4 Texans Players Whose Numbers Could Explode in 2026

Higgins is facing a pivotal year in this Texans wide receiver room. In a group that's deep, but undefined as to who will be leading the way in targets following Nico Collins, it opens the door for Higgins to be the one taking control of the WR2 role and running away with it.

When the Texans established trust in Higgins being a consistent piece of the offense in the second half of his rookie season, he was averaging around five targets, hauling in about three of them for 40 yards a game. That was only a glimpse of the type of potential he has as a big-bodied threat downfield, and a dangerous weapon in the red zone.

If he can keep the momentum pushing in the right direction from how he ended his rookie campaign, expect an even better season on the horizon for him in 2026, and one that could take this Texans passing attack to another level.

David Montgomery, RB

Last season with the Detroit Lions, Montgomery didn't quite have numbers that jumped off the page as a result of Jahmyr Gibbs breaking out as one of the leading rushers in the NFL. Montgomery finished with just 718 rushing yards on 158 carries––the lowest workload and production he's seen in his seven years in the pros.

Those numbers could change drastically for Montgomery in 2026. The Texans will have a heavy emphasis on running the ball compared to the shortcomings this past season, have an improved offensive line to do so, and invested a decent amount of assets for Montgomery.

With the Texans eager to stabilize their offense on early downs and in the red zone, Montgomery will be a primary beneficiary of that, which will not only help his individual stock, but Houston's scoring attack as a whole.

Dominique Robinson, ED

The Texans' depth chart off the edge is still largely undefined. Outside of Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter, it's hard to get a clear read on who will be the one taking duties as the third edge rusher to rotate in when one or both of Houston's primary contributors are off on the sidelines.

Dominique Robinson could be a solid contender to take that lead role in training camp, though. The Texans brought in the former Chicago Bears defender as one of their first free agent additions of the offseason, showing that they clearly valued his skillset. He has great size off the edge (6-foot-5, 275 pounds), and for the wide open competition that's in store at the position, he could easily capitalize.

If the stars can align for Robinson, a career year could be on the horizon. His season-high in tackles and sacks is just 30 and 1.5, respectively, each coming in his rookie campaign. If he's Houston's third edge rusher on the depth chart in a similar role that Denico Autry had last year, that sack number could be close to five.

Marte Mapu, LB

The Texans took an interesting swing on the former New England Patriots linebacker earlier this offseason by sending over a late-round pick swap to bypass his pending free agency and get him on the roster. That tells you that Houston clearly had a vision for how Mapu could transition into this defense.

That vision could now be even greater for Mapu following the season-ending injury to E.J. Speed. Houston is in need of a rotational linebacker to take his place, and while the competition for that spot will be fierce in camp, Mapu has a strong chance of making the necessary strides to rise up the depth chart.

While he's been slotted in more of a special teams role through the past three years, he's had a history of being a solid piece as a linebacker in coverage back in 2024, where he had 46 tackles, six passes defended, and three forced fumbles and an interception. If he can find that same production in Houston, this trade can shape up as a home run.