Houston Texans News

Standout offensive guard Ed Ingram agreed to terms with the Houston Texans on Monday on a three-year, $37.5 million deal, sources told Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Ingram will make $12.5 million per year. The Texans acquired Ingram from the Minnesota Vikings last offseason in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick. The 27-year-old offensive lineman had a career year in his first season in Houston while starting all 14 of the regular-season games he appeared in. The Texans still have a lot of work to do to improve their offensive line, but getting Ingram locked down was a big priority before the official start of free agency on Wednesday. Ingram was initially a second-round pick (59th overall) by the Vikings in 2022 out of LSU. He spent the first three years of his career in Minnesota. Ingram has started 55 of the 62 games he's appeared in over his four seasons in the NFL.

The Houston Texans and tight end Dalton Schultz agreed on a one-year contract extension worth $12.6 million on Friday, sources told Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Schultz now has $17.6 million guaranteed in 2026 and 2027. The Texans will reward the 29-year-old after finishing up his third year with the team in 2025. The former fourth-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 2018 out of Stanford caught a career-high 82 passes on a career-high 106 targets for 777 yards and three touchdowns in 17 regular-season games last year in his eighth year in the league. Schultz's numbers made him the TE11 in half-PPR scoring in 2025, averaging 8.0 fantasy points per game. He is a trusted weapon over the middle for quarterback Dalton Schultz and should remain a low-end TE1/high-end TE2 target in fantasy football drafts this fall. Schultz has 194 grabs for 1,944 yards and 10 touchdowns in his three years in Houston.

The Houston Texans released running back Joe Mixon (foot) on Friday, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN. We knew Mixon was expendable, especially after not playing at all last year due to an ankle/foot injury, when the Texans acquired David Montgomery from the Detroit Lions this week. Details on the 29-year-old Mixon's injury last year were sparse, and it's unclear if he'll even be ready for the start of the 2026 campaign this fall. Because of that, Mixon could be greeted with a cold free-agent market upon his release. In fantasy football, the former second-round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2017 out of Oklahoma will be hard to gauge until he lands with a new team. The two-time Pro Bowler has five 1,000-rushing seasons in his eight years in the NFL and can do anything on the field when healthy, but his uncertain future and injury status have really cratered his fantasy value this offseason.

The Houston Texans restructured nickel cornerback Jalen Pitre's contract on Friday, one year after signing him to a $42.6 million extension, a league source told Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. The Texans converted a majority of his $9 million guaranteed base salary into a signing bonus and added two void years to lower his $11.911 million salary cap number for this year. The 26-year-old defensive back was part of one of the best secondaries in football in 2025, and the former second-rounder had 74 tackles (43 solo), four interceptions, and 12 pass breakups in 14 regular-season games for the Texans. Pitre forms a strong combination in the secondary in Houston alongside Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter, and the Texans' defensive unit will be one of the top options off the board in fantasy drafts this fall.

Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (knee) missed all of the 2025 season as he works his way back from a torn ACL, MCL, LCL, and meniscus. Dell was the overall WR39 with seven touchdowns as a rookie in 2023, and he maintained similar volume with fewer scoring opportunities in 2024. His chance to make a third-year leap was squashed by the injury, and he'll face an uphill battle to take that jump in 2026. Not only could Dell's recovery push him through some adversity and growing pains when he returns to action, but he could also find himself lower down the pecking order. Jayden Higgins had a big rookie campaign in 2025, while Nico Collins continued to establish himself as a top-10 fantasy receiver. If Higgins is essentially the No. 2 receiver in Houston now, that pushes Dell down to No. 3, which will make it tough for him to produce in fantasy football, especially while operating in a C.J. Stroud-led offense. Managers should hold Dell for now. We've seen that the upside is enormous, but he's also quite risky due to his extended injury absence.

