Where does the Texans' WR, TE, RB combo rank compared to the rest of NFL in 2025?
How do the Texans' skill position players--wide receivers, tight ends, and running backs--compare to the rest of the NFL with the arrival of Christian Kirk, Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel this offseason? ESPN's Bill Barnwell recently set out to rank each skill position unit ahead of the 2025 NFL season. In putting together these rankings, Barnwell focused on a few key factors when it came to making decisions:
Where did the Houston Texans' skill position players land in these rankings?
The Texans came in at No. 14 overall, which still is better than everyone else in the AFC despite losses at the receiver position. It still is a step down overall since in 2024, they were 4th with a healthy Tank Dell and the arrival of Diggs from Buffalo.
From a receiving standpoint, the focus is on Nico Collins, who's posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons since the arrival of C.J. Stroud. Injuries, however, took a toll on his rankings, as he's missed at least three games in each of the past two years.
Barnwell does see value in Kirk, whom the Texans traded for this offseason from Jacksonville, but much like Collins, injuries played a significant role. As for the Iowa State duo, he sees Noel as the finished product while Higgins is more of a "wait-and-see" type option.
"Enter a bevy of new wideouts around superstar Nico Collins, who was every bit as good in 2024 as he was in 2023 when healthy enough to play. Trade acquisition Christian Kirk averaged 2.0 yards per route run as a big-money free agent in Jacksonville, but he missed 14 games over the past two seasons with injuries," Barnwell wrote. "Second-round pick Jayden Higgins had a promising 2024 season at Iowa State, but he is seen as more of a project than a wideout expected to make an immediate impact. And third-rounder Jaylin Noel, Higgins' college teammate, will likely compete with Kirk in the slot for snaps. I would expect the Texans to find some starting-caliber snaps across from Collins within this trio, but it's also only realistic to say the vision of three elite wideouts they had this time last year isn't in the cards with this new bunch."
Barnwell loves Texans' Joe Mixon and high on newcomer Nick Chubb
While the numbers weren't elite, Mixon's 'rabbit-out-of-a-hat' play last season earned the respect of Barnwell. He's not sure the success can be duplicated, but having a secondary option in Chubb, who inked a one-year deal earlier this summer, could limit the workload for the Pro Bowl rusher coming off a 1,000-yard season.
"Mixon numbers weren't great last season, but the running game the Texans fielded early in the year while he was hurt made him look like Saquon Barkley," Barnwell wrote. "Mixon suffered behind the dismal offensive line play in Houston; I'm not sure I've ever seen a back pull a rabbit out of his hat more often in beating unblocked or marginally blocked rushers in the backfield on third-and-short before picking up first downs. He should benefit from a better offensive scheme, and it's tough to imagine the line play being worse."
The Texans open the season on the road against the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 7 at SoFi Stadium.
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