Yates was picked by Houston in the 5th Round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Yates became a starter after Matt Schaub suffered a season-ending injury. He threw three touchdowns next to three interceptions in the regular season, but guided the Texans to their first ever playoff appearance. Yates played well in a Wild Card win over the Cincinnati Bengals, but threw three interceptions in a divisional loss to the Baltimore Ravens.