The Houston Texans’ wide receiver room can’t catch a break. Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell both suffered season-ending injuries, and Nico Collins missed several weeks due to a hamstring injury earlier this season.
Given all of the injuries, who is left on Houston’s depth chart? Let’s examine their top wide receiver options, including a veteran who recently joined the team.
Texans’ Wide Receiver Depth Chart: Examining Houston’s WR Options
Collins is the last stud wide receiver standing for the Texans. After Diggs tore his ACL earlier in the season, Dell suffered a gruesome injury in Week 16.
Unfortunately, while catching a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs, Dell dislocated his kneecap, damaged his meniscus, and tore his ACL, MCL, and LCL. Due to the timing and severity of the injury, Dell might miss the 2025 campaign.
Dell had 51 catches, 667 yards, and three touchdowns during his sophomore season. He finished the season ranking second on the Texans in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns behind only Collins.
Collins is clearly the top wideout in Houston, catching 68 passes for 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games this year.
After Dell’s injury, the Texans’ healthy wide receivers are Collins, Robert Woods, John Metchie III, Diontae Johnson, Xavier Hutchinson, and Jared Wayne. Johnson is the new addition to the group, having been signed on Dec. 23. He’s hoping to finish his season on a high note after bouncing around from Pittsburgh to Carolina to Baltimore to Houston.
How Did Diontae Johnson End Up With the Texans?
This season has been a rollercoaster ride for Johnson, as he has been traded, suspended, and waived in the span of nine months. The 28-year-old would like to end the season on a high as the Texans take on the Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card Round on Saturday.
Johnson began the year with the Carolina Panthers, recording 30 catches for 357 yards and three touchdowns in seven games.
Prior to the trade deadline, the Baltimore Ravens landed Johnson and a sixth-round pick in exchange for only a fifth-round pick. The Panthers also agreed to pay a part of his salary.
Johnson joined Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman to strengthen the Ravens’ wide receiver corps. But things went south for the veteran wideout. His stint in Baltimore was incredibly underwhelming, as he played just 40 snaps and caught one pass for six yards.
On Dec. 4, Johnson refused to enter the Ravens’ game against the Philadelphia Eagles, so he was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team and subsequently released. Johnson was frustrated with his lack of playing time with Baltimore.
The Texans saw this as an opportunity to bolster their roster, claiming the veteran wide receiver.
While he struggled in Baltimore, Johnson averaged his second-highest yards per catch with Carolina this year. Given his lack of playing time with the Ravens, he has surprisingly fresh legs for this time of year.
With both Dell and Diggs out for the season, Johnson could be the Texans’ X-factor.
Texans Head Coach DeMeco Ryans Raves About Johnson
Head coach DeMeco Ryans believes Johnson will be crucial for Houston’s postseason run.
“Diontae has done a really nice job since he’s been here,” Ryans said after Week 18. “He’s catching up to speed really well. He had a really good week of practice and made a nice play today for us. Tried to get it to him a few other times but it didn’t work out. I’m encouraged.”
The Texans head coach knows what Johnson is capable of and believes he could be a difference-maker for Houston.
“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.”
Johnson is excited for the fresh start and he’s ready to put his poor stint in Baltimore behind him.
“I’m going to leave that in the past. Fresh start here,” Johnson told ESPN. “I had a good time there. I got some good teammates over there. Those relationships are still gonna be there. I’m trying to win games and go far in the playoffs.”
The Texans’ offense is now ranked 28th overall in PFN’s Offense+ metric, and they have lost six of their final 11 games, including embarrassing losses against the Tennessee Titans and New York Jets.