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Is Jayden Higgins Starting for the Texans in fantasy football? Should I Draft Higgins in 2025? Read the rookie fantasy football outlook and depth chart analysis.
The Texans' offense will be fascinating to watch in the early weeks of the season, especially since star running back Joe Mixon (foot/ankle) will miss at least the first four weeks of the year on IR. The team could be forced to be more aggressive and throw the ball more, creating great opportunities for multiple players to step up and be top fantasy contributors right away.
In 2023, the Texans took a huge leap forward behind quarterback C.J. Stroud and coach DeMeco Ryans as their rookie quarterback and rookie head coach. The team went 10-7 on its way to an AFC South title. Last year, the passing game was less consistent, even though the team finished 10-7 for the second straight year and won the division again. In the 2025 NFL Draft, the Texans traded back out of the first round but used their first selection early in the second round on a wide receiver to bring more dynamic upside to the offense across from elite receiver Nico Collins.
With the No. 34 overall pick, the Texans drafted Jayden Higgins out of Iowa State. Since he was taken with such a high pick, it's obvious the Texans think he can make a big impact in their offense right away. Can he be a top fantasy option right away? Will he start across from Collins in Week 1? Should Higgins be an option you're looking for in your fantasy football drafts? Let's dive in and take a look!
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Is Jayden Higgins Starting for the Texans?
Coming into the season, the Texans are not officially starting Higgins, although he will likely rotate in for plenty of work and could earn more playing time and eventually, a starting role. The Texans will open Week 1 against the Rams on Sunday, September 7, and it looks like Collins and Christian Kirk will be the team's top two receivers.
When the team goes to three receivers and Kirk moves into the slot, Xavier Hutchinson and Higgins have been rotating at the opposite spot from Collins. Earlier in training camp, Higgins had been listed as the team's starting receiver along with Kirk and Collins, but Hutchinson has put together an impressive enough preseason and training camp to force a timeshare early.
Even if Higgins technically is on the field for the first snap of the first game, he sounds like he'll be sharing snaps at the very start of the year at least.
Hutchinson is a third-year receiver out of Iowa State as well, who has only had 20 catches in his first two years. He's been identified as one of the team's most improved players coming into this year, and finished the preseason with four catches for 53 yards.
Jayden Higgins Fantasy Football Outlook
Higgins still has a bright fantasy future, though, even if he does start the year in a reduced role. He has drawn comparisons throughout his time with the team to Collins.
Jayden Higgins… The Texans really drafted a second Nico Collins pic.twitter.com/lraIoqiE8u
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) August 16, 2025
He has elite upside at 6'4 with a 6'7 wingspan and also the speed and elusiveness to pile up yards after the catch with his excellent speed. He spent two years playing college football for Eastern Kentucky before transferring to Iowa State. He had 53 catches for 883 yards and six touchdowns as a junior and went off for 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns on 87 grabs as a senior last year.
The 22-year-old has the upside to become a long-time contributor in the league and will likely move past Hutchinson for work as the season goes on. If Collins or Kirk have injury issues this season, which each have in the past, then Higgins could be an even bigger asset filling in. He established a strong connection with Stroud early in workouts this offseason, but the team did not play the starting offensive unit very much this preseason, so it's a little unclear what Higgins' role will be coming out of the gate.
His talent, though, is obvious:
The C.J. Stroud + Jayden Higgins connection 😮💨pic.twitter.com/stqviD0jfd
— Yahoo Fantasy Sports (@YahooFantasy) June 10, 2025
Should I Draft Jayden Higgins?
With all rookie receivers (and really every player), it's all about value! Higgins is no exception. Right now, he's going at WR55 in NFFC drafts and WR54 on FantasyPros. He's also ranked as WR55 in the RotoBaller rankings, so that seems like just about the perfect value for him. In most standard leagues, that puts him around the 12th round or so.
Higgins does have upside, and he can be a good depth add at receiver at that point, especially if you draft Collins and view Higgins as injury insurance. Even without injuries, Higgins has the potential to develop into a top-25 WR this season if he climbs the depth chart and clicks with Stroud, who should be lined up for a bounce-back season if his protection improves.
If you can get Higgins as a fifth receiver in 10-team leagues, he is worth adding for upside. Avoid reaching for him too early, though, since he doesn't look like he'll get heavy work early in the season, especially with Hutchinson snatching some of his snaps.
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