Texans matchup vs. Jets gives team's WRs one chance to step up following injury to Stefon Diggs ahead of trade deadline
The Houston Texans suffered another major blow to the wide receiver room after losing star play-maker Stefon Diggs for the season with a knee injury.Going into Week 9, the Texans will now be without both of their top weapons with Nico Collins expected to miss at least another week.Thursday's matchup against the New York Jets […]
The Houston Texans suffered another major blow to the wide receiver room after losing star play-maker Stefon Diggs for the season with a knee injury.
Going into Week 9, the Texans will now be without both of their top weapons with Nico Collins expected to miss at least another week.
Thursday's matchup against the New York Jets talented secondary will be a big test to see if the team's current wide receivers can step up or if the team will be forced to make another move before the trade deadline next Tuesday.
Even after losing Diggs and being without Collins on Sunday, the Texans still have a talented and deep receiving room with young players who are ready to step up.
“We like the guys we have,” Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said this week. “And our guys that have been here, they’ve been working. They understand how we do things, what we do. Excited to see who steps up next.”
The top guy to step up will easily be second-year receiver Tank Dell, who's grabbed 24 receptions for 229 yards and two scores this season. Against the Colts on Sunday, Dell had four receptions for 35 yards and one touchdown.
"Once you lose one of your star players, everybody's got to step up," Dell said, via Aaron Wilson of KPRC. "Even if you are one of the star players, you still have to step up and do more and produce more. I know all of us are more than capable of doing that. So, we are going to try to go out there and make plays."
Outside of Dell, the other two young players who will have to step up for the Texans will be Xavier Hutchinson and John Metchie III.
"One thing that sticks out, Hutch, Metch, all those guys just from our last game just showing guys winning their one-on-one opportunities," Ryans added. "Hutch going to the ground there making a tough catch. Metchie finding a way to win in an off-schedule moment there in the game and come up with a big catch. That's all we ask is win your one-on-one and make the plays that you are supposed to make. If guys do that collectively as a team, we will be just fine."
Hutchinson had a key 19 yard grab for the Texans in Week 8 while Metchie hauled in three of his four targets for 29 yards.
“I believe he’s playing really good ball,” quarterback C.J. Stroud said about Metchie. “He made some big plays last game. He’s somebody who I just think needs his (opportunities) and he’ll be able to do a lot.”
Sunday's game against the Jets might be the biggest opportunity of Metchie's young career. The third-year wide receiver missed his entire rookie season in 2022 due to a battle with leukemia and then dealt with hamstring injuries in 2023.
In terms of the pecking order, Metchie will likely be behind Dell, Hutchinson, and veteran Robert Woods in terms of overall snaps. Woods is another option who can look to step up for the team at the position.
If no one takes advantage of their opportunity, don't be surprised if the Texans look to add another high-end player to the room before the deadline.
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A tough blow for the Texans.
