American Football
Jayden Higgins out for the season: What will the Texans need now?
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Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins suffered a torn ACL during Tuesday's practice and has been ruled out for the 2026 season.
This compromises Houston's hopes for the second-year wide receiver, who had 41 catches, 525 yards and six TDs as a rookie.
With the NFL regular season just three weeks away, the Texans will need to find a replacement ASAP.
Should DeMeco Ryans be worried?
On Tuesday, the Texans were out for a joint practice with the Raiders ahead of their game in Houston, where DeMeco Ryans was planning on having his starters out for some plays.
Following the announcement of Higgins' injury, Ryans has now backtracked and said on Wednesday morning that no starter will play on Thursday.
While it's reasonable to keep your starters out to avoid any injuries, players also need that on-field time leading up to the season in a more competitive environment.
Injuries are not new for the Texans, but could not letting the starters play harm Houston in the long-term?
Texans should look for in-house talent
The wide receiver room in Houston would be the first place to look, with Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Xavier Hutchinson and Jaylin Noel are still available.
However, after a very positive offseason, Higgins was set to be C.J. Stroud's main target, given that Collins was to be covered.
Dell is still questionable for the team after missing the 2025 season following a collision with Jared Wayne in December 2024 that left him with multiple knee injuries.
As for the wide receivers that would end up as third and fourth strings, Josh Kelly was the highest-performing wide receiver against the Chargers last Thursday, with three receptions and 28 yards.
After a dreadful performance by Houston's offense, it will be key to have good, healthy players once the season starts.
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