The Houston Texans loaded up at wide receiver ahead of the 2024 season, leading to Super Bowl hype for 2023’s AFC darlings. Unfortunately, that receiving corps hasn’t played at full strength for most of 2024, which has drastically changed this season’s outlook.
All three of their top WRs have missed at least one game this season, with the most devastating injury belonging to Stefon Diggs. What is the latest update on Diggs’ status?
What Is Stefon Diggs’ Injury?
The Texans beat the Indianapolis Colts in Week 8 but suffered a much more significant loss overall.
Diggs had been running as the WR1 during Nico Collins’ IR stint due to a hamstring strain. When making a cut on a route, Diggs immediately went to the ground, holding his knee. Non-contact injuries often lead to fears about the worst, which were confirmed in this case.
The Texans were silent on the matter while Diggs underwent further testing but soon confirmed that Diggs suffered a season-ending torn ACL two days after the game.
Before getting hurt, Diggs averaged 5.8 receptions and 62 receiving 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?
ACL tears come with an average 9-12 month timeline, but every player is different.
Some players return at the front end of that timeline, suffering a very minor dip in play. Others need nearly a full year to return and don’t look anywhere near their pre-injury selves until the following season.
Diggs turned 31 years old on Nov. 29. 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 never performs at a Pro Bowl-level 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. 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 Does Diggs’ Absence Impact the Texans?
With Collins back in the lineup, Stroud has 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 — shorter routes that accentuate Diggs’ route-running prowess and ability to get open quickly.
Stroud has taken a noticeable step back this season that only got worse once he lost Collins and then Diggs. He checks in at 25th in PFN’s QB+ metrics, behind the likes of Jameis Winston, Sam Darnold, and even Aaron Rodgers. Last season, Stroud was the eighth-ranked QB in the same metric.
With so many injuries to their wide receivers, the Texans have largely turned to Joe Mixon, who has answered the call. Despite missing three games, Mixon has 11 rushing touchdowns plus another one through the air. He is averaging a career-high, by far, 88.7 rushing yards per game. Expect the offense to continue to run through Mixon for as long as it’s working.