Ranking NFL Offenses: Houston Texans No. 10

The Texans focused on improving the passing offense in this year’s draft by adding two wide receivers and a left tackle over their first three selections. Last year, Houston slipped to 19th in points (372) and 22nd in offensive yards. They are five deep at wideout, but Tank Dell and Christian Kirk are coming off injuries.

Houston Texans Starting Lineup

QB C.J. Stroud

RB1 Joe Mixon

RB2 Dameon Pierce

WR1 Nico Collins

WR2 Christian Kirk

WR3 Tank Dell

TE Dalton Schultz

WR4 Jayden Higgins

Jayden Higgins runs a 4.47 at 6’4, 214lbs 😮‍💨pic.twitter.com/z1ujPqHQUY
— PFF Fantasy & Betting (@PFF_Fantasy) March 1, 2025

10. Houston Texans Fantasy Outlook

In his second year with Houston, C.J. Stroud lost his big-play ability in the deep passing game. He had 42 completions of 20 yards or more, compared to 69 in 2023. The Texans lost Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell to injuries, and Nico Collins missed five games. As a result, Stroud passed for 300 yards in only two games (345/2 and 331/1) over his first five starts. He gained only 6.6 yards per pass attempt over his final 10 full games with 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Defenses sacked him 52 times (38 in 2023).

The upgrade in wide receiver depth offers long-term upside for Houston’s passing attack while also offering insurance in 2025 if Dell and Kirk don’t rebound quickly from their injuries. In early May, Stroud ranks 13th in quarterback as the fantasy market waits to see how his weapons develop over the summer.

Joe Mixon played well in nine of his 10 games in his first year with the Texans, leading to six weeks with more than 20.00 fantasy points. His highlight game (20/109/3 with two catches for 44 yards) came in Week 11. Over this span, he averaged 23.2 touches. The demise of Houston’s passing offense led to a sharp decline in his value (40/129/0 with nine catches for 65 yards) over his final four games in the regular season.

Mixon finished sixth in running back fantasy points (267.10) in PPR formats while missing three games with an ankle injury that was also a factor later in the season. The perceived running back depth in early May suggests he is overlooked in drafts by his early ranking (15th). Mixon has value on passing downs with scoring upside that should play well with his workhorse opportunity.

These RBs never lose the ball 💪

Active RBs with the Most Rushes per Fumble in their career ⤵️

Kenneth Walker III: 600.00
AJ Dillon: 597.00
Joe Mixon: 591.00
Tyler Allgeier: 533.00*
Kareem Hunt: 410.00
Chuba Hubbard: 377.50
Najee Harris: 274.25
Saquon Barkley: 257.67
Tony… pic.twitter.com/GNrvEV4TlY
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) April 15, 2025

Over the past two seasons, Nico Collins blossomed into a stud frontline wide receiver, highlighted by his big plays – 39 catches of 20 yards or more, with nine reaching the 40-yard mark. He’s gained over 100 yards in 10 of his last 27 starts, with five impact showings (7/146/1, 7/168/2, 9/191/1, 9/195/1, and 12/151/1). On the downside, Collins missed seven games over the past two seasons. His overproduction screams WR1, but he’s ranked 12th and 23rd in fantasy points in 2023 and 2024. Collins is the eighth wide receiver off the board in early May.

Christian Kirk (collarbone) and Tank Dell (left knee) come in 2025 after down seasons due to injuries. I expect Kirk to be ready for Week 1, but Dell will need time to find his stride after having surgery in mid-January. In 12-team formats, Kirk projects to be about a 10th-round pick while Dell will be found in the free agent pool unless his summer reports are more positive than I expect. Jayden Higgins may open the year as Houston’s WR3, creating possible fantasy value if given enough snaps and targets.

Dalton Schultz failed to capitalize on the Texans’ receiving injuries last season. He set a five-year low in catches (53), receiving yards (532), and touchdowns (2).

Houston has the pieces to rank much higher in scoring and offensive yards in 2025. Stroud showed an “it factor” in his rookie season, but lost his swagger last year. I expect him to improve this year if his receiving corps stays healthy.