RADIO
Jaylin Noel is a potential bust and avoid in 2025 fantasy football rookie drafts. Read the fantasy football outlook for the new Texans wide receiver.
DRAFT PICK: 3rd Round (#79 Overall Pick)
TEAM: Houston Texans
ROOKIE DRAFT ANALYSIS: Jaylin Noel, selected by the Houston Texans in the third round (79th overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft, brings an enticing athletic profile, but significant risks that make him a player to avoid in dynasty rookie drafts.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 2025 fantasy football rankings
- Running back (RB) rankings
- Wide receiver (WR) rankings
- Quarterback (QB) rankings
- Tight end (TE) rankings
- Defense (D/ST) rankings
- Kicker (K) rankings
- FLEX rankings
- Dynasty rankings
His 2024 season at Iowa State was impressive, with 80 receptions for 1,194 yards and eight touchdowns, earning him honorable mention All-Big 12 honors, while his NFL Combine performance -- a 4.39-second 40-yard dash, 41.5-inch vertical, and 11-foot 2-inch broad jump -- highlighted elite athleticism.
However, his 5-foot-10, 194-pound frame and 29½-inch arm length limit his catch radius and ability to win contested catches (52% contested catch rate in 2024), critical for a slot receiver facing physical NFL defenses.
His 1.98 YPRR and 33% dominator rating are solid, but not elite. His production was inflated by a high target share (27.3%) due to poor quarterback play from Rocco Becht (61.3% completion rate), suggesting he may struggle to replicate this efficiency with less volume in the pros.
Noel’s landing spot in Houston further dampens his dynasty appeal, as he joins a crowded and talented receiver room that stifles his path to immediate relevance.
With Nico Collins established as the WR1, Christian Kirk (returning from a 2024 collarbone injury) commanding slot targets, and fellow rookie Jayden Higgins (a second-round pick) likely ahead of him, Noel faces stiff competition for touches.
Jayden Higgins in the second round.
Jaylin Noel in the third round.
A pair of @CycloneFB WRs are headed to the @HoustonTexans. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/plgcFcDUQd
— NFL (@NFL) April 26, 2025
The Texans’ 2024 offense spread targets thinly, with no receiver outside Collins exceeding 70 targets, and Tank Dell’s potential return from a 2024 knee injury adds another layer of uncertainty.
Noel’s special-teams experience as a punt and kick returner (Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year in 2024) may keep him active, but his ADP as an early second-round rookie pick overvalues his likely role as a WR3 or WR4 with limited target share.
Dynasty managers should avoid Noel’s high draft cost, as his ceiling is capped by situation and physical limitations, making him a risky investment for long-term production.
- Brandon Murchinson
More NFL Draft Analysis
2026 NFL Mock Draft: 1st Round Projected Picks and Top Prospect Draft Predictions
As your fantasy leagues enter the playoffs, leaving many on the outside looking in, it is natural for some to turn their eyes towards the incoming rookies for hope. Whether you’re hoping to get in on the next great dynasty sleeper, eyeing a quarterback for your favorite team, or you just love watching Mel Kiper […]
2026 NFL Rookie Mock Draft: Fantasy Football Dynasty Leagues and Rookie Drafts
Is November too soon to start thinking about fantasy football dynasty rookie drafts? Ideally, your team is cruising along in its quest for a title, so your answer to that question is "yeah, it's too early." However, some of us have some leagues where things aren't going so great, so we're already brainstorming what we […]
6 Big-Name Wide Receivers Who Struggled: Buy or Sell for Fantasy Football Week 2?
Week 1 of the 2025 fantasy season was a bit of a struggle for many of us. Whether you were counting on RBs like Bucky Irving, R.J. Harvey, or offseason darling Tank Bigsby, you were disappointed in the results. Tight ends were not much better. If it was not Mark Andrews going for just three points, it […]
Updated Fantasy Football Rookie Wide Receiver Rankings: Travis Hunter, Emeka Egbuka, Tre Harris, Kyle Williams, Elic Ayomanor, Dont'e Thornton
If you're taking part in last-minute fantasy football drafts and want to identify the top studs and sleepers among rookie wideouts, you have come to the right place. We're back with our freshly updated 2025 fantasy football rookie wide receiver rankings. Where do key first-year pass-catchers such as Travis Hunter, Emeka Egbuka, Tre' Harris, Kyle Williams, […]
Updated Fantasy Football Rookie Running Back Rankings: Omarion Hampton, RJ Harvey, Cam Skattebo, Ollie Gordon, Jacory Croskey-Merritt
The 2025 NFL season is set to kick off, and it's time for last-minute draft preparation for redraft, best ball, and dynasty leagues. Hitting on rookies can give you a strong edge over your opponents, so let's dive into these updated 2025 fantasy football rookie running back rankings. In our fresh cut of rookie RB […]
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!
