no percentiles.
Fantasy impact
His floor is his volume: 2.0 targets a game in 2025. Efficiency decides how much of it becomes points.
Fantasy Points per Game, Every Season
2.0
Fantasy PPG
1.3
Targets/g
10
Rec yds/g
Justin Watson career stats by season
| Season | GP | Tgt | Rec | Rec yds | Rec TD | Rush yds | FPTS | PPG | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 6.0 | 2.0 | WR188 |
| 2024 | 17 | 32 | 22 | 289 | 2 | 0 | 62.9 | 3.7 | WR104 |
| 2023 | 16 | 53 | 27 | 460 | 3 | 0 | 89.0 | 5.6 | WR77 |
| 2022 | 17 | 34 | 15 | 315 | 2 | 0 | 58.5 | 3.4 | WR106 |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | WR206 |
| 2020 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 94 | 0 | 0 | 17.4 | 1.6 | WR161 |
| 2019 | 16 | 26 | 15 | 159 | 2 | 0 | 42.9 | 2.7 | WR118 |
| 2018 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1.5 | 0.1 | WR189 |
| Career | 93 | 163 | 90 | 1,352 | 9 | 0 | 278.2 | 3.0 | - |
What His Career Numbers Say
4.0
Career PPG
70 games over 7 seasons
51%
Availability
Share of team games he played
4%
Top-24 weeks
Share of his games as a top-24 WR
4.3
Weekly swing
Standard deviation, low
Watson has averaged 4.0 fantasy points per game over 70 games and 7 seasons, without a top-12 finish.
In 2025 he averaged 3.0 per game, down 0.7 from 2024. His volume has held at about 2.0 targets a game, so the change is efficiency and scoring. His quarterback in 2025 was C.J. Stroud.
Career numbers describe the past; for what he is worth from here, see Watson's rest-of-season rank and trade value in Redraft Command.
Career highs
- 460Rec yards2023
- 3Rec TD2023
- 89.0Fantasy pts2023 · WR77
- 1,352Career rec yds2018–2025
WRs like Justin Watson
WR184Tom KennedyLions7.6 PTSWR188Dareke YoungRaiders6.8 PTSWR190Jalen BrooksCardinals6.1 PTSWR192You are hereJustin WatsonFree agent6.0 PTSWR193Tai FeltonVikings5.5 PTSWR196Devin DuvernayCardinals4.6 PTSWR197Jordan Watkins49ers4.6 PTSJustin Watson Stats FAQ
What were Justin Watson's stats last season?
In 2025, Justin Watson caught 3 of 4 targets for 30 yards and no touchdowns in 3 games. That was 6.0 PPR points (2.0 per game), a WR188 finish.
What are Justin Watson's career NFL stats?
Across 8 seasons and 93 games, Justin Watson has 90 catches for 1,352 yards and 9 touchdowns, for 278.2 PPR fantasy points (3.0 per game).
How many touchdowns does Justin Watson have in his career?
Justin Watson has 9 touchdowns in his NFL career: 0 rushing and 9 receiving, over 93 games.
How many career receiving yards does Justin Watson have?
Justin Watson has 1,352 career receiving yards over 8 seasons, on 90 catches.
Justin Watson Game Log 2025
Games played
2
FPTS/G (PPR)
3.0
Targets/g
2.0
Rec/g
1.5
Rec yds/g
15.0
Yds/rec
10.0
Across 2 games in 2025, Justin Watson has averaged 2.0 targets, 1.5 receptions and 3.0 PPR fantasy points per game. Justin Watson has finished as a top-12 WR in 0 of those weeks, and inside the top 24 in 0. The best week was Week 1 against LAR (4.7 points); the lowest was Week 2 against TB (1.3).