The Houston Texans and five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter agreed to a one-year, $40.1 million contract extension on Thursday that includes a $30.7 million signing bonus, sources told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. The extension ties Hunter to the team through the 2027 season. The 31-year-old former third-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 2015 out of LSU had 54 tackles (28 solo), 15 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, 22 QB hits, three forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery in 17 regular-season starts last year in his second year in Houston. Hunter has recorded double-digit sacks in each of the last four seasons and in seven of his 10 NFL campaigns. Starting opposite pass-rusher Will Anderson, Hunter led the charge for the NFL's top-ranked defense in 2025. Hunter has 27 sacks in his two seasons in Houston and will be a clear top-10 defensive lineman target in IDP fantasy leagues in 2026.

The Houston Texans restructured cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.'s contract on Thursday, converting $20.38 million of his $21.59 million salary cap figure into a signing bonus, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. The move will save the Texans around $16 million in 2026, according to a league source. Stingley signed a three-year, $90 million contract with the Texans in March of last year. The 24-year-old former third overall pick in 2022 out of LSU was a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler for the second straight year in 2025, finishing with 36 tackles (26 solo), four interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), 15 pass breakups, and a forced fumble in 17 regular-season starts. Stingley isn't really on the map in IDP fantasy leagues, but he was a big reason why the Texans had the top overall defense last year.

The Houston Texans re-signed offensive tackle Trent Brown (ankle) to a one-year deal worth up to $7 million on Thursday, agent Drew Rosenhaus told Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Brown only ended up playing in seven games in his first year with Houston in 2025 due to an ankle injury. The 32-year-old veteran is expected to serve as the Texans' starting right tackle next year if he's completely recovered from his ankle injury. Brown, a former seventh-round pick (244th overall) by the San Francisco 49ers in 2015 out of the University of Florida, has started 103 of the 110 games he's appeared in over the course of his 11 seasons in the NFL with five different teams. He was a Pro Bowler back in 2019 with the Raiders, when he started only 11 games.

Houston Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins put together a strong rookie season, and he's making a push to be the team's No. 2 receiver in 2026. Higgins finished his first NFL campaign with 41 catches, 525 yards, and six touchdowns, including 111 yards and two scores over his final two games. The second-round pick was Houston's third leading receiver behind Nico Collins and Dalton Schultz. He established himself ahead of Christian Kirk, who is headed for free agency this offseason. Other names in the mix in Houston include Jaylin Noel and Tank Dell (knee). Higgins is already ahead of Noel in the pecking order, and he'll likely have an early advantage over Dell given that he hasn't played since the 2024 playoffs due to a very serious knee injury involving his ACL, MCL, LCL, meniscus, and kneecap. The 23-year-old Higgins was the WR47 in PPR leagues last year, which is likely his floor going forward. He has top-30 potential in 2026, especially if quarterback C.J. Stroud is able to bounce back from a down campaign. Higgins is a strong target in redraft leagues, and his buy window in dynasty formats will close real soon.

The Houston Texans plan to release veteran safety Jimmie Ward (foot) after his contract tolled last year on the Physically Unable to Perform list, a league source told Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. Ward was scheduled for a $2.75 million base salary in 2026. Ward didn't play a single snap for the Texans in 2025 and had foot surgery in December. The 34-year-old veteran defensive back is nearing the end of his career and probably won't have a strong market in free agency this offseason. By cutting Ward, the Texans will save $750,000 in salary cap space for this season. The former 30th overall pick in 2014 by the San Francisco 49ers out of Northern Illinois, Ward only played in 20 games in his time in Houston since the start of the 2023 season, and he recorded 98 tackles (65 solo), five tackles for loss, three interceptions (one returned for a TD), seven pass breakups, and a forced fumble.

Houston Texans running back Woody Marks saw his outlook worsen on Monday after the team acquired David Montgomery from the Detroit Lions. While it's too early to tell how Marks and Montgomery will split snaps and touches, it's fair to say that the veteran might be the early favorite for the lead-back role. Montgomery had 908 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns last year, ranking as the overall RB27 in PPR leagues. He posted an impressive 4.53 yards per carry, a mark that is significantly higher than Marks' 3.59 YPC as a rookie in 2025. Even with Joe Mixon sidelined and Nick Chubb taking a major step back, Marks was limited to just 911 scrimmage yards, two rushing touchdowns, and three receiving touchdowns. The USC product will continue to offer a change of pace and figures to play passing downs, but he will likely lose an enormous amount of early-down and goal-line work to Montgomery. Entering the 2026 NFL season, Montgomery ranks a bit higher in redraft leagues than dynasty formats due to his age, but he's still a strong RB2 or RB3 in both. Meanwhile, Marks drops to the low-end RB3/flex tier in redraft leagues. If there's any consolation here, Marks could be an intriguing buy-low candidate in dynasty leagues if the trade prompts managers to panic sell.

