Who Will Be C.J. Stroud's No. 2 Target in 2025 Houston Texans Offense?

Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryan stressed to reporters Tuesday not to be concerned about quarterback C.J. Stroud being limited at the team's offseason workouts this spring because of "general soreness" in his shoulder.

Although it's very contrary to human nature, we'll try to follow Ryan's advice. What fantasy football managers are definitely concerned about, though, is trying to decide who to target as Stroud's No. 2 pass-catching option.

There isn't a shortage of options.

What we do know is, barring injury, Nico Collins will sit at the top of Houston's receiver chart with the most targets again. He had 99 of them in 2024 despite only playing in 12 games. During the 2023 campaign, he had 109 targets in 15 contests.

Collins is both Houston's receiving leader in volume and efficiency. He led the team with 68 catches and 1,006 receiving yards last season. Collins had 15 more catches than the next closest Texans player and 329 more yards than anybody else on the offense.

Tight end Dalton Schultz was second for Houston in receptions, and receiver Tank Dell was second in receiving yards. Who will be No. 2 in each category for the Texans this season?

Schultz and Dell are both candidates, particularly the veteran tight end. Schultz has had at least 85 targets and 53 catches each of the past two seasons in Houston. His efficiency dropped in 2024, and he only scored two touchdowns, but Schultz still had a respectable 532 receiving yards.

Dell also saw his yards per catch average drop, resulting in fewer yards. But his previous chemistry with Stroud can't be discounted, especially with the Texans parting with Stefon Diggs, who was the only other Houston wideout with more than 50 targets last season.

However, it wasn't a great sign for Dell that the Texans traded for veteran Christian Kirk and then drafted two receivers on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Although Kirk experienced a disappointing final season with the Jacksonville Jaguars last season, he did only play in eight games and was still valued at the NFL trade deadline before sustaining his season-ending injury. If Stroud is closer to the quarterback he was in his rookie season, Kirk is a candidate for a bounce back year.

In 2023, Kirk posted 57 catches for 787 receiving yards. He recorded 84 catches 1,108 receiving yards and eight touchdowns during 2022.

Two Iowa State wideouts are in the mix too. First, in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Texans selected Jayden Higgins at No. 34 overall in the second round. Then, Houston grabbed Jaylin Noel at No. 79 in the third.

The pair combined for 2,377 receiving yards, while each registered a 1,000-yard campaign, for the Cyclones last season.

Noel was the more experienced college receiver, which could make him a candidate to play more early. But Higgins probably has more upside. Higgins averaged 15.5 yards per catch and scored 15 touchdowns in 26 career college games. Noel posted 11.7 yards per reception and 18 touchdowns in 51 games at Iowa State.

With rookies involved in this discussion, it's important to keep in mind that who begins the 2025 season as Houston's No. 2 receiver might not finish there.

Dell or Schultz are the best bets to be Stoud's favorites after Collins in September. But by December, it's not crazy to think the two rookies will be better starts in a WR2 or WR3 spot because of their potential upside.

While that possibility makes Houston's pass-catching group tricky to navigate, pairing Dell with one of the rookies might be a great option for fantasy managers. That could give managers the best of both worlds -- the likely better short-term play and long-term option.

It's usually not the best idea to have two receivers from the same offense in re-draft leagues. But as of early June, consider the Houston offense a potential exception this season because of the uncertainty surrounding the team's No. 2 receiver spot.