Texans Report Card: Grading Every Position Group Through 2 Weeks

If you were to grade the Houston Texans' 2026 season through two games as a collective, the result on that report card probably wouldn't look too appealing. This team does have an 0-2 record after all.

However, if you were to grade out every position group on the Texans' roster after their first two matchups against the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals, how might things change?

The Texans have had a few positives around the roster through two games that are worth hanging their hat on, and thus, deserve a passing grade. However, there have also been a few other spots on both sides of the ball that have caused some issues for one reason or another, and their grade might be deserving of taking a hit because of it.

Keeping that all in mind, let's sort through each position group on both sides of the ball for the Texans in a report card-style analysis to see which areas of the roster are passing, and who's failing heading into Week 3:

Offensive Report Card

Sep 20, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) reacts after a play during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It hasn't been a perfect start to C.J. Stroud's fourth season with the Texans.

When looking at his numbers through two games, Stroud is throwing for just over a 60% completion rate, has been sacked at a higher rate than he was last season (7.0%), and while he is averaging a little over 310 passing yards per game, has just two touchdowns thrown along with the two fumbles he gave up in Week 1.

Stroud has seen better days. However, there are certainly some positive factors worth noting through his first two games of the year. His decision-making has remained strong, as highlighted by DeMeco Ryans. He’s shown an increased willingness to use his legs, and when Nico Collins is back in the lineup, it should look even better.

Yet, similarly to last year, the Texans' lack of consistency in their run game and upfront on the offensive line tends to do a number on just how high Stroud's ceiling caps out at, and thus caps the offense's ceiling as a whole.

The Texans' run game started off with a bang thanks to David Montgomery's three-touchdown debut that he logged against the Bills. That game alone might've been better than any performance a Houston running back saw throughout the course of 2025.

But even in that outing for Montgomery, he wasn't the most efficient back, averaging just 3.0 yards per carry, and in Week 2 against the Bengals, this running back group hit rock bottom by averaging 1.2 yards per carry in their 14 total attempts.

A better group than what last year's duo of Nick Chubb and Woody Marks was able to do, sure. Yet through two games, we still don't have any proof that ensures Houston's run game can be better than league average.

Nico Collins' first week against Buffalo, where he recorded seven catches for 75 yards and a touchdown, was a typical explosive performance on his behalf. But in his absence in Week 2, along with the production this wide receiver room outside of Collins, it's been nothing short of disappointing.

No receiver has recorded more than 90 total yards through two games, and those numbers have looked even worse when paired next to just the one total touchdown that Collins had against Buffalo.

NICO! TOUCHDOWN!!

📺: @nfloncbs | @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/Rgl6SSBpX5
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) September 13, 2026

It's very clear that without Jayden Higgins and Tank Dell on the field, this group of pass-catchers could certainly use a more reliable set of hands at the wide receiver position.

The Texans' coaching staff left many scratching their heads after they decided to run 11 personnel on over 85% of their offensive snaps in Week 2 against the Bengals. On a roster with five tight ends onboard, those heavy receiver sets don't tend to make much sense, especially in a game without Nico Collins.

However, that game wasn't without Dalton Schultz having a career performance with 12 catches for 140 yards. And in the limited reps seen outside of Schultz in this tight end room, from guys like Foster Moreau, Cade Stover, and Marlin Klein, they've been about as you would expect.

What a catch by Dalton Schultz!

CINvsHOU on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/Y6HeGXkdDV
— NFL (@NFL) September 20, 2026

Once the Texans start deploying their tight ends in a greater fashion, this grade can be on the upward trend. Right now, though, we really haven't seen what this depth can be capable of.

The Texans really didn't turn out to be that poor on the offensive line against the Bills in Week 1, but it was in their following game against the Bengals where some of the bad habits from the last two seasons really began to show.

The Bengals generated 27 pressures on 62 dropbacks for an absurd pressure rate of 43.5%. Of course, no team taking over 60 dropbacks in a game is an ideal formula for success, but combining those pass protection woes with their inability to block consistently in the run game is pretty clear proof this offensive line has work to do in the weeks ahead.

Defensive Report Card

Sep 20, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (51) reacts after a play during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Out of any position group to shine the brightest on the Texans' roster through two weeks, the defensive line feels most deserving of that praise.

As a whole, they've put together seven sacks, which was in large part thanks to the dominant day this group had upfront against the Bengals, where four different players recorded a solo sack on Joe Burrow, all done without the presence of their third edge rusher in the rotation: veteran Jadeveon Clowney (knee).

The Texans have had to sustain a handful of bumps and bruises in their linebacker room dating all the way back to the start of training camp, up until now, knowing that Henry To'oTo'o was placed on injured reserve after injuring his shoulder in Week 2.

But even with the adversity and absences faced in this unit, they've held up to be pretty productive through two weeks.

Azeez Al-Shaair leads the way on Houston's defense in total tackles, and just last week, it was Jake Hansen who elevated to LB2 in the wake of To'oTo'o's injury, and showcased he has some clear built-in trust with the coaching staff with his 85% snap share on defense.

For a cornerback duo of Derek Stingley and Kamari Lassiter that many have considered to be the best in the league, it feels like the first two weeks have been fine, but a little underwhelming knowing the talent the Texans have at the position.

In Week 1, the Texans saw not one, but two vertical threats on the Bills go off for over 100 receiving yards, and in Week 2, it was Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins who stirred up trouble throughout the day, as they combined for over 150 yards and two touchdowns as a duo.

Considering the expectations that were in place for this safety unit before the season, the first two weeks of the new year have been one of the more disappointing results around the roster.

For one, Reed Blankenship hasn't exactly offered the stability the Texans thought they were getting in their safety room, knowing that receivers have caught all nine of the passes he's been targeted on for over 150 yards and two touchdowns.

DJ MOORE'S FIRST TD AS A BILL 🚨

BUFvsHOU on CBS/Paramount+ pic.twitter.com/CiM8LpAQEc
— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2026

But the Texans also haven't gotten the ball-hawking production out of Calen Bullock that their defense would like to have right about now. Houston's recorded zero turnovers in back-to-back games for the first time since December of 2024, and this safety unit will be a big piece in changing that.

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