Texans’ Jayden Higgins Suffers Torn ACL

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Higgins was part of a two-receiver draft class for the Texans in 2025. The team took Higgins in the second round (34th overall) and former Iowa State teammate Jaylin Noel in the third (79th). Higgins was the more productive of the two during a 41-catch, 525-yard rookie campaign. He tied No. 1 receiver Nico Collins with a team-high six touchdown receptions and made 10 starts in 17 games.

Higgins played the third-most snaps among Texans receivers in 2025, trailing Collins and Xavier Hutchinson. A similar or larger role could have been in store for the 23-year-old this season, but now the Texans will have to figure out how to replace him. Prior to Higgins’ injury, the Texans listed him, Collins and Hutchinson as starters on their unofficial depth chart.

Along with Noel, they also have Tank Dell, Justin Watson and sixth-round rookie Lewis Bond in the fold. Dell is the most established member of the group, having put together two straight productive years to open his career, but it is anyone’s guess if he will bounce back from a lost 2025. He missed all of last season while recovering from a horrific knee injury (ACL, MCL, LCL tears and a dislocation) that he suffered in Week 16 of 2024. With the Texans carefully working Dell back in this summer, it is unclear if he will see any action in the preseason. He also isn’t a lock to be ready for Week 1.

“With Tank, he’s on his own plan,” head coach DeMeco Ryans said (links via Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2). “Whatever that entails, geared toward what’s best for Tank Dell.” 

Regarding his status for the Texans’ Sept. 13 season opener against the Bills, Dell said, “We’re going to take it one step at a time.”

As of early July, the Texans were content with their cast of receivers. That could change in the wake of Higgins’ injury, though options in free agency have continued to dwindle in the past month and a half. Former Texan Stefon Diggs, Keenan Allen and Deebo Samuel have all come off the board in the past few weeks. Ex-Texans DeAndre Hopkins and Brandin Cooks are among veterans still without contracts, but general manager Nick Caserio may pursue other wideouts or ride it out with his current group.