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Cade Stover Cade Stover No damage to ACL
Wed, Jan 21, 2026, 4:13 PM
Stover (knee) did not sustain any damage to his ACL, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports
Analysis: Stover suffered a knee injury in the fourth quarter of Sunday's playoff loss to the Patriots. The confirmation of a healthy ACL means that the tight end will likely be able to enter the 2026 season healthy. |
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Tank Dell Tank Dell GM optimistic regarding return
Wed, Jan 21, 2026, 11:49 AM
Houston general manager Nick Caserio said Wednesday that he expects Dell (knee) to be available for offseason activities, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Analysis: Caserio acknowledged that the team will have a better idea about where Dell stands in his recovery from the pair of surgeries he underwent in early 2025 to address a major left knee injury once he gets on the field during OTAs. The GM's comments echo those of head coach DeMeco Ryans, who told Sam Warren of the Houston Chronicle on Tuesday that Dell pushed hard to return toward the end of this past season. Dell's return should bolster an offense that was often out of sync in 2025, though it's fair to wonder if the fourth-year wideout's explosiveness might be compromised to some degree coming off surgery. Before sitting out the 2025 campaign, Dell registered 98 receptions on 156 targets for 1,376 yards and 10 touchdowns in 25 games over his first two NFL seasons. |
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Luke Lachey Luke Lachey Inks future deal with Houston
Tue, Jan 20, 2026, 7:07 PM
The Texans signed Lachey to a reserve/future contract Tuesday.
Analysis: Selected by the Texans in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Lachey spent his entire rookie season on Houston's practice squad after failing to make the 53-man roster at the end of training camp. He was not elevated to the active roster, but he'll be part of the Texans' 90-man roster for the offseason and will be eligible to participate in OTAs in minicamp. |
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Joe Mixon Joe Mixon 2026 status uncertain
Tue, Jan 20, 2026, 8:01 AM
Houston head coach DeMeco Ryans said Monday that Mixon's status for 2026 is uncertain due to foot and ankle injuries, Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle reports. "As of right now, I don't know the answer to that right now," Ryans said when asked about the running back's status.
Analysis: Mixon missed the entire 2025 season, which left the Texans scrambling without an important weapon. Only twice in 19 games (including the postseason) did the team have a 100-yard rusher. If Mixon is unable to return next season, the organization is expected to look in the draft or free agency for a No. 1 back. Woody Marks ended the season as the backfield leader and is expected to remain in a significant role regardless of Mixon's status. |
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Davis Mills Davis Mills Goes unused in loss
Tue, Jan 20, 2026, 7:50 AM
Mills did not play in Sunday's 28-16 playoff loss to the Patriots.
Analysis: Mills never got off the bench despite the struggles of starter C.J. Stroud, who threw four interceptions. The former had an effective run as a starter during the regular season, guiding Houston to three straight wins when Stroud missed time due to a concussion. Mills finished the 2025 regular season with a 57.2 completion percentage (91-for-159) for 915 yards and five touchdowns over six games. He's under contract for another season and could be in for a greater role in 2026, if Stroud is unable to recapture the promise he showed as a rookie in 2023. |
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Jawhar Jordan Jawhar Jordan Under contract for 2026
Tue, Jan 20, 2026, 7:42 AM
Jordan finished the 2025 season with 43 carries for 193 yards over four regular-season games. He added seven catches on seven targets for 34 yards.
Analysis: Jordan was signed off the practice squad in late in the season when both Woody Marks and Nick Chubb were hobbled by injury. Jordan had an impressive debut in Week 15, when he logged 15 carries for 101 yards in a win over Arizona. With better health in the ensuing weeks, Jordan served in a backup role and was inactive for both of Houston's playoff games. He's under contract for 2026, and the Texans are expected to added pieces to their backfield during the offseason. |
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Dare Ogunbowale Dare Ogunbowale No run on offense
Tue, Jan 20, 2026, 7:29 AM
Ogunbowale played 18 snaps on special teams in Sunday's 28-16 playoff loss to New England.
