The Houston Texans loaded up their WR corps ahead of the 2024 season. Unfortunately, they couldn’t stay healthy.
All three of their top WRs have missed at least one game this season, with the most devastating injury belonging to Stefon Diggs. The veteran WR tore his ACL in Week 8 and is done for the season. What is the latest update on Diggs’ status?
What is Stefon Diggs’ Injury?
The Texans’ Week 8 victory over the Colts was a bit of a pyrrhic one. They won the game, but it cost them a wide receiver.
Diggs had been running as the WR1 during Nico Collins’ IR stint due to a hamstring strain. With Tank Dell more of a WR2, C.J. Stroud had relied on Diggs, especially for all of those underneath routes.
When making a cut on a route, Diggs immediately went to the ground, holding his knee. At first glance, every veteran football fan feared the worst. After the game it was confirmed that Diggs tore his ACL, which obviously ended his season right then and there.
Before getting hurt, Diggs averaged 5.8 receptions and 62 yards per game. He posted three receiving touchdowns and one rushing TD while totaling 47 catches for 496 yards.
When Will Diggs Return From Injury?
This is a tricky one. ACL tears come with a 9-12 month timeline. But every player is different.
We’ve seen some guys come back at the front end of that timeline, mostly looking no worse for wear right away. We’ve seen others take nearly a full year to return and then not look anywhere near their pre-injury selves until the following season.
Diggs will turn 31 years old this week. Recovering from a serious injury in your early 20s is much different than in your early 30s. While Diggs does not rely on raw athleticism to get open, it’s certainly within the realm of possibilities he’s never effective again.
Given that this injury occurred midseason, combined with Diggs’ age, he should be considered a coin flip to be ready for Week 1 of the 2025 season.
How Will Diggs’ Absence Impact the Texans?
Now that Collins is back, Stroud will at least have two of his top three receivers healthy. The problem with missing Diggs is he provided this offense with a unique element that Collins and Dell don’t really offer — those short, quick-hitter routes that Diggs is so effective at. Both Collins and Dell excel downfield.
Stroud has taken a noticeable step back this season that only got worse once he lost Collins and then Diggs. He checks in at 22nd in PFN’s QB rankings, behind the likes of Jameis Winston, Sam Darnold, and Drake Maye.
With so many injuries to their wide receivers, the Texans have largely turned to Joe Mixon to carry the offense. The former Bengal has answered the call all season long.
Despite missing three games, Mixon has 10 rushing touchdowns plus another one through the air. He is averaging a career-high, by far, 95.5 rushing yards per game. Expect the offense to continue to run through Mixon for as long as it’s working.