| Wk | Opp | Result | FPTS | TGT | REC | REC YDS | REC TD | YPR | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LAR5th | L 9-14 | 4.7 | 2 | 2 | 27 | 0 | 13.5 | WR71 |
Week 1 · LAR · L 9-14 · 4.7 pts
How the 4.7 points scored (PPR)
| |||||||||
| 2 | TB15th | L 19-20 | 1.3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3.0 | WR118 |
Week 2 · TB · L 19-20 · 1.3 pts
How the 1.3 points scored (PPR)
| |||||||||
| 3 | Did not play | ||||||||
| 4 | Did not play | ||||||||
| 5 | Did not play | ||||||||
| 6 | Bye week | ||||||||
| 7 | Did not play | ||||||||
| 8 | Did not play | ||||||||
| 9 | Did not play | ||||||||
| 10 | Did not play | ||||||||
| 11 | Did not play | ||||||||
| 12 | Did not play | ||||||||
| 13 | Did not play | ||||||||
| 14 | Did not play | ||||||||
| 15 | Did not play | ||||||||
| 16 | Did not play | ||||||||
| 17 | Did not play | ||||||||
| 18 | Did not play | ||||||||
Opponent rank is fantasy points allowed to WRs across 2025: 1st allows the most, 32nd the fewest.
Where His Weeks Finished
All two weeks outside the top 36. For a wide receiver ranked WR155 overall, the spread matters more than the average: you get a WR71 ceiling and a waiver-wire floor.
Game-by-Game Breakdown
Shut down by Tampa Bay
1/2, 3 yds.
Just 1.5 yards per target. A clean, mistake-free game that landed well below his season average.
Shut down by the Rams
2/2, 27 yds.
A clean, mistake-free game that landed well above his season average.
Justin Watson Game Log 2019
Games played
6
FPTS/G (PPR)
7.2
Targets/g
4.3
Rec/g
2.5
Rec yds/g
26.5
Yds/rec
10.6
Across 6 games in 2019, Justin Watson has averaged 4.3 targets, 2.5 receptions and 7.2 PPR fantasy points per game. Justin Watson has finished as a top-12 WR in 0 of those weeks, and inside the top 24 in 2. The best week was Week 14 against IND (16.9 points); the lowest was Week 13 against JAX (0.0).
| Wk | Opp | FPTS | TGT | REC | REC YDS | REC TD | YPR | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Did not play | |||||||
| 2 | Did not play | |||||||
| 3 | Did not play | |||||||
| 4 | LAR24th | 2.3 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13.0 | WR91 |
Week 4 · LAR · 2.3 pts
How the 2.3 points scored (PPR)
| ||||||||
| 5 | Did not play | |||||||
| 6 | Did not play | |||||||
| 7 | Did not play | |||||||
| 8 | Did not play | |||||||
| 9 | Did not play | |||||||
| 10 | Did not play | |||||||
| 11 | Did not play | |||||||
| 12 | Did not play | |||||||
| 13 | JAX17th | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | WR118 |
Week 13 · JAX · 0.0 pts
| ||||||||
| 14 | IND14th | 16.9 | 8 | 5 | 59 | 1 | 11.8 | WR18 |
Week 14 · IND · 16.9 pts
How the 16.9 points scored (PPR)
| ||||||||
| 15 | DET3rd | 3.7 | 2 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 8.5 | WR78 |
Week 15 · DET · 3.7 pts
How the 3.7 points scored (PPR)
| ||||||||
| 16 | HOU12th | 15.3 | 10 | 5 | 43 | 1 | 8.6 | WR21 |
Week 16 · HOU · 15.3 pts
How the 15.3 points scored (PPR)
| ||||||||
| 17 | ATL10th | 4.7 | 4 | 2 | 27 | 0 | 13.5 | WR74 |
Week 17 · ATL · 4.7 pts
How the 4.7 points scored (PPR)
| ||||||||
Opponent rank is fantasy points allowed to WRs across 2019: 1st allows the most, 32nd the fewest.
