RADIO
Brevin Jordan Released by the Texans
The Houston Texans have released tight end Brevin Jordan (knee), according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. Jordan hasn't played in a regular-season game since Week 2 of the 2024 season due to a complicated knee injury, including an ACL tear and a torn patellar tendon. He also suffered a new knee injury earlier this month that kept him out of training camp practices and preseason games. Jordan will go down as a big "what-if" story, as he possessed plenty of upside coming out of college. During his final season at Miami in 2020, he caught 38 passes for 576 yards and seven touchdowns despite playing in just eight games. He peaked as a rookie in 2021 with 178 yards and three touchdowns, but he has never finished higher than TE44 in a single fantasy football season. Now 26, Jordan will look to land somewhere else for his sixth year in the NFL.
Source: Aaron Wilson
Source: Aaron Wilson
Nico Collins' Price Tag Falls in Line with Ranking for 2026
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins is coming off a remarkable 2025 season that saw him post the best fantasy finish of his career as the overall WR8 in PPR leagues. It was a shaky year for the Texans and C.J. Stroud, but that didn't stop Collins from totaling 71 catches, 1,117 yards, and six touchdowns. Last season, he didn't have to share any targets with Tank Dell (knee), but he did share some volume with Christian Kirk, Jayden Higgins, and Jaylin Noel. This year is mostly similar, with the main difference being that Higgins is done for the year with a knee injury and Dell should return midseason. Because of Higgins' injury, the Texans also went out and added Kayshon Boutte via trade. By themselves, none of Dell, Noel, or Boutte should be a major threat to Collins' volume and production, but collectively, it's starting to look like a fair number of mouths to feed. Now that fantasy draft season is in full swing, Collins has an ADP of 23.8 (WR9), while RotoBaller has him ranked as the WR10 for redraft leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Dalton Schultz Back in the Late-Round Conversation
Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz has a clearer path to useful volume after injuries reshaped the team's receiving corps late in camp. Schultz already handled a major role last season, setting career highs with 82 catches on 106 targets for 777 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games. His 106 targets ranked second on Houston behind Nico Collins. Jayden Higgins is now out for the season with a torn ACL, while Tank Dell's return from a major knee injury remains uncertain entering Week 1. Houston has added Kayshon Boutte and signed veteran receivers Sterling Shepard and Zay Jones, so those vacated targets will not simply funnel to Schultz. The tight end room is deeper, too, after the Texans signed Foster Moreau and used the 59th overall pick on Marlin Klein. Schultz remains the established TE1, though, and Houston gave him a contract extension in March. RotoBaller currently ranks him TE24 in half-PPR. Another 106-target season is far from guaranteed, but the late changes around him have improved his chances of remaining a useful late-round option in redraft leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
David Montgomery Carries Strong RB2 Appeal
Houston Texans running back David Montgomery has strengthened his redraft outlook as the regular season approaches. Head coach DeMeco Ryans has called Montgomery a "number one back," and Houston has spent much of camp managing the veteran's workload to keep him fresh. When the Texans turned him loose during an August 18 joint practice with Las Vegas, team analyst John Harris called Montgomery the story of the day after he repeatedly found room between the tackles and broke into the second level. The 29-year-old is coming off a career-low 158 carries with Detroit, but he still produced 716 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 4.5 yards per attempt. Woody Marks remains a real part of the backfield after rushing for 703 yards as a rookie, and his receiving ability should earn him passing-down work. Nothing from camp suggests Montgomery has lost the primary rushing role, though, and he was still taking first-team carries during Houston's final joint practice with Carolina. RotoBaller currently ranks him RB21. With the Texans clearly valuing his physical running style, Montgomery looks increasingly secure as a redraft RB2 with strong touchdown upside.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tank Dell Reportedly Nowhere Near Ready to Play
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (knee) may still be a long way from making his return. John McClain wrote that Houston should have a full-speed Dell next season, "hopefully sooner," while adding that he is nowhere near ready to play right now. That's a sobering update after Dell returned to team drills earlier this month and generated some optimism about a 2026 comeback. The 26-year-old suffered a devastating left knee injury in December 2024, dislocating the knee while tearing his ACL, MCL and LCL and damaging his meniscus. He required multiple surgeries and missed the entire 2025 season. Dell had 51 catches for 667 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games before going down. McClain's wording leaves open the possibility of Dell playing at some point this season, but fantasy managers should not be counting on him being available anytime soon.
