Which Texans Starters Could Play in Raiders Preseason Game

Will the Houston Texans roll out their starters in the second week of preseason?

Aug 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans looks up at the scoreboard while the Houston Texans play the Los Angeles Chargers in the second half at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Houston Texans are just a few days away from getting into their second of three preseason games ahead of the start to next month's regular season.

They're coming fresh off a 7-28 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. This time, they'll be up against the Las Vegas Raiders, and likely see a glimpse of this year's No. 1 overall pick, Fernando Mendoza.

And for the Texans, they'll likely be playing their starters on both sides of the ball a little bit more than they did against the Chargers.

How Texans' Starters Could Be Used vs. Chargers

Last week, Houston opted to rest virtually all of their starters on both sides of the ball, only deciding to play their starting offensive line for a series, to then transition to second and third string units for most of the game.

But this time around, according to Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans, he's anticipating everyone who's healthy to be available to play against the Raiders.

"As I stand here today, versus the Raiders, I'm anticipating everyone who's healthy to go out and play," Ryans said after Friday's training camp practice.

If Ryans' plans hold to form throughout the week, it'll be a much different look from what the Texans were planning on for their previous preseason game this time last week.

Now that everyone who's healthy is going to play, this means guys like C.J. Stroud, Will Anderson, Danielle Hunter, Nico Collins, etc., will all be able to get a glimpse of some in-game reps on Thursday, marking their first time on the field for a live game since their postseason exit in January.

Aug 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud looks on from the sideline during the second quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Now, even as the Texans might have everyone who's healthy available to play for preseason, that doesn't mean they'll be playing those aforementioned stars for the entire length of the game.

The backups will be sure to get their fair share of reps just as they did last week, and if Houston wants to hold out a particular starter for any minor scratch, they could very well decide they don't want to take any unnecessary risks in an exhibition game.

And really, the Texans' starters might only get a drive or a quarter of action before they're pulled.

After all, these games can be a really good moment to see what roster bubble guys might be capable of on the field as opposed to those proven, veteran stars that'll see more time against Las Vegas. So guys like Davis Mills and newly-signed Brett Rypien are due to get their snaps under center throughout the night.

At the same time, the Texans and Ryans clearly do see a value in getting top guys on the field for some tune-up snaps as we get a little bit closer to the season.

While more and more coaches follow the path of gradually resting more starters for more time in preseason and keeping their legs fresh for Week 1, Houston wants to get their guys' feet wet in the in-game action early.

So expect to see a more complete Texans team when they're on the field this next week––and in the process, perhaps a bit of a better result than they suffered in their previous blowout loss against the Chargers.

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