The Houston Texans are facing challenges as they prepare for their preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders on August 20. The team recently suffered a significant setback with wide receiver Jayden Higgins sustaining a torn ACL, which will sideline him for the entire season. This injury impacts the offensive unit, which is led by quarterback C.J.
Stroud, who was expected to have a bounce-back season after a promising rookie year.
Stroud's performance has declined over the past two seasons, and losing his second receiver complicates matters further. Despite many quarterbacks opting to rest during this second preseason game, Stroud is anticipated to take the field for a few series, potentially up to 25 plays. The first-team offensive line is also expected to start, while the first-string defense will remain on the sidelines.
With Higgins out, Stroud will depend heavily on wide receiver Nico Collins, who had a strong season last year with 71 receptions for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns. The Texans will also look for contributions from Tank Dell, Xavier Hutchinson, and Jaylin Noel.
Dell had previously developed good chemistry with Stroud but missed last season due to injury, while Noel, who was drafted shortly after Higgins, played alongside him at Iowa State.
