Battle Red Blog
The notion that no matter how good a wide receiver is, they won’t succeed without a solid quarterback arose during an engaging chat with a new friend yesterday. Not only is that thought intrinsic to the sport of football, it’s a great predictor of future success. Flip it around and you’ll quickly understand that Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud can put in all.the.work, but if he has no one to play catch with, it’s wasted effort.
Thankfully, the Texans have a fairly stacked receiver corps rolling into the 2026 season. Nico Collins, Jayden Higgins, Tank Dell, Jaylin Noel and Xavier Hutchinson are likely the heart of this group. But, guys like Justin Watson may sneak in if someone in the current top 5 lets their game slip.
Since head coach Demeco Ryans arrived on the scene, Collins (the 27 year old Birmingham Alabama native) has nailed 3-straight 1000-yard seasons. Those include 2 years in the NFL’s Top 10 receiver list, a trip to the Pro Bowl in 2025 and his supplanting of Texans great, Kevin Walter as the 3rd best receiver in Texans history. Nico still has a long way to go to catch the GOAT that is Andre Johnson, but his base stats are actually ahead of ‘Dre. His 15.0 yards per catch average is second only to Corey Bradford (15.3) in Texans history.
Rolling into 2026, Collins is healthy, focused, and ready to continue his climb up the charts. Not only is he an every down threat, but his presence alone draws attention away from the other receivers on the field.
Since Houston drafted Higgins in the 2nd round of the 2025 NFL Draft, he’s done nothing but work hard and cement his place across from Collins. The former Iowa State Cyclone caught 41 passes, gained 525 yards for a 12.8 yard/catch average and hit pay dirt 6 times last season. Stories out of OTAs and minicamp tell of a young man trying to emulate the focus and work ethic of Collins, and carry on the tradition started by Johnson.
Higgins and Collins alone should provide Stroud with ample pitch and catch opportunities in 2026. But, as the saying goes, wait! There’s more!
Former college teammate of Higgins, turned pro teammate, Noel is well-suited for the WR3 spot. Smaller, faster, more elusive, the sophomore speedster should have plenty of opportunities to supplant the oft-injured Tank Dell. As a rookie last season, Noel made the most of his 3 starts by catching 26 passes for 292 yards, compiling an 11.2 yard per catch average, 2 touchdowns and 13 first downs. While these numbers are far from Hall of Fame material, stepping into a support role last season, with all the struggles the Houston offense exhibited, didn’t exactly set him up for success. Anticipation is high that Noel’s sophomore campaign will be a rousing success.
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