Source: John McClain
Source: John McClain
C.J. Stroud Gets Another Downfield Weapon
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud got some needed help Monday after a rough week for the receiver room. New England has agreed to send Kayshon Boutte to Houston for safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round pick. The move comes days after Jayden Higgins tore his ACL and was lost for the season. Boutte is not replacing all of that by himself, but he gives Stroud another receiver who can stretch the field. He caught 33 passes for 551 yards and six touchdowns last season, averaging 16.7 yards per catch with 10 receptions of at least 20 yards. Houston had already added Zay Jones and Sterling Shepard, so the Texans have clearly been trying to rebuild the depth behind Nico Collins. Stroud threw for 3,041 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 14 games last year and currently sits at QB23 in RotoBaller's rankings. Boutte does not suddenly fix everything, but the passing-game outlook looks better than it did after Higgins went down.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Nico Collins' Target Outlook Cools After Monday's Trade
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins got a little more competition Monday, which matters after Jayden Higgins' season-ending ACL tear had opened the door to a huge target load. Houston is reportedly acquiring Kayshon Boutte from New England for safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round pick. Boutte caught 33 passes for 551 yards and six touchdowns last season, and he gives C.J. Stroud another outside target who can win downfield. The Texans had already signed Zay Jones and Sterling Shepard after Higgins went down. None of those moves knocks Collins off the top line. He has topped 1,000 yards three years in a row and finished 2025 with 71 catches for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns. It does change the volume math a bit. Collins looked set to absorb a huge share of the passing game once Higgins was lost, and Houston has now spent several days adding veteran help plus Boutte. RotoBaller has Collins 23rd overall in its latest PPR rankings. He's still a WR1, just with a little less room for the monster target spike fantasy managers could have pictured last week.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kayshon Boutte Gets Fresh Start in Houston
The Houston Texans are giving Kayshon Boutte a new opportunity. The Texans are acquiring the wide receiver from New England in exchange for safety Jaylen Reed and a draft pick, according to Tom Pelissero. Houston had already called about Boutte while looking for help following Jayden Higgins' season-ending knee injury, and now the deal is getting done. Boutte caught 33 passes for 551 yards and a career-high six touchdowns in 14 games last season, averaging 16.7 yards per reception. His path to playing time had gotten murkier in New England after the additions of A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, especially with Boutte entering the final year of his rookie contract. There should be opportunity in Houston, but nothing is guaranteed. The Texans also added Zay Jones and Sterling Shepard over the weekend, so Boutte will have to earn his place in the rotation. The trade at least gives him a cleaner shot at regular snaps heading into the season.
Source: Tom Pelissero
Source: Tom Pelissero
Xavier Hutchinson Rising With More Snaps
Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson is getting more offensive snaps now that Jayden Higgins (knee) is done for the entire 2026 season due to a torn ACL. Quarterback C.J. Stroud threw a 50-yard bomb to Hutchinson during Monday's training camp practice for a touchdown after he beat cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. In the team's preseason contest on Thursday against the Las Vegas Raiders, Hutchinson caught one of his two targets from Stroud for a loss of one yard. The 26-year-old could see the second-most snaps behind WR1 Nico Collins now that Higgins is out for the year, but second-year wideout Jaylin Noel (hamstring) and Tank Dell (knee) will have something to say about that when it's all said and done. Hutchinson has a real opportunity in 2026, but he doesn't have the pure upside that both Noel and Dell have if they are healthy. The former sixth-rounder in 2023 from Iowa State has 55 catches for 635 yards and three touchdowns (all last year) in his three years in Houston, with his 35-428-3 line in 17 regular-season games being his high-water mark.