WRs like Justin Watson
WR184Tom KennedyLions7.6 PTSWR188Dareke YoungRaiders6.8 PTSWR190Jalen BrooksCardinals6.1 PTSWR192You are hereJustin WatsonFree agent6.0 PTSWR193Tai FeltonVikings5.5 PTSWR196Devin DuvernayCardinals4.6 PTSWR197Jordan Watkins49ers4.6 PTSJustin Watson Rest-of-Season Outlook
depth WR for deep leagues only
Preseason Projection vs. Reality
He finished WR192 last season at 3.0 points per game.
Our 2026 Preseason Outlook
Watson's value has always lived on the vertical plane, and the numbers confirm a shrinking role. His best campaign came in 2023, when he turned 53 targets into 460 yards and three scores on a 17.5 air-yards-per-target diet and a healthy 1.35 yards per route. That market share quietly eroded the next year in Kansas City, where his target share slipped to 5.6 percent on 32 looks for 289 yards, even as his 0.596 EPA per play showed he remained efficient when used.
The 2025 stretch tells the real story: just three games, a 38.7 percent snap rate, four targets and 31 routes before things stalled. Now 29 and buried on Houston's depth chart, he profiles as a special-teams contributor and emergency deep option rather than a fantasy asset. Projections in the low single digits and near-zero roster rates are appropriate. Leave him on waivers until a clear path to volume materializes.
What Drives His Outlook
His 2025 rank among the 142 receivers who played at least six games. Each bar is one receiver, best on the left; his is highlighted.
Target volume
Fewer than 6 games in 2025, so not ranked.
Downfield role
Fewer than 6 games in 2025, so not ranked.
Efficiency
Fewer than 6 games in 2025, so not ranked.
- Average depth of target
- 8.3
- Drop rate
- 0.0%
- Red-zone targets
- 2
- Route participation
- 5.1%
- YAC per reception
- 4.7
WRs like Justin Watson
WR184Tom KennedyLions7.6 PTSWR188Dareke YoungRaiders6.8 PTSWR190Jalen BrooksCardinals6.1 PTSWR192You are hereJustin WatsonFree agent6.0 PTSWR193Tai FeltonVikings5.5 PTSWR196Devin DuvernayCardinals4.6 PTSWR197Jordan Watkins49ers4.6 PTSJustin Watson Fantasy Outlook FAQ
What is Justin Watson's fantasy outlook for the rest of the 2026 season?
Justin Watson projects as a depth WR for deep leagues only for the rest of the 2026 season: waiver-wire material in 12-team PPR, 10-team PPR and half-PPR leagues. See his live rank in Redraft Command.
What is Justin Watson's rest-of-season fantasy ranking?
Justin Watson is the WR192 in PPR points per game. That puts him in depth WR territory, waiver-wire material in 10-team PPR leagues.
Justin Watson Injury Update & History
Injury History at a Glance
One logged injury in seven seasons. None of them has cost him a regular-season game.
Durability
100/100
Games missed
Injury
Longest absence
No games missed to injury
Where He's Been Hurt
Marker size shows games missed. A dashed ring means he played through it.
| Body part | Injuries | Games missed |
|---|---|---|
| Head | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 1 | 0 |
Injury risk profile: Moderate
- No body part injured twice
- Questionable in 2025, played through
- 0 games in 7 seasons
- 1 injury spread across 1 body part
Justin Watson Injury History
Every logged injury, most recent first. Games missed are regular-season games.
- 2025
Questionable Played through
Questionable
WRs like Justin Watson
WR184Tom KennedyLions7.6 PTSWR188Dareke YoungRaiders6.8 PTSWR190Jalen BrooksCardinals6.1 PTSWR192You are hereJustin WatsonFree agent6.0 PTSWR193Tai FeltonVikings5.5 PTSWR196Devin DuvernayCardinals4.6 PTSWR197Jordan Watkins49ers4.6 PTSJustin Watson Injury FAQ
Is Justin Watson injured?
No. As of October 8, 2026, Justin Watson is healthy with no injury designation. He has missed 15 games this season.
Has Justin Watson missed any games this season?
