Jaylin Noel

Trade: Nico Collins

ToeClan Dynasty trade — GriddyONgrave received: Nico Collins. J😭E😭T😭S😭 received: 2027 1st round pick (orig GriddyONgrave) and 2028 1st round pick (orig GriddyONgrave)

Xavier Hutchinson Considered Houston's WR4

Jared Koch of Sports Illustrated lists Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson as the team's No. 4 wideout with training camp approaching, behind Nico Collins, Jayden Higgins, and Jaylin Noel. Tank Dell (knee), who missed all of last season due to a devastating knee injury suffered in 2024, could also surprise some people by climbing up the WR totem pole in Houston. The 26-year-old Hutchinson had his best year in 2025 in his third season in the NFL, catching 35 of his 57 targets for 428 yards and his first three touchdowns in 17 regular-season games (six starts). Higgins and Noel, both second-year wideouts, continue to separate themselves from the rest of the pack and are fully expected to take on bigger roles in the passing attack to support stud No. 1 WR Collins. Steady volume and consistent playing time are going to be hard to come by for Hutchinson, who was a sixth-rounder in 2023 out of Iowa State, in 2026. In standard 12-team fantasy leagues, Hutchinson should go undrafted

Kyler Murray, Garrett Wilson and other veterans set to experience a resurgence in 2026

Development is not always linear, but neither are career trajectories. To a varying degree, several NFL players have had productive starts to their respective careers before facing adversity; whether that be injuries, coaching changes, etc. How they respond to that adversity sets the course for the remainder of their respective careers. Who are some of the candidates to restore their legacies in 2026? It should be noted that this does not include players who could surge for the first time. For example, Jaguars cornerback Travis Hunter Jr. is one who has more to give this season. Chargers center Tyler Biadasz and Eagles safety Reed Blankenship had also been considered, because of public narratives. Biadasz was outright released by Washington whereas Blankenship had been a sacrificial piece to the Eagles defense. Those are two good candidates to break through prior narratives, but neither had been down so bad last season that it would justify a 'resurgence.' Without further ado, here are the veterans who could experience a return to glory in 2026: After starting 29 regular-season games over his first two seasons, Burford has been limited to just nine starts between the 2024 and 2025 seasons with the 49ers . Playing alongside Trent Williams had been a good situation, but Burford now steps into a better situation sandwiched between Kolton Miller and Tyler Linderbaum . There are deficiencies in Burford's game, but new head coach Klint Kubiak had done a good job relieving some of the stress his offensive line shouldered through the scheme. Dell averaged 49 receptions each of his first two seasons out of Houston, but suffered a significant injury that cost him all of the 2025 season. He had been an explosive threat in the Texans ' offense and was a popular outlet for C.J. Stroud . There are suddenly more mouths to feed in the pass game after the team sunk Day 2 picks into Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel last offseason to go along with Nico Collins . The expectation should not be for Dell to be a high-volume target in his first season back, but the hope is that he can stretch the field and set the table for the rest of his career. Greenlaw parlayed a fruitful career with the 49ers into a lucrative contract from the Broncos . In his lone season with Denver, Greenlaw missed nine games, but had been productive in his limited availability. Durability has been an issue for the 29-year-old, but returning to the system that developed him, alongside Fred Warner , may help get back on an upward trajectory. Former Falcons head coach Raheem Morris was hired to replace new Titans head coach Robert Saleh. Kohou had been a bright spot in a deficient Miami secondary but he missed the entire 2025 season recovering from an injury. He had missed just four combined games over the first three seasons of his career. The Chiefs ' supporting cast will be better than his time with the Dolphins , so that could lead to more opportunities to turn over the ball. Kohou will be asked to fulfill a slot role that had previously been filled by Trent McDuffie and Chamarri Conner . L'Jarius Sneed had also been a consideration upon coming back to Kansas City following a brief stint in Tennessee. However, there is no guarantee he wins a starting position over Nohl Williams and Mansoor Delane . LaPorta's production has declined each year in the NFL following his breakout rookie season when he managed 86 receptions for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns. Last season, he missed eight games and finished with 40 receptions for 489 yards and three touchdowns. The entire Detroit offense suffered a setback last season post-Ben Johnson, but LaPorta should be revitalized by new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing. Petzing's own offense with the Cardinals and roots dating to Cleveland suggest the tight end will be heavily utilized in the pass game. Defensive tackle Alim McNeill was another who had been considered for the list. Availability has been an issue for him early in his p [... truncated ...]

