Texans lose 2025 second-round receiver Jayden Higgins to ACL tear before season opener
Houston's second-year wideout Jayden Higgins suffered a season-ending ACL tear during practice, leaving the team without a key target for its Week 1 game against Buffalo.
Houston will be without second-year wide receiver Jayden Higgins for the start of the 2026 regular season after he tore his ACL in a joint practice with the Raiders. Higgins, a 2025 second-round pick from Iowa State, appeared in 58% of the Texans’ offensive snaps last season, catching 41 passes for 525 yards and six touchdowns. He also contributed in the playoffs, recording three catches for 39 yards against the Steelers and six catches for 59 yards in the divisional loss to the Patriots.
The injury removes a 6-foot-4, 215-pound physical presence who primarily played on the outside, accounting for 81.8% of his 671 rookie snaps. The Texans are expected to rely more on veteran Xavier Hutchinson, another Iowa State alumnus, to fill the vacancy, though Hutchinson’s production last year was modest.
The loss reduces the Texans’ receiving depth ahead of their Week 1 matchup with the Buffalo Bills, a game in which Higgins had previously caught a touchdown pass from Davis Mills. Buffalo’s secondary will face one fewer physical threat from Houston as the season opens.