The Houston Texans looked to build upon C.J. Stroud’s incredible rookie season by surrounding him with a receiving corps worthy of their quarterback’s talent. Nico Collins and Tank Dell provided a strong foundation, but trading for veteran receiver Stefon Diggs was supposed to put Houston in position to compete with the league’s best offenses.
However, the unit has underwhelmed, with each of those receivers missing time. The biggest loss, though, was Diggs suffering a season-ending injury in Week 8.
What Is Stefon Diggs’ Injury?
A hamstring injury to Nico Collins in Week 5 landed him on injured reserve. In his absence, Stefon Diggs, who the Texans gave up a second-round pick for (they also received a sixth-round pick and a 2025 fifth-rounder), took up the mantle as WR1.
That situation wouldn’t last long. Week 8’s win over the Indianapolis Colts was marred by the news that Diggs’ season would be over.
When cutting on a route, Diggs immediately went to the ground, holding his knee. Non-contact injuries are often feared most, and those fears were soon confirmed. Diggs underwent further testing that confirmed that he suffered a season-ending torn ACL.
Before getting hurt, Diggs averaged 5.9 receptions and 62 receiving yards per game. He posted three receiving touchdowns and one rushing score while totaling 47 catches for 496 yards.
The numbers put him on pace for just over 1,000 yards on the season. While impressive, it was a decline from his time with the Buffalo Bills, where his worst season generated nearly 1,200 yards. That was expected, given his new role behind Collins, and he showed he hadn’t declined as much as his lackluster finish to 2023 suggested.
When Will Diggs Return From Injury?
For Texans fans looking for some optimism, Collins’ return is all they can expect this season. Typically, ACL tears put players out of action for close to a year. While it remains to be seen what Diggs’ exact timeline looks like, the 2024 season is certainly out of the equation.
The 9-12 month recovery period for ACLs is a tricky number. While some guys come back at the front end of that timeline, mostly looking no worse for wear right away, others take a full year to return and still don’t look anywhere near their pre-injury selves until the following season.
Age is another factor to consider. At 31, Diggs is among the oldest wide receivers to still perform at a high level. After a significant injury, expecting him to perform at his peak is ambitious.
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. To date, there have been no concrete status updates about his progress, but we’re also a long way off from the possibility of him returning to on-field activity. Offseason workouts in the spring will be the next benchmark to check on Diggs’ progress.
How Has Diggs’ Absence Impacted the Texans?
The absence of Diggs took away from the dynamic offense the Texans planned on having with Stroud under center. While Dell and Collins are lethal for explosive plays, shorter routes aren’t their specialty. That’s where Diggs was thriving, providing critical third-down catches to move the chains.
With all three wide receivers missing some time, the Houston offense has been a shell of its last-season self. In particular, Stroud has taken a major step back, especially with a lackluster offensive line. By PFN’s QB+ metric, he is ranked 26th, behind names like Joe Flacco, Mason Rudolph, Drake Maye, Aaron Rodgers, and even the recently-benched Kirk Cousins. Last season, he ranked eighth.
Even from a counting-stat perspective, Stroud’s 232 passing yards per game are a far cry from last season’s (league-leading) 273.9. The eye test also confirms this data point, with a majority of the Texans’ offense coming through the ground and Joe Mixon.
The former Cincinnati Bengals running back is averaging his most yards per game (82.7) since 2018 (83.4). With 11 rushing scores and a receiving one to boot, Mixon has been invaluable for Houston through 15 weeks.
Things haven’t gone well for the Texans but with Collins back in the lineup and a home playoff game already locked in, Houston could come alive down the stretch.