Source: Houston Chronicle - Jonathan M. Alexander
Source: Houston Chronicle - Jonathan M. Alexander
Nico Collins Set for Massive Volume in 2026
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins could see a monster target share in 2026. In three seasons with quarterback C.J. Stroud, Collins has hauled in 219 of 328 passes for 3,420 yards and 21 touchdowns in 42 games, averaging 14.3 half-PPR fantasy points per game. With second-year receiver Jayden Higgins (knee) out for the season with a torn ACL and Tank Dell (knee) expected to be limited, Collins could have a massive target share in 2026. Collins has averaged 7.8 targets per game over the last three seasons, which would've ranked 18th in the NFL last season. There's a strong possibility that Collins ranks inside the Top 10 in targets this season, and with his elite efficiency and red zone ability, he could be in line for a big 2026 season.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
DeMeco Ryans Thinks Woody Marks Will Have Special Year
The Coachspeak Index reported that Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans thinks running back Woody Marks will have a special season in 2026. "I'm seeing a more dynamic, faster, more physical runner," Ryans said. "He's running behind his pads...He just looks faster, looks more decisive. He's looking really special, looking like he's gonna have a special year." Marks was an inconsistent, high-upside waiver-wire pickup in fantasy football as a rookie last season. The 25-year-old surpassed 12 PPR points five times while failing to reach eight fantasy points six times after Week 4. There was interest in Marks in the fantasy community this season until David Montgomery arrived in Houston. However, Marks has reportedly had a strong training camp and consistently received praise from coaches. He is currently RotoBaller's RB46 in PPR formats, and it will be intriguing to see how the team deploys him this season.
Source: The Coachspeak Index
Source: The Coachspeak Index
Texans Sign Veteran Wideouts Sterling Shepard and Zay Jones
The Houston Texans signed veteran wideouts Sterling Shepard and Zay Jones on Friday, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. The team was in the market for wide receiver help following the season-ending injury to second-year wideout Jayden Higgins (knee), who was placed on Injured Reserve on Friday due to a torn ACL. Outside of star wide receiver Nico Collins, Houston's pass-catching group now has significant questions due to Higgins' injury and Tank Dell's (knee) uncertain injury situation as he works his way back from a serious knee injury of his own. Shepard appeared in 13 games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2025, recording 39 catches for 371 yards and one touchdown. Jones (Achilles) hauled in 12 catches across eight games with the Arizona Cardinals and is working his way back from a torn Achilles. While neither player profiles as a particularly inspiring option for fantasy managers, both are still worth keeping an eye on in deeper leagues given the clear opportunity available in Houston.
Source: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
Source: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
A DeAndre Hopkins Reunion With Texans is Not Expected
A return to Houston apparently isn't in the cards for free-agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. The Texans are looking around for receiver help after losing Jayden Higgins for the season, but Aaron Wilson reports that they aren't expected to pursue a reunion with Hopkins. The 34-year-old spent his first seven NFL seasons in Houston, though things look much different now. Hopkins joined Georgia Tech's staff as an assistant wide receivers coach earlier this month after catching 22 passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns with Baltimore last season. He hasn't officially retired and made a point of saying so after taking the coaching job. That leaves open the possibility of playing again somewhere, just apparently not with the team that drafted him. There isn't much reason for fantasy managers to count on any 2026 production.
Source: Aaron Wilson
Source: Aaron Wilson
Jayden Higgins Placed on Season-Ending IR
Houston Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins was officially placed on season-ending injured reserve Friday, according to Adam Schefter. Higgins tore his ACL during Tuesday's joint practice with the Las Vegas Raiders, ending his second NFL season before it could begin. The 23-year-old was coming off a promising rookie year in which he caught 41 passes for 525 yards and six touchdowns while starting 10 of 17 games. His role had grown as the season went along, making this a tough loss for a Houston passing game that was expecting more from him in Year 2. The Texans will now have to replace those snaps and targets behind Nico Collins. Higgins can be dropped in all redraft leagues, while dynasty managers will have to stash him through what will be a lengthy recovery.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Woody Marks Makes His Case for a Larger Role
Houston Texans running back Woody Marks stood out on Thursday night against the Raiders, playing very effectively on his team's opening drive, which he capped with a 20-yard touchdown run. He finished with 37 rushing yards to go with his touchdown on four carries and added a six-yard reception. The second-year running back had a strong track record as a pass-catcher in college and could step into a larger role as a receiver after the season-ending injury to Jayden Higgins (knee). Marks appears lined up to share work in the backfield with David Montgomery, but with a strong showing like Thursday's and some extra targets available, he could be a great grab with upside when you're searching for running back depth. His pass-catching potential makes him an even stronger play in PPR formats. Marks is the RB46 in RotoBaller's rankings, but he could get enough work to return great value at that spot even though he'll be working in a timeshare.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