Analysis: Ogunbowale never stepped on the field with offense and finished out his fourth season in Houston with 11 carries for 25 yards and one touchdown. He added 10 catches on 13 targets for 76 yards over 17 regular-season games. The 31-year-old back, who served as a captain in 2025, did a little bit of everything during his Texans tenure, which included serving as an emergency placekicker. He enters the offseason as an unrestricted free agent but is popular within the organization. Ogunbowale's vast experience as a special teams player should find him a home in Houston or elsewhere. |
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Nick Chubb Nick Chubb Free agency awaits
Tue, Jan 20, 2026, 7:18 AM
Chubb had four carries for 14 yards and failed to catch his lone target in Sunday's 28-16 playoff loss to New England.
Analysis: Chubb finished up his first season in Houston with 122 carries for 506 yards rushing and three touchdowns. He added 13 catches on 20 targets for 67 yards. Chubb was meant to back up Joe Mixon (foot) but opened atop the depth chart, as Mixon's injury prevented him from playing at all in 2025. The Texans eventually gave Woody Marks the lead role while Chubb served as the backup and averaged just 4.4 carries over the final seven weeks of the regular season. The 31-year-old Chubb enters the offseason as an unrestricted free agent, and Houston is expected to reassess the backfield. |
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Xavier Hutchinson Xavier Hutchinson Four grabs against Pats
Sun, Jan 18, 2026, 6:51 PM
Hutchinson caught four of 13 targets for 44 yards in the Texans' 28-16 loss to the Patriots in the divisional round Sunday.
Analysis: With Nico Collins (concussion) sidelined, Hutchinson wound up leading the Texans in targets, although he didn't do much with that volume. The third-year wideout hadn't seen more than nine targets in a game during the regular season, and that only came in Week 18, as he compiled a 35-428-3 line on 57 targets over 17 games. Hutchinson will head into next season behind Collins, Jayden Higgins and potentially Jaylin Noel on the depth chart, even before accounting for any offseason additions to the WR room. |
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Christian Kirk Christian Kirk Finds end zone in Sunday's loss
Sun, Jan 18, 2026, 6:46 PM
Kirk caught two of six targets for 20 yards and a touchdown in the Texans' 28-16 loss to the Patriots in the divisional round Sunday.
Analysis: The veteran wideout couldn't repeat his massive performance from a wild-card win over the Steelers, but Kirk did hit paydirt for a second straight playoff game, hauling in a 10-yard toss from C.J. Stroud in the second quarter. Those two playoff TDs are more than he managed in the entire regular season, when he posted a disappointing 28-239-1 line on 52 targets over 13 games. Kirk will be a free agent in the offseason, and he'll likely be playing for his third team in three seasons in 2026. |
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Jayden Higgins Jayden Higgins Team-high six catches in loss
Sun, Jan 18, 2026, 6:36 PM
Higgins caught six of 10 targets for 59 yards in the Texans' 28-16 loss to the Patriots in the divisional round Sunday.
Analysis: The rookie wideout led Houston in catches and receiving yards with Nico Collins (concussion) unavailable, but it was Christian Kirk who caught C.J. Stroud's only TD pass of the day. Higgins put together a respectable rookie season after being a second-round pick out of Iowa State, playing all 17 regular-season games and posting a 41-525-6 line on 68 targets. With Kirk a free agent this offseason, Higgins may have shown enough to dissuade the Texans from bringing in veteran competition for the No. 2 receiver role. |
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Woody Marks Woody Marks Held in check by Pats
Sun, Jan 18, 2026, 6:28 PM
Marks carried the ball 14 times for only 17 yards and caught two of three targets for 19 yards during the Texans' 28-16 loss to the Patriots in the divisional round Sunday. He also lost a fumble.
Analysis: Houston couldn't get much of anything going on the ground, and Marks' turnover was one of five by the Texans and eight in total by both teams in cold, wet conditions at Foxborough. Marks went the entire regular season without losing a fumble, so ball security shouldn't be an issue for him in 2026, and the fourth-round pick out of USC had a successful rookie campaign with 911 scrimmage yards and five total TDs in 16 games. It remains to be seen whether the Texans will look to expand his role next year, or bring in a back more adept at running between the tackles to work in tandem with Marks. |
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C.J. Stroud C.J. Stroud Picked off four times to end season
Sun, Jan 18, 2026, 6:21 PM
Stroud completed 20 of 47 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown with four interceptions in the Texans' 28-16 loss to the Patriots in the divisional round Sunday. He added 11 rushing yards on two carries.
