Every year, the NFL Draft injects a ton of new talent into the league. Naturally, this shakes up fantasy football values. With the Houston Texans making Jayden Higgins the first wide receiver selected on Day 2, what does this mean for the fantasy values of C.J. Stroud, Nico Collins and Christian Kirk?
Fantasy Impact of Texans Drafting Jayden Higgins
This pick makes a lot of sense for the Texans. The team needed more receiver help opposite Nico Collins after letting Stefon Diggs walk in free agency. They will also be without Tank Dell, who is likely to miss most, if not all, of the 2025 NFL season with a significant knee injury.
Higgins is very likely to have a big role early in his career. Outside of Collins, the only receiver who can be confidently ranked ahead of Higgins on the depth chart is newly acquired Christian Kirk, who came over from the Jaguars. The beauty in this is that Kirk primarily works from the slot, while Higgins is a boundary receiver, so both can be on the field together in 11-personnel formations.
Long term, this is a great setup for Higgins. Quarterback C.J. Stroud is one of the best young passers in the league and has shown a strong ability to spread the ball around to his playmakers. Plus, Higgins has a great knack for winning down the field, and Stroud throws one of the better deep balls in the NFL. A trio of Collins, Higgins and Dell surrounding Stroud could be dangerous for years to come.
C.J. Stroud
This is a great pick for C.J. Stroud and fantasy owners who have him on their teams. Stroud is coming off another productive season both in real life and fantasy, but his sophomore year didn’t quite match his prolific rookie campaign. The dip was mainly because of injuries, especially to his receivers.
Now, with Higgins in the fold, his receiver group just got that much deeper. If injuries hit again, the Texans are better prepared to weather the storm.
Look for Stroud to bounce back from his “sophomore slump” and reestablish himself as a premier QB1 in fantasy football.
Nico Collins
Collins was arguably the best fantasy receiver of 2024 when healthy, but he missed four games, which hurt his overall numbers. That said, he still projects as a surefire WR1 and one of the best overall fantasy receivers.
The addition of Higgins shouldn’t have much, if any, effect on Collins’ fantasy outlook. Even when Diggs and Dell were healthy and all three were on the field in 2024, Collins was still Stroud’s clear favorite. He dominated targets and was a true alpha when on the field. If anything, Higgins could actually help Collins by forcing defenses to respect the deep threat and not roll as much safety coverage over Collins.
Draft Collins early and often and watch your fantasy team thrive.
Christian Kirk
Kirk is coming off one of his worst fantasy seasons, averaging just 8.9 points per game while hitting career lows across the board. He missed nine games due to a broken collarbone and was later traded to a division rival this offseason.
The Texans seem like a great spot for a rebound season for Kirk. He can slide right into the slot position while Dell is out, and he projects as a reliable chain mover for Stroud. His skill set complements what Collins brings to the table.
With Higgins now on the roster, Kirk’s fantasy value takes a bit of a hit. Before Higgins was drafted, Kirk likely would have been on the field with Collins in two-receiver sets and obviously in three-receiver sets. Now, it’s fair to wonder if Higgins, not Kirk, will be prioritized in two-receiver looks, given Higgins’ size, strength, and boundary ability.
Still, Kirk is a solid target in the late rounds in PPR leagues, thanks to the Texans’ pass-heavy approach and the fact he’s catching passes from one of the best young QBs in the game.