RADIO
Kayshon Boutte Worth Adding After Explosive Outing?
Houston Texans wide receiver Kayshon Boutte has suddenly emerged as an intriguing waiver wire target after he broke out for 125 receiving yards in Week 9. This was the Texans' first game without Jaylin Noel (toe), and it turned out that Boutte was the biggest beneficiary of Noel's targets being up for grabs. This was Boutte's first game with double-digit PPR points this season, so while he's certainly trending up after Week 9, we also acknowledge that he has a lower floor. Still, he's a low-risk target on the waiver wire, with the potential to contribute in a fantasy-relevant role for deeper leagues going forward. In particular, he stands out among the other depth options like Marvin Harrison Jr., who has yet to play more than 50% of the snaps since being traded from Arizona to Houston.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tank Dell a Big Waiver Target After Breakout Week 9 Performance
Houston wide receiver Tank Dell will be added in a bunch of fantasy football leagues heading into Week 10 after he delivered big in Week 9. He was targeted nine times against the Chargers, making four grabs for 105 yards and a touchdown. Dell logged 33 offensive snaps, which was still just 47.1% of the team's total. He had a 43-yard catch on his lone target in his first game in Week 7 - he played 14 offensive snaps in that one, which was 23% of the team's total. His involvement in Week 9 was great, but he will need to keep showing up before fantasy owners can fully trust him. Dell will be a better deep-league option for the time being, but if his role and production keep going up, he could become a standard league starting option in time.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Tank Dell Makes a Statement in Second Game Back on Sunday
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell was playing in just his second game in Sunday's 44-22 blowout win over the winless Los Angeles Chargers in Week 9 since returning from a gruesome left-knee injury in 2024 that almost ended his career. Fantasy managers would not have known from Dell's final numbers on Sunday that it was only his second game back, as he caught four of a team-high nine targets for 105 yards and his first touchdown of the year at SoFi Stadium. Dell's touchdown was a 63-yard strike from quarterback C.J. Stroud, who threw five touchdowns in the rout, in the second quarter. Stroud should continue to spread the ball around to all of his receivers throughout the rest of the season, but Dell has announced his presence and should now be taken seriously off the waiver wire going into Week 10, especially with both Jayden Higgins (knee) and Jaylin Noel (toe) out for the year. Sunday's performance was a big step forward after Dell played only 23% of the offensive snaps and caught his lone target for a 43-yard pickup in his 2026 debut in the Week 7 overtime loss to the New York Giants. For his big-play ability alone, Dell will be a popular WR off the waiver wire this coming week. Only Kayshon Boutte had more receiving yards (125) than Dell on Sunday in L.A.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Kayshon Boutte Breaks Out in Dominant Win Over Chargers
Houston Texans wide receiver Kayshon Boutte broke out in Week 9, with four receptions for a career-high 125 yards (31.3 yards per catch) and two touchdowns in a 44-22 blowout victory over the winless Los Angeles Chargers. Entering the game against Los Angeles, Boutte had recorded just 15 receptions for 194 yards (12.9 yards per catch) and zero touchdowns, so this performance was out of the ordinary. Boutte saw five targets from quarterback C.J. Stroud and made the most of them. Currently rostered in 5% of Yahoo leagues, Boutte will likely be a popular waiver wire target ahead of Week 10, but he will need to show more consistency before being a recommended starter in fantasy lineups.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Tank Dell Looking for More Targets After Successful Return
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell was able to return to the field in Week 7 after missing almost two full years recovering from a dislocated kneecap and a series of torn ligaments in his left knee. He caught his one target for a 43-yard gain and played just 11 offensive snaps. Dell's role is still uncertain with Marvin Harrison Jr., Xavier Hutchinson, and Kayshon Boutte all rotating with him for snaps behind Nico Collins. Dell will have a "natural progression in his workload" in the coming weeks, according to coach DeMeco Ryans, and as he ramps up, he could climb back to a regular fantasy role. Headed into Week 9 against the Chargers, though, he is too high-risk to count on in most formats, which is why he's only the WR72 in our RotoBaller projections for this week. He's worth stashing in deep leagues but is hard to start until he's more re-established.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Xavier Hutchinson Not a Reliable Option in Most Leagues
Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson scored his first touchdown of the season before his Week 8 bye, finishing with three catches for 17 yards and the score against the Giants. He has 21 catches in his seven games this year, with at least three catches in all but one game. The Texans are rotating multiple receivers behind Nico Collins, with Hutchinson, Tank Dell, Kayshon Boutte, and Marvin Harrison Jr. all getting playing time. The uncertain volume and reduced roles make them all high-risk plays, although there could be more time available with Jaylin Noel (toe) expected to miss the rest of the season. Hutchinson is the WR65 this week as the Texans face the Chargers, in a fairly neutral WR matchup. He isn't reliable enough to be started in most formats until he carves out a more consistent role.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Marvin Harrison Jr. Only an Option in Deep Leagues
Houston Texans wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. cost the team some significant draft capital to bring in via trade earlier this season, but the move hasn't fully paid off yet. In his two games with the team, he has eight targets, but just four catches for 40 yards. He did get into the end zone on his one catch for six yards in Week 7 against the Giants, but he was still limited to only 13 snaps in Week 7 after playing just 12 offensive snaps in Week 6. Hopefully, the bye week gave him time to get more involved, and his role could increase now that he's been around the team for several weeks. However, Harrison is still only WR62 in our RotoBaller Week 9 projections. In a mostly neutral matchup against the Chargers, he is still only an option in deep leagues until he shows he's ready for a larger workload in Houston.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Nico Collins Is In a Strong Bounce-Back Spot Against Chargers
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins had a quiet few weeks before his Week 8 bye, totaling only 10 catches for 136 yards without a touchdown over his last three games. Offensive coordinator Nick Caley emphasized earlier in the week that Collins will "always be a focal point of the offense" and that the team intends to find more ways to get him the ball. Collins had a huge seven-catch, two-touchdown, 118-yard performance against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4 when he returned from a two-week injury absence, but he has been quiet since then and only caught two passes for six yards in Week 7. He should be in a good bounce-back spot after the bye as he faces the winless Chargers, and he is the WR12 in RotoBaller's rankings this week, making him a low-end WR1 or high-end WR2 depending on the size of your league.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jayden Higgins Losing Steam in Houston's WR Corps
Houston Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins (knee) was a potential breakout candidate heading into the 2026 campaign before a torn ACL in the preseason derailed his year. Now, uncertainty remains about where the Iowa State product sits in the team's receiving hierarchy. Higgins was slated to operate as the team's No. 2 pass catcher behind veteran Nico Collins this season, though he never got the chance. In the meantime, teammate Tank Dell got healthy, and the team traded for former Arizona Cardinal wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. - reuniting him with his old college quarterback, C.J. Stroud. Higgins appeared to have the tools to handle a complementary role in an NFL passing game, but now looks to be at best Houston's third option when he's healthy. It's an unfortunate outcome for a young wideout with potential, but also too early in his career to peg him as a bust or count him out. For now, owners must take a wait-and-see approach with the 23-year-old.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Texans Looking to Get Nico Collins More Involved
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins remains a priority for offensive coordinator Nick Caley, who said Thursday that Collins will "always be a focal point of the offense" and that the team intends to find more ways to get him the ball, according to Aaron Wilson. The comments come after a disappointing stretch for Collins, who has totaled just 10 receptions for 136 yards without a touchdown over his last three games. That followed a seven-catch, 118-yard performance against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4, when he scored twice. Collins was particularly quiet against the New York Giants in Week 7, catching just two of five targets for six yards before Houston's bye. The 27-year-old has recorded 24 receptions for 329 yards and three touchdowns across five appearances this season. He remains a starting fantasy receiver heading into Sunday's Week 9 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, with Caley's comments offering some encouragement that Houston will make a more concerted effort to involve him.
