The Houston Texans haven’t set the world on fire like many assumed after a terrific rookie season from C.J. Stroud. While they have turned into an excellent defensive unit, particularly on the defensive line, the offense looks shaky at best. Some of it might be on Stroud and a sophomore slump, but a bigger issue for Houston might be the constant injuries to the wide receiver room.
Players like Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs, and Tank Dell have all missed significant time due to injury, with the latter two declared out for the entire year. With a WR collection that is in shambles, what does the current depth chart for the Texans look like?
Houston Texans’ Wide Receiver Depth Chart
Both Dell and Diggs have been declared out for the season. So, to gain some firepower for the postseason run, the team added Diontae Johnson off of waivers.
Unfortunately, Johnson’s stay didn’t last long, and Houston cut him after Wild Card Weekend. Now, the responsibility of holding up the offense falls on Collins, John Metchie III, and Xavier Hutchinson.
Here’s everything you need to know about this trio.
Who Is Nico Collins?
Thankfully for Houston, their WR1 on the season is healthy and raring to go. Since Stroud joined the Texans, Collins has exploded into a premier NFL wide receiver. While he isn’t used exclusively as a route runner, his threat for a deep ball makes him a constant threat.
Moreover, he is adept at utilizing his 6-foot-4 and 222-pound frame to gain yards after catch and contact. Stroud’s arrival immediately turned him from back-to-back sub-500-yard seasons into a 1,297-yard 2023 before following it up with 1,006 yards in just 12 games this season.
Against the Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card round, Collins was lethal, totaling 122 yards on just seven receptions, including a touchdown. If the Texans want to extend the season and pull off an upset against Kansas City, a lot of the offense will have to revolve around him.
Who Is John Metchie III?
While he didn’t get much play to begin the year, Metchie has had to slot in as receiver No. 2 thanks to the myriad of injuries on the roster. His best game came early in the year when Houston met the Detroit Lions as he tallied five receptions for 74 yards.
Since then, Metchie’s been a regular feature of Houston’s offense, averaging around six targets per game. Against Los Angeles to kick off the playoffs, he had four receptions on eight targets, although he totaled just 28 yards.
Even though he isn’t going for explosive plays, Metchie is a solid option for some dink-and-dunk plays, especially to move downs.
Who Is Xavier Hutchinson?
To support some of the deep passes that Stroud may occasionally decide to throw, the Texans also have Hutchinson to insert into the lineup. Used sporadically throughout the year, he’s used almost exclusively for explosive plays.
Even against the Chargers, Hutchinson tallied just a single reception worth 34 yards. When the offense isn’t finding its spark, he’s given the Texans a secondary threat behind Collins’ explosive brilliance.
What Happened to Diontae Johnson?
It’s been a wild ride for Johnson through the year. He’s been traded, suspended, waived, picked up, waived again, and picked up again — in the span of just 10 months.
What began as a tenure with the Carolina Panthers for seven games saw him end up in Baltimore after a trade. However, when his stint didn’t yield massive results, and a fiasco in the Philadelphia Eagles game where he refused to enter, the Ravens opted to wave Johnson, allowing Houston to pick him up just before the year came to an end.
After a strong start with Carolina, Johnson’s time with Baltimore was less than ideal, to say the least. When they picked him up, the Texans were expecting big things from their newest addition, with head coach DeMeco Ryans singling him out as a major factor for their playoff run.
“With Diontae, adding him to our team, he’s a guy who has talent. He’s done it at a high level,” Ryans told ESPN. “He’s bounced around a little bit here. It really doesn’t matter what’s happened in the past or what the narrative is about. You come here and everything is a fresh start. So we’ll see how he can help us, what he can add to our team on the field and off the field.”
Given his behavior with the Ravens, Johnson’s frustration on the sideline against the Chargers may have alerted the team. He was visibly upset, and teammates Joe Mixon and Azeez Al-Shaair tried to comfort him. On the day, Johnson saw just one target for 12 yards and was on the field for just 15 out of 70 offensive snaps.
“Unfortunately, with Diontae, it didn’t work out,” Ryans said following Johnson’s release. “We’re on to the Chiefs.”
