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Fantasy Football Impact: Marvin Harrison Jr Being Traded To The Texans Could Impact Nico Collins And CJ Stroud

The fantasy impact of Marvin Harrison Jr. being traded to the Houston Texans.
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) warms up prior to the NCAA football game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Ohio Stadium.
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) warms up prior to the NCAA football game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Ohio Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

After a weekend full of mystery, we got our answer on where the Arizona Cardinals were trading Marvin Harrison Jr. After defeating the Tennessee Titans and avoiding falling to 0-5, the Houston Texans pulled the trigger, sending a second- and sixth-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft for Harrison and a seventh-round pick in 2027.

We suggested that Harrison would most likely be traded to the Texans, and they just wanted to make sure they didn't lose to the Titans and drop to 0-5 before trading away draft assets. It seems like that's exactly what happened. Now we have to see how he fits into the Texans' passing attack.

Fantasy Impact

WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Houston Texans

At this point, anything is an upgrade for Harrison, because this at least gives him some hope for a career resurgence. We didn't view this as the best possible landing spot, but it's also not a bad spot. He will step in as the WR2 in Houston, which also has an oft-injured WR1 in Nico Collins.

However, we shouldn't react after just one week, whether it's great or terrible. We should monitor his role in the offense for at least three weeks before feeling confident in his role for the remainder of the year. The one thing he has going for him is that he will be reunited with his college quarterback, CJ Stroud. There should at least be some built-in chemistry there.

Fantasy owners should be hopeful that he will emerge as a weekly WR3 with WR2 upside. Nevertheless, if he flops in Houston, it will be time to start considering whether the fit in Arizona wasn't the problem and he could just be a bust.

WR Nico Collins, Houston Texans

It's unlikely that Harrison impacts Collins much, if at all. While it's not impossible that Harrison emerges as a high-volume target, Collins should stay locked in as the distant WR1 in Houston, while Harrison hopefully rises to the level of an impactful WR2.

While we don't expect Collins to lose any value, this trade could spell doom for all the other wide receivers in this offense and whatever little value they may have had. It is safe to cut Xavier Hutchinson, Kayshon Boutte, and Jaylin Noel.

QB CJ Stroud, Houston Texans

We believe that the problem with CJ Stroud is CJ Stroud, but putting more weapons around can't hurt. Especially a weapon he had so much success with back at Ohio State. Stroud still shouldn't be viewed as a viable fantasy option in single QB leagues, but it is worth monitoring how their passing game looks once Harrison is fully acclimated to the offense.

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Mark Morales-Smith
MARK MORALES-SMITH

Mark Morales-Smith is a father of five, a former college football scout and semi-pro football player. Morales-Smith is a long-time competitive fantasy football player with well over a decade of professional writing experience at multiple high-level sites, including Sports Illustrated, FullTime Fantasy, FantasySP, and more.

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