Analysis: The two teams combined for eight turnovers in cold, wet conditions at Foxborough, and Stroud accounted for half of them, including a pick-six by Marcus Jones in the second quarter. It was a disappointing end to a promising year for Houston, but Stroud's seven giveaways in two playoff games will be a big point of discussion during the offseason. The QB ended his third NFL campaign with 3,041 passing yards and a 19:8 TD:INT during 14 regular-season games while completing a career-high 64.5 percent of his passes. |
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Cade Stover Cade Stover Done for day
Sun, Jan 18, 2026, 5:05 PM
Stover (knee) has been ruled out for the rest of Sunday's divisional-round matchup with the Patriots.
Analysis: Stover suffered a knee injury early in the fourth quarter, and he will now be forced to miss the remainder of the game. With Dalton Schultz (calf) already done for the day, Harrison Bryant will now operate as the team's top tight end against New England. |
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Woody Marks Woody Marks Back in Sunday's game
Sun, Jan 18, 2026, 3:38 PM
Marks (shoulder) returned to Sunday's divisional-round game against the Patriots, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Analysis: Marks had exited the contest to have his shoulder checked out, but he was subsequently deemed able to return to action. He'll continue to pace Houston's backfield in a game in which two of the team's top pass catchers, Nico Collins (concussion) and TE Dalton Schultz (calf), are unavailable. |
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Dalton Schultz Dalton Schultz Won't return Sunday
Sun, Jan 18, 2026, 3:27 PM
Schultz (calf) won't return to Sunday's Sunday's divisional-round game against the Patriots.
Analysis: Schultz thus finishes his afternoon with two catches (on two targets) for 47 yards. Cade Stover and Harrison Bryant are Houston's available tight ends for the remainder of Sunday's contest. |
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Woody Marks Woody Marks Hurts shoulder Sunday
Sun, Jan 18, 2026, 3:23 PM
Marks exited Sunday's divisional-round game against the Patriots due to a shoulder injury.
Analysis: Before his departure from the game, Marks carried eight times for seven yards and caught one of his two targets for six yards. While Marks is sidelined, Nick Chubb, Dare Ogunbowale and British Brooks are Houston's available backfield options. |
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Dalton Schultz Dalton Schultz Exits Sunday's game
Sun, Jan 18, 2026, 2:43 PM
Schultz was forced out of Sunday's divisional-round game against the Patriots with a calf injury.
Analysis: Before his exit from the contest, Schultz caught both of his targets for 47 yards (including a 42-yarder). In his absence, Cade Stover and Harrison Bryant are available to handle Houston's tight-end duties versus New England. |
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Jawhar Jordan Jawhar Jordan Inactive Sunday
Sun, Jan 18, 2026, 12:45 PM
Jordan (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's divisional-round game against the Patriots.
Analysis: Jordan, who sat out this past Monday's wild-card win at Pittsburgh due to a high-ankle sprain that he sustained Week 18 against the Colts, had approached the contest without an injury designation, but the running back won't be available versus New England after all. In his continued absence, Woody Marks will continue to lead Houston's backfield Sunday, with Nick Chubb next up for carries. |
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Christian Kirk Christian Kirk More volume on tap
Fri, Jan 16, 2026, 3:55 PM
Kirk is poised for a bigger role in the Texans' passing game Sunday at New England after No. 1 WR Nico Collins (concussion) was ruled out for the divisional-round contest.
Analysis: Kirk was well on his way to a notable performance when Collins exited Monday's wild-card win in Pittsburgh due to a concussion in the third quarter. Having said that, Kirk was QB C.J. Stroud's favorite target for much of the game, with the wide receiver finishing with eight catches (on nine targets) for 144 yards and one touchdown on a 56 percent snap share. The playing time more or less was in line with his range from the regular season, but Kirk now will be vying with only Jayden Higgins, Xavier Hutchinson and Jaylin Noel and potentially Braxton Berrios for the attention of Stroud this weekend. |
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