Texans WR Jayden Higgins will miss the 2026 season after suffering an ACL tear in Tuesday's practice, according to multiple reports. (It's not yet clear which leg he injured.)
What They're Saying: Coach Was Excited for Higgins' Season
HC DeMeco Ryans, earlier this month: "Higgins came back ready this camp. It showed in OTAs. It's showing now, and it's not surprising. He and C.J. are finding a connection because Higgins is doing a really great job of running his routes the proper way. He's playing with precision."
2026 Fantasy Football Impact: Targets Available, But Candidates Look Weak
This sucks.
That's obviously true for any player who has his season ended prematurely by an injury. But this particular scenario removes a second-year wideout with breakout potential from an offense that badly needed his talent. That's why I included the Ryans quote above.
Let's peel back the layers of impact.
Who's Likely to Get More Targets?
WR Nico Collins ranked 17th at the position in target share last season after checking in 19th the year before and 28th in 2023.
Don't be surprised if he climbs further in 2026, thanks to a lackluster WR corps that just lost its clear No. 2 option. Collins only gets more attractive as a target we already liked around the 2-3 turn in typical formats.
WR Xavier Hutchinson looks like the direct lineup replacement for Higgins after running 71.3% of his pass routes from the outside over his first three seasons, according to Pro Football Focus. Last year found Hutchinson at a career-high 78.9% rate on the outside.
The former sixth-round pick looks likely to see the biggest spike in usage from Higgins' injury, but he also has yet to catch more than 2.1 passes per game in a season and has snared just 53.9% of his career targets.
Hutchinson might provide some usable fantasy weeks, but it's tough to envision him becoming a player we comfortably start.
TE Dalton Schultz looks like the best bet to land second among Texans in targets. That's especially easy to project because that's where he has finished each of his three seasons with the team.
Last year provided career highs in targets (106) and receptions (82), and Schultz ranked 11th among TEs in target share. There's now room for him to challenge all three marks in 2026.
He's a solid PPR pick anywhere from TE12 on going forward.
Tank Dell and Jaylin Noel could see target bumps as well, but both have injury questions they need to answer before we can really learn about their 2026 roles.
C.J. Stroud Remains Forgettable
Houston's QB already sat around the bottom of QB2 territory in ADP. Losing Higgins only makes it easier to not believe in an upside case for Stroud.
Losing Higgins -- along with the lack of luster in the rest of Houston's receiving corps -- might even push more of a rushing lean for this year's offense.
We're not boosting RB David Montgomery up the rankings for that factor, but the run-pass split will be worth watching early this season.
Dynasty Impact: Don't Quit on Higgins
Higgins remains an upside candidate over the long term.
The 34th-overall pick of 2025 turns 24 in mid-December, and the timing of this injury should have him ready for the 2027 season.
We'll obviously watch his recovery, but 2026 might be a time to throw some trade offers out for Higgins in your dynasty leagues. If you already have him, I'd hold. He's not likely to bring much in return with little chance yet to show his scoring potential.
There's even potential for upgrading at QB beyond this season. Stroud remains under contract through 2027, thanks to the club option on his rookie deal. But if he doesn't improve this season, you can bet Houston will start looking for a replacement ahead of next fall.
