Despite a 0-3 start and a middling season from quarterback C. J. Stroud because of injuries and his play, the Houston Texans are back in the playoff race. They are 5-5 and could qualify for the playoffs with a strong finish to the season. To do so, they will likely need Stroud to get healthy and play better than he did earlier in the season. Here is everything we know about Stroud’s status ahead of Thursday Night Football against the Bills.
Is C. J. Stroud Playing Tonight vs. Bills?
C. J. Stroud suffered a concussion in Week 9 in an 18-15 loss to the Denver Broncos. He has missed the team’s last two games and will miss his third straight game against Buffalo on Thursday.
“CJ Stroud (concussion) has been ruled out for TNF vs. Bills. Stroud will miss his 3rd straight game.”
CJ Stroud (concussion) has been ruled out for TNF vs. Bills
Stroud will miss his 3rd straight game pic.twitter.com/A3uIgeNrIC
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) November 18, 2025
When Will C. J. Stroud Be Back?
Unfortunately for the Texans, they are playing in Thursday Night Football, which gave Stroud less time to recover before a potential return on Sunday. The shortened week made it much less likely that Stroud would be available. However, he could return in the near future.
Stroud was a DNP at practice on Monday and Wednesday, but he did appear as a limited participant on Tuesday. This was his first practice with the team since suffering his concussion in early November. As a result, there is optimism that he could return in the near future.
However, no timeline has been given for his return. Concussions can have very wide recovery periods and are hard to predict. So, while there is optimism that Stroud could return soon, it is no guarantee.
Top 3 Fantasy Replacements For C. J. Stroud This Week
Fantasy owners looking for replacements this week should have plenty of interesting options available on the waiver wire. Arizona’s Jacoby Brissett has done well since Kyler Murray went down with an injury. We are also fans of Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville, who is owned in less than 40% of leagues despite the success of the Jaguars this year.
Lastly, we recommend picking up Carolina’s Bryce Young if he is available. The young QB appears to be rounding into form in his third season.
Read More:
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