Stars' injuries may make Texans' road back to playoffs even tougher

The NFL preseason hasn't even kicked off yet, but the Houston Texans' playoff hopes are already in jeopardy. 

The Texans entered the 2024 season with a gifted group of skill players, including wide receivers Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell and running back Joe Mixon. Alongside dynamic quarterback C.J. Stroud, this talented cast helped lead Houston to a first-place finish in the AFC South.

While losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round was expected by most, it still came as a disappointment for a Houston team that was looking to build on its 2023 results. Unfortunately for the Texans, though, the path to improvement over either of the last two seasons will be an uphill battle. 

Collins has seemingly returned to good health, but it's clear that Houston's skill-position depth has already taken a hit compared to last season. Diggs departed for New England in the offseason, leaving Collins and Christian Kirk to carry a load that was previously a three-man job.

After suffering a gruesome leg injury that resulted in a dislocated kneecap and torn ACL last December, Dell still has no timetable for a return. Especially without Diggs, who was also struck by the injury bug with Houston last year, Dell's playmaking ability will be sorely missed.

Adding salt to the wound, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport recently reported that Mixon is expected to miss an extended period of time with a nagging foot injury, leaving his status in doubt for the start of the regular season.

Houston can survive without Dell for the first half of the season. If Mixon misses a chunk of games to start the 2025 campaign, though, the Texans may struggle to maintain their status as the top team in what should be an improved AFC South.

Houston does boast a serviceable backup in Nick Chubb, who proved himself as a workhorse running back for several years. However, the four-time Pro Bowler hasn't been the same since his devastating injury in 2023, and the Texans simply can't expect him to return to star form. 

Chubb was brought in to be a complement to Mixon, who turned in one of the most productive seasons of his career in his first year away from Cincinnati. Mixon notched 1,000 rushing yards for the fifth time in his career in 2024, and while Chubb has eclipsed that mark multiple times in his own career, his days of dominance are clearly over. 

The Texans will need even more from Stroud, who experienced a bit of a sophomore slump after winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2023. Meanwhile, Kirk and tight end Dalton Schultz will be heavily relied on after both having down seasons last year. Even if there is some internal growth within the organization, though, it could be a struggle to get back to 10-7.

The Texans have made the postseason in each of the last two seasons, but neither appearance inspired confidence that the team was capable of more. Now, though, injuries have left Houston with a dearth of reliable offensive weapons outside of Stroud and Collins. 

Returning to the postseason isn't out of the question for Houston, but it will take some magic to get there.