Trade: Sam LaPorta, Bucky Irving, Jaylin Noel +3 more

Houston Texans receivers ready to light up the stadium

The notion that no matter how good a wide receiver is, they won’t succeed without a solid quarterback arose during an engaging chat with a new friend yesterday. Not only is that thought intrinsic to the sport of football, it’s a great predictor of future success. Flip it around and you’ll quickly understand that Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud can put in all.the.work, but if he has no one to play catch with, it’s wasted effort. Thankfully, the Texans have a fairly stacked receiver corps rolling into the 2026 season. Nico Collins , Jayden Higgins , Tank Dell , Jaylin Noel and Xavier Hutchinson are likely the heart of this group. But, guys like Justin Watson may sneak in if someone in the current top 5 lets their game slip. Since head coach Demeco Ryans arrived on the scene, Collins (the 27 year old Birmingham Alabama native) has nailed 3-straight 1000-yard seasons. Those include 2 years in the NFL’s Top 10 receiver list, a trip to the Pro Bowl in 2025 and his supplanting of Texans great, Kevin Walter as the 3rd best receiver in Texans history. Nico still has a long way to go to catch the GOAT that is Andre Johnson , but his base stats are actually ahead of ‘Dre. His 15.0 yards per catch average is second only to Corey Bradford (15.3) in Texans history. Rolling into 2026, Collins is healthy, focused, and ready to continue his climb up the charts. Not only is he an every down threat, but his presence alone draws attention away from the other receivers on the field. Since Houston drafted Higgins in the 2nd round of the 2025 NFL Draft, he’s done nothing but work hard and cement his place across from Collins. The former Iowa State Cyclone caught 41 passes, gained 525 yards for a 12.8 yard/catch average and hit pay dirt 6 times last season. Stories out of OTAs and minicamp tell of a young man trying to emulate the focus and work ethic of Collins, and carry on the tradition started by Johnson. Higgins and Collins alone should provide Stroud with ample pitch and catch opportunities in 2026. But, as the saying goes, wait! There’s more! Former college teammate of Higgins, turned pro teammate, Noel is well-suited for the WR3 spot. Smaller, faster, more elusive, the sophomore speedster should have plenty of opportunities to supplant the oft-injured Tank Dell. As a rookie last season, Noel made the most of his 3 starts by catching 26 passes for 292 yards, compiling an 11.2 yard per catch average, 2 touchdowns and 13 first downs. While these numbers are far from Hall of Fame material, stepping into a support role last season, with all the struggles the Houston offense exhibited, didn’t exactly set him up for success. Anticipation is high that Noel’s sophomore campaign will be a rousing success. If you’ve not payed attention to the Demeco years in H-Town, Tank Dell and Stroud bonded in a pre-draft training group. The chemistry was, as they say, instant and electric. So much so that once Houston draft Stroud with their first overall selection, the young quarterback immediately lobbied Texans general manager, Nick Caserio, to draft Dell. The results were the sort of pulse-pounding excitement NFL fans love on game day. In his rookie campaign, Dell amassed 709 air yards, on 47 catches for a 15.1 yard per catch average. Along with that, he scored 7 touchdowns including a 68-yard catch he made look easy after blasting past the defenders like they were standing still. Unfortunately, Dell has seen more than his share of adversity since entering the NFL, including multiple significant injuries and a gunshot wound. His recent appearances at the Texans off-season programs have lit up the imagination of Texans fans hoping to see the Stroud-Dell fire reignited in 2026. Questions around his ability to get, and remain, healthy will unfortunately plague the young man over the foreseeable future. I’ve made no effort to hide my fondness for Xavier Hutchinson over the years. When this young man is on, he’s ON. Unfortunately, he’s not always turn [... truncated ...]

