Jayden Higgins & Jaylin Noel In Line For Increased Role

The 0-2 Houston Texans have been struggling offensively. One potential solution to get C.J. Stroud rolling should be to get rookie wide receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel more involved. Head coach DeMeco Ryans should use Justin Watson's injury as an excuse to get his first-year playmakers more snaps.

The Texans selected Higgins at No. 34 overall and Noel at No. 79 overall to help improve their pass-catching depth. It's been fairly inexcusable to see Watson outsnapping both Higgins and Noel through two weeks. Watson, an eight-year pro, has never recorded more than 460 receiving yards in a single season.

Head coaches notoriously increase rookies' snap counts slowly, but Watson isn't the kind of talent who should be keeping an ascending playmaker on the bench. Watson was placed on IR earlier this week after suffering a calf/hamstring injury, ruling him out for a minimum of four games. He's no longer standing in Noel's or Higgins' way.

The Texans traded John Metchie III to the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this offseason. Tank Dell is expected to miss the entire 2025 campaign with a serious knee injury. Christian Kirk has missed both games with injury. For some reason, it's been Watson who's filled that No. 3 role early behind Nico Collins and Xavier Hutchinson.

Watson played 55 snaps in the first two weeks. Higgins trails him with 48, and Noel has earned just 32 snaps. It's worth acknowledging Higgins out-snapped Watson 21-20 in Week 2, though the injury played a role.

Watson turned all those opportunities into three receptions for 30 yards. Despite playing extensively, he ranks sixth on the team in receiving yards, even trailing third-string rookie running back Woody Marks. Why exactly was he playing so much?

If the Texans' offense had been firing on all cylinders, it'd be tougher to criticize the wide receiver usage. Well, they've scored a league-low 28 points through two weeks. Stroud hasn't topped 300 yards since Week 5 of 2024, and the passing attack currently ranks 28th (166.5/game).

Watson was adding nothing to the Texans' passing game. He's a slower veteran receiver who struggles to get open. In the Week 2 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he created a team-low 1.36 yards of separation on his targets, according to Next Gen Stats. League average is 2.98. In Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams, Higgins’ distance of separation was a position-high 3.44.

Higgins currently leads the Texans receivers in yards after the catch (27), yards per route run (2.31), and average depth of target (14.0 aDOT), per Pro Football Focus. Watson was leading the Texans in snaps from the slot with 27. Noel is the more natural replacement, with a skill set that thrives against nickel cornerbacks. Higgins could see the occasional snap via the slot, though he's likely to continue sharing boundary snaps with Hutchinson.

The Texans' lackluster passing offense needs more Higgins and Noel. Watson's stint on IR could create the pathway a stubborn coaching staff needed, though Kirk's pending return from injury could provide the excuse required to keep burying the rookies on the bench. We'll see if Ryans and offensive coordinator Nick Caley come to their senses.