Source: Aaron Wilson
Source: Aaron Wilson
Marvin Harrison Jr. Eyes More Production After Team's Bye Week
Houston wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. will look to start producing a bit more for his new team after the team had its bye in Week 8. Since being traded to the Texans, Harrison has eight targets, but just four catches for 40 yards. His lone catch in Week 7 against the Giants was a touchdown, so that's maybe another reason why his fantasy value is rising a bit. Harrison logged just 12 offensive snaps in Week 6, then played 13 snaps in Week 7. It's fair to assume his playing time and role could improve now that he's been around the team for several weeks. Harrison is still only WR66 in our RotoBaller Week 9 projections. He has a pretty average fantasy matchup coming against the Chargers, but until he produces more on the field, he's just a deep-league option.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Tank Dell to See Increased Workload through Natural Progression
Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said that wide receiver Tank Dell will see a "natural progression in his workload" in the coming weeks, per Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. Dell appeared in Houston's Week 7 loss to the New York Giants before their Week 8 bye, which was his first game since suffering a catastrophic knee injury in Week 16 of the 2024 season. The 27-year-old played just 23 snaps against New York, recording a 43-yard catch on his only target. Houston has quietly assembled a deep wide receiver corps, with Nico Collins, Marvin Harrison Jr., Xavier Hutchinson, and Kayshon Boutte all providing Dell with competition for playing time and targets. Still, it appears as though the team plans on Dell's role in the offense expanding as he gets healthier. In deeper leagues, Dell could be worth stashing off the waiver wire in case he returns to his pre-injury form.
Source: Houston Chronicle - Jonathan M. Alexander
Source: Houston Chronicle - Jonathan M. Alexander
Tank Dell a Midseason Waiver-Wire Target with Increased Volume
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell should handle increased volume going forward due to a variety of factors. First and foremost, Dell is finally healthy. He returned to action in Week 7 following a nearly two-year-long recovery from a very serious knee injury. He is finally back on the field and contributing without any limitations, which should put him firmly back in the mix for fantasy football. Second of all, Dell should handle increased volume within the Texans' offense after Jaylin Noel (toe) was placed on injured reserve. The Texans already lost Jayden Higgins (knee) to a year-long injury, and now, Noel is done for the season, too. His absence provides a clear path to the No. 3 role for Dell, whereas before he would have had to compete for it. While Dell may not be an immediate fantasy starter in his role behind Nico Collins and Marvin Harrison Jr., he's at least worth stashing as a solid waiver wire pickup ahead of Week 9.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jaylin Noel to Miss the Rest of the Season Due to Turf Toe
Houston Texans second-year wide receiver Jaylin Noel (toe) was placed on Injured Reserve on Wednesday and is expected to miss the rest of the season and undergo surgery for turf toe, a person with knowledge of the situation told Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. It is a major blow for the Texans' offense and for Noel, who was having a breakout year with a team-high 331 receiving yards on 19 catches and two receiving touchdowns. He was also serving as the team's primary return man on special teams. Thanks to the former third-rounder out of Iowa State, the Texans rank fourth in the league in passing yards and second in pass plays of 20-plus yards. Fellow second-year receiver Jayden Higgins (knee) is also out for the year, leaving Tank Dell and Marvin Harrison Jr. with elevated pass-catching roles the rest of the way behind veteran Nico Collins. The 24-year-old Noel will finish his second year in the NFL with a league-high 14.4 yards per target after posting a 26-292-2 line in 17 games as a rookie in 2025. He is now droppable in all single-year fantasy leagues.
Source: Houston Chronicle - Jonathan M. Alexander
Source: Houston Chronicle - Jonathan M. Alexander
Texans Still Evaluating Jaylin Noel's Turf-Toe Injury
Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said on Monday that the team is still evaluating the significance of wide receiver Jaylin Noel's turf-toe injury that he suffered in the Week 7 overtime loss to the visiting New York Giants, according to Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. Noel was seen wearing a walking boot on his foot after Sunday's game. The good news for the 24-year-old second-year wideout is that the Texans have their bye coming in Week 8, so it is possible that Noel will be ready to roll for a Week 9 contest against the Los Angeles Chargers. Noel was a disappointment on Sunday against New York, catching both of his targets for a loss of three yards before he injured his toe, especially after going over the century mark in receiving yards in the Week 6 win over the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 6. His big Week 6 game made him a popular waiver-wire target, even after the team added former first-round wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. If Noel is not ready coming out of the Week 8 bye, both Harrison and Tank Dell, who made his return from Injured Reserve on Sunday, would have elevated roles behind WR1 Nico Collins.
Source: Houston Chronicle - Jonathan M. Alexander
Source: Houston Chronicle - Jonathan M. Alexander
