The Houston Texans are gearing up for their preseason matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders on August 20, facing significant challenges due to injuries. The team recently announced that wide receiver Jayden Higgins has suffered a torn ACL, ruling him out for the entire season. This injury poses a considerable impact on the Texans' offensive strategy, particularly for quarterback C.J.
Stroud, who has experienced a decline in performance over the past two years after a promising rookie season.
Despite these setbacks, Stroud is expected to participate in the game, likely playing a few series, with reports suggesting he may take up to 25 snaps. The first-string offensive line is set to start, while the first-team defense will not be on the field.
With Higgins unavailable, Stroud will rely heavily on wide receiver Nico Collins, who had an impressive previous season, recording 71 catches for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns. Other receivers, such as Tank Dell, Xavier Hutchinson, and Jaylin Noel, will also be called upon to fill the void left by Higgins. Dell had developed a strong rapport with Stroud but missed last season due to injury.
Noel, drafted shortly after Higgins, was college teammates with him at Iowa State.