Yes. Justin Watson has missed 15 games in 2026 and played in 0.
What is Justin Watson's injury history?
Justin Watson has 1 logged NFL injury, which did not cost him a regular-season game.
What was Justin Watson's most recent injury?
Justin Watson's most recent logged injury was a questionable injury in Week 18 of 2025. He played through it and missed no regular-season games.
Does Justin Watson have any recurring injuries?
No. Justin Watson's one logged injury was, so the record shows no recurring pattern.
Justin Watson Bio
Justin Watson is a free-agent wide receiver. Born April 4, 1996, in Bridgeville, PA, he attended South Fayette and played college football at Penn.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Watson in round 5, pick 144, of the 2018 NFL Draft. Since then, Watson played for the Kansas City Chiefs (2022–2024) and Houston Texans (2025).
In 70 regular-season games since 2018, he has caught 90 passes for 1,352 yards and 9 touchdowns.
Career Timeline
3 stops with 3 teams in 8 seasons. Each block's width is the time he spent there.
What happened at each stop
Most recent first.
Houston Texans2025
He was a rotational player, playing at least a quarter of the offensive snaps in 2 of 3 games.
Kansas City Chiefs2022–2024
He was a starter, playing at least half the offensive snaps in 29 of 50 games. Member of the Super Bowl LVII champion Chiefs. Member of the Super Bowl LVIII champion Chiefs.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers2018–2021
Selected in round 5, pick 144, of the 2018 NFL Draft. He was a reserve, playing less than a quarter of the offensive snaps in 34 of 40 games. Member of the Super Bowl LV champion Buccaneers.
College: Penn
Transactions
- ReleasedReleased by the Houston Texans.
- SignedSigned with the Houston Texans.
- Re-signedRe-signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.
- SignedSigned with the Kansas City Chiefs.
- WaivedWaived by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
- ActivatedActivated by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
- Placed on IRPlaced on injured reserve by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
- SignedSigned with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
- DraftedSelected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in round 5, pick 144.
WRs like Justin Watson
WR184Tom KennedyLions7.6 PTSWR188Dareke YoungRaiders6.8 PTSWR190Jalen BrooksCardinals6.1 PTSWR192You are hereJustin WatsonFree agent6.0 PTSWR193Tai FeltonVikings5.5 PTSWR196Devin DuvernayCardinals4.6 PTSWR197Jordan Watkins49ers4.6 PTSAbout Justin Watson: Bio FAQ
How old is Justin Watson?
Justin Watson is 30 years old. He was born on April 4, 1996. 2026 is his 9th NFL season.
How tall is Justin Watson?
Justin Watson is 6 feet 2 inches tall (6'2"), listed at 215 pounds, and plays wide receiver.
How much does Justin Watson weigh?
Justin Watson weighs 215 pounds, his listed weight. He is listed at 6'2".
What position does Justin Watson play?
Justin Watson plays wide receiver, wearing number 84. 2026 is his 9th season in the NFL.
Where did Justin Watson go to college?
Justin Watson played college football at Pennsylvania, after attending South Fayette (PA).
Where is Justin Watson from?
Justin Watson went to high school in Pennsylvania, at South Fayette, before playing college football at Pennsylvania.
When is Justin Watson's birthday?
Justin Watson's birthday is April 4. He was born on April 4, 1996 and is 30 years old.
How long has Justin Watson been in the NFL?
2026 is Justin Watson's 9th NFL season; he entered the league in 2018. View his career statistics.
What teams has Justin Watson played for?
Justin Watson has played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans. View his career statistics.
Has Justin Watson won a Super Bowl?
Yes, 3 times. Justin Watson was a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that won Super Bowl LV after the 2020 season, the Kansas City Chiefs team that won Super Bowl LVII after the 2022 season and the Kansas City Chiefs team that won Super Bowl LVIII after the 2023 season.
What year did Justin Watson enter the NFL?
Justin Watson entered the NFL in 2018. 2026 is his 9th season.