The Houston Texans have acquired running back David Montgomery from the Detroit Lions in exchange for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, a fourth-round pick, and a seventh-round pick, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. Montgomery remains productive at 28 years old, as he's coming off a solid 2025 season in which he totaled 716 rushing yards, 192 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns. He was the overall RB27 in full-PPR leagues, which was actually the lowest finish of his career. Still, it's impressive that he has been RB27 or higher every year, even when sharing a backfield with superstar running back Jahmyr Gibbs in Detroit. Montgomery will continue to share touches in Houston, where Woody Marks is coming off his rookie season. The veteran presumably has a strong chance to earn the lead-back role after Marks was relatively inefficient with just 3.6 yards per carry and only scored two rushing touchdowns. As Pelissero notes, general manager Nick Caserio could be hoping that Montgomery enjoys a resurgence similar to that of Joe Mixon, who had 1,325 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns after being traded to the Texans in 2024. Montgomery ranks a bit higher in redraft leagues than dynasty formats due to his age, but he's still a strong RB2 or RB3 in both. Meanwhile, Marks drops to the low-end RB3/flex tier in redraft leagues, but he could be an intriguing buy-low candidate in dynasty leagues if the Montgomery trade prompts managers to panic sell.

Signing defensive end Will Anderson Jr. to a contract extension that will make him one of the highest-paid pass-rushers in the NFL is a "priority" for the Houston Texans this offseason and could come "soon," according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Anderson was the third overall pick in the 2023 draft out of Alabama, and he's been a Pro Bowler in two of his three seasons while also being named the Defensive Rookie of the Year. The 24-year-old pass-rusher has 23 total sacks the last two seasons, including a career-high 12 in 17 regular-season games in 2025. Anderson also had a career-high 54 total tackles (35 solo), 20 tackles for loss, 23 QB hits, three pass breakups, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries (one returned for a touchdown). He was a big reason the Texans had the No. 1 defense in the league last year, and he'll be a popular defensive end target in IDP fantasy leagues this fall.

The Houston Chronicle's Jonathan M. Alexander writes that "all signs point to a potential break between" running back Joe Mixon (ankle, foot) and the Houston Texans this offseason. Mixon ran for over 1,000 yards and had 11 touchdowns in 2024, but he didn't play at all in 2025 due to a freak ankle/foot injury last offseason. There are no injury updates on the 29-year-old this offseason after he had surgery, and general manager Nick Caserio said that Mixon's future with the club is "day-to-day." The Texans originally were hoping that Mixon would return last year, but he never did, and he sought treatment outside of the team's facilities. Mixon is entering the final year of a three-year deal he signed back in 2024, but the final year of the deal isn't guaranteed. The Texans, who are currently $4.9 million over the salary cap, could save $8.5 million in cap space by cutting him. Regardless of where Mixon is playing in 2026, his fantasy stock will be way down, and it's not even a guarantee he'll be ready for Week 1.

There has been no clarity on Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon's (ankle, foot) status this offseason after it was announced that he had surgery after missing the entire 2025 season, general manager Nick Caserio told Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. The 29-year-old two-time Pro Bowler has one year left on the three-year, $25.5 million contract he signed with Houston in March of 2024, but his future with the organization is unclear because of his ankle/foot injury. Woody Marks spent most of his rookie campaign as the Texans' lead back in 2025 with Mixon injured, and Nick Chubb and Dare Ogunbowale are set for free agency this offseason. With Mixon's 2026 status up in the air, the team will almost certainly look to upgrade their backfield behind Marks in both free agency and the draft. Mixon has proven to be a do-it-all back in the past, but his injury uncertainty has drastically affected his fantasy appeal going forward.

Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio said that any talk about trading quarterback C.J. Stroud is "moronic," according to Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. Caserio said that Stroud will be the team's starting QB in 2026. Stroud was a Pro Bowler in his rookie campaign in 2023, but he has regressed each of the last two seasons. The 24-year-old former second overall pick in 2023 out of Ohio State completed 64.5% of his passes for 3,041 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in 14 regular-season games in 2025 to finish as the QB21 in overall fantasy points. He was much worse in two playoff games, going 41-for-79 passing for 462 yards, two touchdowns, and five interceptions. He also lost two fumbles. The one positive takeaway from 2025 is that Stroud had a career-high completion percentage. He's still young enough to bounce back, but fantasy managers shouldn't feel comfortable rolling with him as their QB1 in 2026.

Across 15 games in 2025, Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins recorded 71 receptions for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns on 120 targets. Collins is one of the NFL's most talented wideouts, but his fantasy production has been held down by a middling offensive situation in Houston over the past two seasons. Injuries have also been an issue for the 26-year-old, as he's never played more than 15 games in a season and has missed 19 total games across his five NFL campaigns. Still, Collins is the unquestioned number one target in the Texans' passing game and has recorded three consecutive seasons with at least 68 catches, 1,006 yards, and six touchdowns despite missed time in all three. If he can ever put together a fully healthy campaign and Houston's passing game takes a marginal step forward, Collins could put together a truly elite fantasy season. As is, he profiles as a low-end fantasy WR1 and should hold his dynasty value as he hits his late-twenties.

Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz quietly had one of the best seasons of his NFL career in 2025. Schultz's headlines were muffled by C.J. Stroud's struggles and the breakouts of Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, but the veteran tight end had a very strong year en route to posting his second TE10 finish in the last three years. The 29-year-old ultimately caught 82 passes on 106 targets, both of which represent career highs. He tallied 777 yards and three touchdowns, finishing as a top-12 tight end for the fifth time in six years. Schultz isn't the flashiest name at the tight end position, but he has quietly offered year-over-year stability. The veteran pass-catcher remains under contract with Houston for 2026, and he should continue to produce next season despite Stroud's inconsistent play. Schultz ranks as a fringe top-12 fantasy tight end, and he should be held in most dynasty leagues.

Houston Texans running back Nick Chubb is likely in the final stage of his career after an underwhelming season with the team. Chubb hasn't been the same since his ACL and MCL tears in Cleveland in 2023. After seven years in Cleveland, he joined the Texans for the 2025 season to operate as their No. 1 running back ahead of Woody Marks. The veteran was held in check early in the season, though, and Marks ended up taking over the backfield. Chubb finished the year with a modest 506 rushing yards and three touchdowns, ranking as the overall RB54 in PPR leagues. His 5.9 points per game represented a new career low, and it has become evident that he's not going to be a major fantasy threat going forward. He's slated to hit free agency this offseason and will presumably end up signing somewhere as a backup -- presumably somewhere with an established, younger lead back. It'll be tough to trade Chubb for anything at this point in dynasty leagues, but he's definitely not a "buy."

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud took another step backward in 2025, completing 64.5% of his passes for 3,014 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions across 14 regular-season games. He was also tripped up in the playoffs. Houston took down Pittsburgh in the Wild Card round, but then, Stroud threw four interceptions on a 42.6% completion rate in the Texans' elimination against the Patriots. Stroud was the overall QB11 despite missing two games as a rookie in 2023, but he fell to QB18 in 2024 and QB21 in 2025. The former No. 2 pick is still expected to have his fifth-year option picked up, but he needs to re-find his rookie form and prove that he's worthy of being the Texans' franchise quarterback long-term. He certainly has the weapons needed to produce; Nico Collins is a budding superstar, Dalton Schultz took major strides last season, Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins had big rookie seasons, and Tank Dell (knee) is presumably nearing a return. Stroud is worth holding in dynasty leagues right now, but he's a bit too risky to "buy low."