{"id":930803,"date":"2026-06-28T05:21:45","date_gmt":"2026-06-28T05:21:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/930803\/"},"modified":"2026-06-28T05:21:45","modified_gmt":"2026-06-28T05:21:45","slug":"2026-player-outlooks-houston-texans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/930803\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 Player Outlooks: Houston Texans"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n
\n
\n More Outlooks
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t———-
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tArizona
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tCarolina
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tChicago
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tDallas
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tDenver
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tDetroit
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHouston
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tKansas City
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tLA Rams
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tMinnesota
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tNY Giants
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tTampa Bay
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n
\n
\n QB C.J. Stroud<\/a>

\n (2025 QB Rank \u2013 No. 22, 16.0 FPts\/G) <\/p>\n

Since one of the best rookie seasons ever by a quarterback in
\n 2023, when he threw just one interception through his first eight
\n games, finished eighth in MVP voting, and won Offensive Rookie
\n of the Year, C.J. Stroud’s fantasy shine has dulled considerably.
\n The reasons vary, including injuries to both himself and his supporting
\n cast. Struggles along the offensive line, an inconsistent running
\n game, and defenses becoming more familiar with his tendencies
\n have all contributed to his regression.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

That has all played a part in the lack of explosive performances
\n from Stroud. Over his last 26 games, he’s eclipsed 300 passing
\n yards only once. During that span, he’s had more games without
\n a touchdown pass (seven) than games with more than two touchdown
\n passes (two). Houston addressed the offensive line by signing
\n Braden Smith and Wyatt Teller, but whether those additions are
\n enough to help Stroud recapture his rookie form remains to be
\n seen.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

We can perhaps conclude that the Texans want to see more from
\n Stroud before signing him to the contract extension he’s currently
\n eligible for. So far, they haven’t done so. Fantasy managers should
\n take the same cautious approach. He’s a low-end QB2 with spot-start
\n and bye-week appeal. Viewing him as anything more than that is
\n fool’s gold.<\/p>\n


\n RB David Montgomery<\/a>

\n (2025 RB Rank \u2013 No. 37, 8.9 FPts\/G) <\/p>\n

David Montgomery and the 33 rushing touchdowns he scored over
\n the past three seasons arrive in Houston poised to revive a rushing
\n attack that finished 27th in rushing touchdowns last year. Houston’s
\n expected improvements along the offensive line should create more
\n running lanes for Montgomery, who thrived behind an elite unit
\n in Detroit. But fantasy managers should remember that Woody
\n Marks<\/a> remains on the roster after leading the Texans in rushing
\n attempts and rushing yards last season. We should expect him to
\n have a role in 2026.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Despite Marks’ presence, Montgomery will be the lead back. He
\n should see the lion’s share of the goal-line carries, and Houston’s
\n stout defense could lead to a more conservative offensive approach.
\n Those factors make his low-end RB2 ranking an appealing value.
\n But he’s also 29 years old, an age when many running backs begin
\n to decline. Couple that with his anticipated limited role in the
\n passing game, and some caution flags begin to emerge.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

That said, I believe Montgomery has enough left to squeeze out
\n another relevant fantasy season. He may have a low ceiling, but
\n his floor is high. Grab him as your RB2 and hope he can resurrect
\n the success he found in Motor City over the last three years.<\/p>\n


\n WR Nico Collins<\/a>

\n (2025 WR Rank \u2013 No. 10, 12.7 FPts\/G)<\/p>\n

\"Nico \n <\/p>\n

Most rankings have Nico Collins comfortably inside the top 10
\n at wide receiver heading into the 2026 season. While he’s the
\n undisputed alpha in Houston’s receiver room, it’s important to
\n understand what could limit his upside. For starters, he’ll have
\n more competition for targets this year. Youngsters Jayden Higgins
\n and Jaylin Noel<\/a>
\n are poised for larger roles, and Tank Dell’s return could siphon
\n off additional opportunities. Collins has also battled nagging
\n injuries over the past few years, and those concerns could always
\n resurface.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Still, Collins is an efficient receiver who routinely finishes
\n among the league leaders in target-to-reception ratio. There’s
\n also plenty of scheme certainty in Houston’s passing attack —
\n we know who Collins is and what he means to this offense. If 2026
\n unfolds similarly to 2025 despite the added competition, Collins
\n should continue delivering the low-end WR1 production fantasy
\n managers have come to expect.<\/p>\n


\n WR Jayden Higgins<\/a>

\n (2025 WR Rank \u2013 No. 70, 6.4 FPts\/G) <\/p>\n

Jayden Higgins’ rookie season started slowly in 2025, as he totaled
\n only five receptions through his first four NFL games. His role
\n in the offense expanded soon afterward, however, and he caught
\n at least four passes in six of the next eight contests. He trailed
\n only Collins in end-zone targets and tied him for the team lead
\n with six touchdown receptions despite catching 30 fewer passes.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Even so, Higgins is going in the late rounds, if he’s being drafted
\n at all. Houston’s conservative passing attack and his role as
\n the team’s WR2 limit his fantasy outlook. Still, he’s worth taking
\n a flier on in the event Collins misses time again. The big-bodied
\n receiver has intriguing upside, making him worth monitoring. Grab
\n him with one of your final picks, see how he’s being utilized
\n early in the season, and adjust accordingly.<\/p>\n


\n WR Tank Dell<\/a>

\n (2025 WR Rank \u2013 N\/A) <\/p>\n

The 2023 season feels like a lifetime ago in fantasy football,
\n so some managers may have forgotten just how dynamic Tank Dell
\n was as a rookie. He burst onto the scene with three 100-yard games
\n and posted four contests with double-digit targets. Dell’s production
\n despite his small stature surprised many and made him a popular
\n fantasy option entering the 2024 season.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

But he suffered a devastating knee injury in December of that
\n year and hasn’t played since. We don’t know what version of Tank
\n Dell we’ll get when he returns, and the increased competition
\n for targets should allow Houston to ease him back into the offense.
\n That doesn’t lend itself to fantasy production. While he’s not
\n draftable at this point, his past success makes him a player worth
\n monitoring as the season progresses. For now, though, leave him
\n on the waiver wire.<\/p>\n


\n TE Dalton Schultz<\/a>

\n (2025 TE Rank \u2013 No. 18, 8.0 FPts\/G) <\/p>\n

Dalton Schultz posted career highs in targets (106) and receptions
\n (82) last season but is being overlooked heading into 2026. Those
\n 82 catches led the team, and he finished with 10 games of at least
\n five receptions. Schultz is a quietly intriguing option this year,
\n but expectations should remain realistic. He’s entering his ninth
\n NFL season and has appeared in 124 games, yet he’s topped 100
\n receiving yards only once.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Schultz is what he is: a mid-range TE2 with limited upside. You
\n can probably wait until the later rounds to draft him and see
\n how his role develops early in the season. Just don’t invest too
\n much draft capital.<\/p>\n


\n
\n
\n
\n
\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" More Outlooks ———- Arizona Carolina Chicago Dallas Denver…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":930804,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2056],"tags":[7,221,253,2368,6,222],"class_list":["post-930803","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-houston-texans","tag-football","tag-houston","tag-houston-texans","tag-houstontexans","tag-nfl","tag-texans"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116826058707770983","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/930803","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=930803"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/930803\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/930804"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=930803"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=930803"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=930803"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}