2026 Team Outlook: Houston Texans

37. RB Woody Marks, HOU - Fantasy Handcuff

Houston selected Marks in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft after a five-year college career split between Mississippi State and USC. At Mississippi State, he worked as a rotation back over four seasons, compiling 1,883 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns on 410 carries. His rushing numbers didn't turn heads, but his receiving work was notable. He hauled in 214 of 267 targets for 1,225 yards and five touchdowns, though he averaged just 5.7 yards per catch. His transfer to USC for his final season produced a career-best rushing performance (198 carries for 1,133 yards and nine touchdowns), while he remained active as a receiver with 47 catches for 321 yards. As a prospect, Marks profiles as a chain-mover rather than a big-play threat. He won't consistently hurt defenses over the long field, but he has deceptive short-area quickness and a natural feel for cutback lanes. He keeps his eyes up and shows patience, waiting for running windows to develop before shifting gears. His receiving background is a plus, but his pass-catching projection appears to be trending down as he enters the NFL. In his rookie season, Marks led Houston with 196 carries despite gaining 3.6 yards per carry (two rushes of 20 yards or more). His skill set showed more life in the passing game, even with a limited opportunity (24/208/3 on 36 targets – 8.7 yards per catch). The Texans gave him 16.4 touches per game over his final 13 starts, but Mark averaged only 9.74 FPPG. He scored fewer than 10.00 fantasy points in 11 of his 18 starts, while posting one impact game (27.90 fantasy points).

Fantasy Outlook: The Texans should give Marks rotational rushing snaps, with the inside track on passing downs. Houston completed only 54 balls to the running back position last year, which paints a lower overall ceiling for Marks as an RB2. I’ll layout his profile as a 150-carry player with about 30 catches and fewer than five scores, putting him in the RB4 category in PPR formats, supported by his NFFC ADP (151) and running back ranking (43rd) in mid-May.

63. WR Tank Dell, HOU - Super Sleeper (high risk/potential)

Dell's rookie season was a genuine breakout before injuries intervened. Over his first 10 games, he posted 47 catches for 760 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 14.15 PPR fantasy points per game, with four standout performances highlighted by an eight-catch, 149-yard, one- touchdown effort. He was particularly hot from Weeks 9 through 12, catching 25 passes for 396 yards and finding the end zone in each of those four games. A calf injury ended his year shortly after, followed by a broken leg in early December. His offseason brought further misfortune when a gunshot wound resulted in a minor leg injury. In 2024, his explosiveness wasn't the same. Dell was limited to a WR3 role in Week 1 and managed just three catches for 59 yards on seven targets, followed by an empty showing in the next game (one catch for minus three yards and three rushes for 16 yards) He showed signs of life over the following seven games with 26 catches for 318 yards and two touchdowns on 36 targets, which included a miss start in Week 4 with a chest issue. From Week 10 to Week 16 (six games), Dell made bigger plays (14.9 yards per catch), while lacking difference-maker stats (21/312/1 on 34 targets). His season then came to an abrupt and painful end against Kansas City, where, after a fast start (six catches, 98 yards, and a touchdown), he

suffered a severe left knee injury on a scoring play that ultimately required two surgeries and cost Dell all of 2025. Fantasy Outlook: The Texans expected Dell to play this year, but they do not want to rush him into game action. Based on a spring report by DeMeco Ryans, I would expect him to be limited early in the regular season. His early ADP (229) in the NFL puts Dell in deep sleeper mode while the fantasy market waits to see his progress over the summer.

69. WR Xavier Hutchinson, HOU - Deep-league Only

Hutchinson profiles as a big outside receiver at 6'2" and 205 pounds. He shows the ability to win off the line against tight-man coverage and has a reasonable foundation in his route running. His area that needs the most work is the red zone, where he'll need to prove he can create more scoring opportunities to boost his overall value at the next level. At Iowa State, Hutchinson was a three-year starter who improved his production in every season (64 catches for 771 yards and four touchdowns, then 83 catches for 987 yards and five scores, and finally 107 catches for 1,171 yards and six touchdowns). Across 254 career receptions for 2,929 yards and 15 touchdowns, he showed consistent growth as a volume receiver. His 2024 season was particularly strong, with double-digit catches in six games and seven 100-yard performances. The scoring concern was evident even after finding the end zone five times in his first three games; Hutchinson managed just one touchdown in nine games vs. better division opponents. After catching only eight of his 19 targets for 90 yards in his rookie season, followed by another dull year in 2024 (12/117), Hutchinson secured WR2 snaps (59.9%) last season. His increase in playing time netted him 74 targets over 19 matchups (3.9 per game), leading to 41 catches for 505 yards and three touchdowns. His catch rate (55.4%) showed weakness, and Hutchinson delivered only three playable outcomes (3/18/2, 5/69/1, and 13.40). His two target

games (9 and 13) came in Week 18 and Week 20, when Nico Collins was on the sidelines. Fantasy Outlook: Hutchinson falls into a wide wild card in the Texans' offense in 2026. His college resume showed upside, and Houston wanted him on the field last year. His size helps in run blocking, but his ultimate fantasy ceiling seems lower than that of his Iowa State alumni teammates. He has yet to be drafted in the NFFC.

94. WR Jaylin Noel, HOU - Sleeper (undervalued)

MASSIVE OPPORTUNITY: Jaylin Noel has a massive opportunity to step into the Houston Texans' WR2 role following a season-ending injury to his former college teammate, Jayden Higgins. This vacates a high-volume spot in C.J. Stroud's passing attack, creating an immediate path for Noel to secure consistent snaps if he can distance himself from competing depth.

Noel's role at Iowa State grew steadily each season. He started modestly as a freshman with 39 catches for 269 yards and no

touchdowns before developing into one of the more productive receivers in the Big 12, posting 61 catches for 619 yards and three scores in 2022, 66 catches for 819 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023, and a breakout senior year of 80 catches for 1,232 yards and eight scores in 2024. His yards per catch improved every single season (6.9, 9.5, 12.4, and 14.9), reflecting a receiver who became more of a big-play threat as his career progressed. At 5'10" and 195 pounds with a 4.39 forty, Noel fits a classic slot profile with legitimate speed to threaten defenses vertically. Iowa State used him primarily over the middle of the field, where his long speed created natural advantages and led to a number of easier catches against linebackers. His short-area quickness is a genuine weapon, though his route running still needs refinement before it's ready to create an edge against NFL defenses. He also brings return value, having handled both punt (53 returns, 466 yards) and kickoff (37 returns, 821 yards) duties in college. At his best, Noel projects as a slot receiver who can win consistently on slants and crossing routes while threatening defenses vertically when defenses focus on taking short throws away. The comparison that comes to mind is Tyler Lockett, but his realistic ceiling at the NFL level may be a WR3 role. The Texans gave Noel a minimal opportunity in most games in his rookie season, while ranking fifth on the wide receivers depth chart in snaps (24.3%). He was never on the field for more than 40% of snaps in any matchup. Houston gave him two targets or fewer in 14 of his 19 games. Noel scored double-digit fantasy points (PPR) in three games (4/77, 5/63, and 3/54/1). His rookie campaign ended with 26 catches for 304 yards and two touchdowns on 35 targets. Fantasy Outlook: Last year, Christian Kirk lined up in the slot 250 for Houston, while Noel had the second-most snaps (167) from that

position on the field. This information could be a hint of an expanded opportunity until Tank Dell returns to full strength. In the National Fantasy Football Championship, Noel won't be drafted in many 12-team redraft leagues (ADP of 238 in mid-May) until more news comes out about his projected role. For now, I consider him an injury-cover option in the Texans' offense.