Christian Kirk injury creates huge opportunity for two Texans rookies

Kirk, who arrived in Houston this offseason via a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars, was projected to operate as Houston's No. 2 wide receiver behind Nico Collins. That job is now up for grabs in the short term.

Former Iowa State wideouts have a massive opportunity

The Texans drafted two wide receivers in the first three rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft. Both played at Iowa State last year. Jayden Higgins was taken in the second round (No. 34 overall), and Jaylin Noel was drafted in the third (No. 79 overall). Both rookies could be in line for additional work in Week 1 and beyond.

At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Higgins projects as more of an outside receiver. The 5-foot-11, 201-pound Noel fits the slot mold, which is Kirk's role.

Higgins had 87 catches for 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns last season. Noel had incredibly similar numbers with 80 catches for 1,194 yards and eight touchdowns. The Texans couldn't decide which former Iowa State wideout they liked better, so they drafted both.

With Kirk out, the Texans will get a very early assessment of whether they made the correct investments in the 2025 draft. Higgins and Noel will also have a chance to prove their worth right out of the gate, which is what most rookies hope for.