Trade: Jaylin Noel, Davis Mills, Kenny Pickett +3 more

Chicago/MSU League trade — 2013-14 Brooklyn Nets received: C.J. Stroud, Davis Mills, and Jaylin Noel. Dont Mean A Thing received: Bryce Young, Dontayvion Wicks, Kenny Pickett, and 2026 1st round pick

Hype Brewing for a Jayden Higgins Breakout in Year 2

Jayden Higgins has emerged as a potential Year 2 breakout, and head coach Demeco Ryans indicated that Higgins has made the physical leap needed to become a weekly fantasy threat

Woody Marks Should Have Plenty of Opportunities to Catch Passes

Although the Houston Texans acquired running back David Montgomery in an offseason trade with the Detroit Lions, second-year back Woody Marks should "stay fresh in a complementary role that should involve a lot of opportunities to catch passes out of the backfield," according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. As long as Montgomery stays healthy, Marks won't have an opportunity to take over a three-down role in Houston, but he could still be very valuable for fantasy managers in PPR leagues, and RotoBaller has Marks currently ranked as the No. 45 overall RB in half-PPR setups. The former fourth-rounder out of USC in 2025 was a prolific pass-catcher as a Trojan and during his time at Mississippi State. Marks finished his rookie campaign in the NFL with a team-high 703 rushing yards on 196 carries after taking over the starting gig from veteran Nick Chubb. The 25-year-old added 24 receptions on 36 targets for 208 yards and three scores through the air in 16 regular-season games (eight starts). In college, Marks had at least 47 catches in four of his five seasons

Jaylin Noel's Playing Time Outlook in Houston Remains Unclear

A third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Houston Texans wide receiver Jaylin Noel played a limited role in his team's offense as a rookie. Across 17 games (three starts), the 23-year-old hauled in 26 receptions for 292 yards and two touchdowns on 35 targets. Noel's path to meaningful playing time out of the slot in Houston was largely blocked off by veteran wideout Christian Kirk, who departed the Texans in free agency for the San Francisco 49ers. However, Houston will likely be getting back wide receiver Tank Dell (knee) from the disastrous knee injury that cost him the entire 2025 season. With Nico Collins and Jayden Higgins entrenched on the outside, Noel could once again find himself on the outside looking in with the Texans in 2026. With Dell's uncertain health situation, Noel could work his way into a starting role as the team's WR3. Still, his playing time and production outlook remain murky after his underwhelming rookie year. RotoBaller currently ranks Noel as the 75th-best wide receiver for dynasty formats heading into 2026

2026 Limited Time Offer! | Sell These Veterans in Dynasty NOW

Sell these veterans in dynasty now before their stock falls to zero

Texans owner Cal McNair: We're fully committed to C.J. Stroud, will see how contract works out

The Texans didn't waste much time after defensive end Will Anderson became eligible for a contract extension before signing him to a new deal that ties him to the franchise through the 2030 season

FA: Jaylin Noel dropped

Drops: Jaylin Noel

Jaylin Noel - Completes versatile rookie campaign

Noel finished the 2025 regular season with 26 catches (35 targets) for 292 yards and two touchdowns while adding six rush attempts for 12 yards across 17 regular-season games. In addition to often serving as the Texans' No. 5 receiver, Noel also recorded 799 yards on kickoff returns and 335 yards on punt returns. The rookie third-rounder established himself as a consistent and versatile player, participating in all 17 regular-season games as both an offensive weapon and special-teams contributor

FA: Jaylin Noel added, Pittsburgh Steelers dropped

Adds: Jaylin Noel. Drops: Pittsburgh Steelers