Texans NFL Power Rankings Roundup: Week 6

SI National: 18th

Last week: 23rd

SI's Conor Orr handed some respect to rookie wide receiver Jaylin Noel in the midst of their rising rank amongst the league, who had a viral celebration after scoring his first career touchdown vs. the Ravens.

"I understand the ridiculous self-seriousness of the NFL, having covered the league for 15 seasons now. And I can say with absolute confidence that Jaylin Noel, scoring his first NFL touchdown on an unremarkable bootleg and then doing the Ray Lewis dance in a romp of the Ravens was one of the funniest things I have ever witnessed. Go off, king. I hope you got your ball back."––Conor Orr

ESPN: 18th

Last week: 22nd

ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime was tasked with circling the top rookie on the roster through the first quarter of the year. Running back Woody Marks earned that honor, and the Texans saw themselves back in the top 20 teams as well.

"Marks entered training camp as the fifth running back on the depth chart. It was fair to suggest that Joe Mixon, Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce and Dare Ogunbowale were ahead in mid-July. But Mixon landed on the non-football injury list, and Pierce missed half of camp because of a leg injury. So, it was clear Marks would have a bigger role this season. In the Texans' Week 4 win over the Titans, he broke out with 27.9 fantasy points, recording 119 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns. The rookie fourth-rounder is continuing to carve out a noticeable role on the roster." –– DJ Bien-Aime

Bleacher Report: 21st

Last week: 24th

A slight uptick for the Texans in the eyes of Bleacher Report, but not quite into top-20 range. Moe Moton credits the Texans' offense for two-straight weeks of improved performances.

"It took a few weeks, but the Houston Texans have woken up. After three consecutive losses, they've won back-to-back games, albeit against teams with a combined record of 2-8. Still, the Texans offense is showing positive signs, scoring 70 points over the last two weeks following a 38-point output through Week 3."

"Entering Week 6, C.J. Stroud looks closer to the quarterback who won 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year, and the Texans' backfield features a veteran-rookie pair in Nick Chubb and Woody Marks. Houston looks up at the Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts in the standings and power rankings, but they're not far behind." –– Moe Moton

CBS Sports: 18th

Last week: 21st

CBS's Pete Prisco applauded the Texans' all-around effort on both sides of the ball, while boosting them three spots in Week 6's rankings.

"The offense we saw against the Ravens gives this team hope. The defense continues to play at a high level." –– Pete Prisco

FOX: 20th

Last week: 23rd

FOX Sports' Ralph Vacchiano sneaked the Texans into the top 20, but pointed to the caliber of competition Houston's dominated in the past two weeks that prevents them from rising any higher.

"They’ve steamrolled into their bye week with two straight wins by a combined score of 70-10 and looked more like themselves on both sides of the ball. It would all be so much more convincing if those wins hadn’t come against the Titans and the Lamar Jackson-less Ravens."–– Ralph Vacchiano

USA TODAY: 17th

Last week: 21st

USA Today's Nate Davis warns of some halted momentum for the Texans due to the Week 6 bye ahead.

"They've won their past two games by an aggregate score of 70-10. But a Week 6 bye could blunt their momentum and cost them to surrender more ground to the Colts and Jags, who are already two games clear of the reigning AFC South champs."–– Nate Davis

Yahoo: 18th

Last week: 22nd

Yahoo Sports' Frank Schwab gives credit where it’s due for the Texans, yet looks forward to the three games following their bye that could be true tests of whether this roster is for real or not.

The Texans had two fortunate matchups, against a bad Titans team and a severely injured Ravens team. Two wins doesn’t mean they’re back, but it’s a start. The offense has looked much better. The next three games (at Seahawks, vs. 49ers, vs. Broncos) will tell the story." ––Frank Schwab

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