Team news: Houston Texans | Page 3

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans specifically indicated that Joe Mixon is not ready to return at this time. Per sources, it will be much longer, if at all, for Mixon to get back on the field this season

Related Players: Nick Chubb, Woody Marks, Dare Ogunbowale

Even in a blowout, 26-0 win in Week 4, Ogunbowale recorded exactly one snap, so with Joe Mixon seemingly out for most of, if not all, of the season, it's down to Chubb and Marks. After Marks' breakout game, the rookie could very well start to take over a majority of the snaps going forward, which makes him a priority pick-up in every league size.

Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr. (wrist) is off the injury report and good to go Sunday.

Meanwhile, Texans WRs Christian Kirk (hamstring) and Braxton Berrios (hamstring) are both off the injury report and set to make their season debuts.

Related Players: Travis Hunter, Dyami Brown, Nico Collins, Xavier Hutchinson, Jayden Higgins

Brian Thomas should continue to be slotted in as a fringe WR1/2 play, with Christian Kirk is much further down the list as a WR4/5 as the ball continues to be spread around behind Collins.

Texans second practice of Week 1.

I do not see Christian Kirk or Braxton Berrios.

Cam Robinson is back.

Related Players: Nico Collins, Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel

It's not looking great for Kirk to suit up for Week 1. We'll see how much Noel rotates into the slot, but it's probably best to keep our exposure to only Nico Collins until we see how the target share spreads out behind him. Collins is in easy WR1 consideration.

Texans general manager Nick Caserio was noncommittal about whether Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon will play in 2025.

Caserio was asked Wednesday morning if Mixon would suit up at all this season but did not provide any clarity on the status of the team's leading rusher from last season.

"We'll see. We'll take it one day at a time," Caserio said. "We'll evaluate those players after four weeks and see where they are in their progression and then make a determination."

Related Players: Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce, Woody Marks, Dare Ogunbowale

Mixon has been undraftable for a while now, but even stashing him away seems to be a hard pill to swallow at this point. Chubb will hold the RB1 title for now, but he looked pretty rough upon returning from a major injury last season. Woody Marks is one of the best last-round picks you can make at the moment.

Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans declined to give an update on running back Joe Mixon’s status at a press conference on Monday, but the Texans provided one a little later in the day.

Mixon was placed on the non-football injury list at the start of training camp and the team announced that he will be placed on the reserve version of the list at the cut to 53 players on Tuesday. The move will make Mixon unable to play in the first four games of the season.

Related players: Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce, Woody Marks, Dare Ogunbowale

Mixon injured his foot while he was away from the team ahead of camp, the story went on to say. Chubb is in line to be the starting running back in Week 1, but he didn't look great last year and was likely still recovering from his knee injury. However a hot start could make it tough for Mixon to get his job back, the story speculated. Those who follow the team feel Chubb, Pierce, Marks and Ogunbowale will all make the team if Mixon has to miss time.

Joe Mixon suffered a non-football injury that hasn't been disclosed, but Aaron Wilson who follows the team, says he has had a tough and complicated recovery.

Related players: Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce, Woody Marks, Dare Ogunbowale

There is no structural damages but Mixon has dealt with shots and breaking up scare tissue. Wilson added the team wouldn't have to pay Mixon because it was a non-football injury, but likely won't go down that road and cause issues. Wilson said there should be clarity soon, but Mixon doesn't seem to be ready in his opinion. Wilson thinks Mixon will likely start on the non-football injury list.

This is why the Texans felt it was necessary to go out and get Nick Chubb in free agency. Chubb will likely serve as the lead back until Joe Mixon returns, whenever that may be.

Related Players: Dameon Pierce, Woody Marks

Pierce saw a lowly 16.4% of the team's snap share in 2024, and Marks is a Day 2 rookie, so this makes sense. With that said, Marks still makes a very interesting late-round dart throw, as Chubb has dealt with his own major injury in the recent past and it's clear the coaching staff doesn't think too highly of Pierce.

The last I reported was that Joe Mixon would miss the entire preseason and maybe longer. What I would say is no one has expressed major concern to me about him being out for the entire season. There has been caution about him returning in Week 1. So I do think it’s possible he could begin the regular season on the physically unable to perform/reserve list, in which case he’d miss the first four games.

He hasn’t been seen out at practice, nor has he worked off to the side, which would indicate he’s not two to three weeks away from returning from the foot or ankle injury he suffered off the field this past offseason.

Related Players: Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce, Woody Marks

The foot/ankle injury was enough of a worry for the team to go out and get Chubb, and it doesn't seem like there has been any change in the following weeks/months. Mixon should be avoided until we get clarity on the matter, but any further dings to his efficiency would make him a stay-away anyways.

The pecking order for Texans WRs as of right now.
Nico Collins and Christian Kirk got the two top spots.
Xavier Hutchinson appears to be the next guy up. But Jayden Higgins will rotate in there.
Same with Jaylin Noel.

The top-two names aren't really a surprise, but it gets interesting seeing Hutchinson's name mentioned as the team's WR3, a spot many assumed would go to Higgins. We reported a few weeks ago that Noel was a quality WR for the team, but there just wasn't a spot for him in the lineup, and that seems to remain the case. This could be a situation to keep an eye on, especially if Hutchinson continues to be mentioned as the WR3. It's hard to believe Higgins won't be among the team's top-three WRs at some point sooner than later.

According to head coach Kellen Moore, both tight end Foster Moreau and Taysom Hill are not close to a return to the field. Rather, “they’re not ready to get on the field any time soon”, via Moore. The depth at TE for Moore’s offense is a notable concern due to these injuries.

Related players: Juwan Johnson, Jack Stoll

As the story pointed out, Johnson is the clear starter for the Saints at the TE position. Stoll is set for a legitimate offensive impact as of now, but is considered more of a blocker, the story went on to say. As for Hill, he is trying to recover from an ACL tear at 34-years-old. Hill is expected to remain on the PUP list and miss the first four games of the season. Given his age and the injury, he's obviously a risky bet in fantasy this season. But if you like to take chances and take advantage of IR spots, Hill is at least someone you can stash there and maybe pick up late in drafts.