Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson earned more playing time with a big training camp, and he could have a chance to secure a bigger role moving forward since the team will be without Christian Kirk (hamstring) for Week 1. Hutchinson finished last season with four catches for 52 yards in the playoff loss to the Chiefs, but the sixth-round pick from 2023 only has 20 catches for 207 receiving yards and no touchdowns in 32 games over his first two seasons. In camp, Hutchinson was operating as the team's third receiver behind only Kirk and Nico Collins, working ahead of rookies Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins. Without Kirk, he could have a chance to step up in Week 1 if the rookies aren't ready, even though he's in a tough matchup on the road against the Rams. He's the WR86 in RotoBaller's Week 1 rankings, so he's still a deep sleeper but does bring upside worth watching.
Sep 5, 2025 10:57 PM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson has looked like the team's No. 3 in camp behind Nico Collins and Christian Kirk, Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle observes. Alexander pegs rookie second-round pick Jayden Higgins at No. 4 and rookie third-rounder Jaylin Noel fifth in the pecking order. Hutchinson - who, like Higgins and Noel, went to Iowa State - was a sixth-round selection in 2023. The 25-year-old caught just 20 passes for 207 yards and no touchdowns over 32 games in his first two seasons. Despite that, Alexander reports that Hutchinson worked hard in the offseason to get better and has "quickly become one of C.J. Stroud's go-to targets and looks much improved from a season ago." That doesn't mean it'll translate during the regular season, but for now, it seems possible that Higgins and Noel could take a backseat to Hutchinson to begin the campaign.
Aug 28, 2025 7:44 PM EST
ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime projects Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson to open the season on the team's 53-man roster. A sixth-round pick in 2023, Hutchinson has recorded 20 catches for 207 yards and zero touchdowns across 32 career games for Houston. He's reportedly been rotating with second-round rookie Jayden Higgins as an outside receiver alongside Nico Collins and Christian Kirk when the Texans line up in three-receiver formations. Hutchinson is unlikely to block Higgins from full playing time for the entire season, but Hutchinson could take snaps and targets away from the highly-touted rookie early in the year.
Aug 25, 2025 11:20 AM EST
ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime writes that Houston Texans rookie wide receiver Jayden Higgins has been rotating on the outside with Xavier Hutchinson when the team goes to 11 personnel (three receivers). Fellow rookie Jaylin Noel has seen most of his reps from the slot but has also seen some work on the outside. With Christian Kirk currently locked in as the starting slot wideout in Houston, Higgins, the No. 34 overall pick in April, should have a clearer path to playing time in 2025. The two wideouts were teammates at Iowa State, and head coach DeMeco Ryans has described them as inseparable. The 22-year-old Higgins made a highlight-reel 14-yard reception on his only catch of the second preseason game last weekend. In a Texans offense that could throw the ball often, Higgins is absolutely worth a late-round flier in fantasy for receiver depth.
Aug 21, 2025 12:25 PM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson should not be considered for lineups with the Texans set to play host to the Los Angeles Chargers in a Wild Card meeting on Saturday. The 24-year-old has played more often since Tank Dell (knee) was lost for the season, but still managed just four catches for 34 yards in the past three weeks. With wide receiver Diontae Johnson now in the fold and Robert Woods still around, it's tough to say which, if any, secondary receiver will emerge behind No. 1 option Nico Collins. Additionally, Houston's offense has averaged just 15.6 points in its past five games. Hutchinson wasn't a strong option anyway, but an uncertain target share and an unpredictable passing offense make him avoidable in playoff formats.
Jan 9, 2025 8:47 PM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson warrants some consideration in deeper fantasy leagues as he continues to take on an expanded role. With both Stefon Diggs (knee) and Tank Dell (knee) done for the season, Hutchinson has been tasked with stepping up as the Texans' No. 2 receiver behind Nico Collins. He caught two of four targets against the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas Day, but he certainly wasn't alone as the entire offense stalled repeatedly. He and his Texans teammates have a chance to get back on track in Week 18 against the Tennessee Titans, who have allowed the third-most points to opposing teams in 2024. Tennessee has surrendered the second-fewest receiving yards and fantasy points to wide receivers in 2024, but we still like Hutchinson's ability to build on last week's subpar showing and catch at least a few passes from quarterback C.J. Stroud on Sunday. The second-year receiver out of Iowa State ranks as a low-end WR4 in fantasy football.
Jan 5, 2025 8:26 AM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson (shoulder) is inactive for Week 13 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He had been listed as questionable after logging three limited practices in a row. The 24-year-old has operated in a strictly depth role this season, but he did earn some extra opportunities during the respective absences of Nico Collins and Stefon Diggs (knee). All in all, through 12 games this season, Hutchinson had caught seven of his 18 targets for 70 yards through the air. The second-year receiver is still searching for his first career NFL touchdown. John Metchie III and Robert Woods figure to earn extra snaps with Hutchinson shelved for Week 13.
Dec 1, 2024 11:47 AM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson should continue to see a higher-than-normal volume of snaps, making him a high-risk option in deep leagues for a Week 7 game at Green Bay. Houston's top wide receiver, Nico Collins, will miss at least three more games on injured reserve, thrusting the second-year receiver into more playing time. Hutchinson played 71% and 50% of Houston's snaps the past two weeks, respectively, but he has just two catches for 31 yards on five targets from the increased playing time. Fellow receivers Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell should continue to command significantly more targets, however, making it tough for fantasy managers to trust Hutchinson, even in formats with multiple flex positions.
Oct 18, 2024 1:22 PM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson could see more usage in the offense going forward. Hutchinson will move up the depth chart with Nico Collins (hamstring) landing on the injured reserve. That means, Hutchinson will now be the third options behind Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell in the passing game. Last week, Hutchinson finished with two receptions on three targets for 31 yards in the win over the Buffalo Bills. He doesn't offer great upside, but could be a low-end streaming option in deep leagues. He's worth stashing in most formats, but it's hard to imagine him having a huge role behind Diggs and Dell.
Oct 13, 2024 10:34 AM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson stood out in the team's final preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams, recording four catches for 34 yards. He's among the receivers vying for roster spots alongside John Metchie III, Ben Skowronek, and Steven Sims. Noah Brown, currently sidelined with an injury, is also a key consideration when healthy. Hutchinson has been impressive this preseason, totaling 12 receptions for 114 yards and adding 27 rushing yards. With the Texans' roster featuring several smaller receivers like Dell, Metchie, and Diggs, Hutchinson offers a valuable outside option. Given his strong performances and potential, it will be challenging for the team to leave him off the final roster.
Aug 25, 2024 3:34 AM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson led the team with five catches for 56 yards in Thursday's Hall of Fame Game against the Chicago Bears. He started alongside John Metchie III, who, along with Hutchinson, was slotted in as the fifth and sixth wide receiver on Houston's depth chart last season. The snap counts indicate that Metchie is the current favorite, followed by Hutchinson. Metchie caught only one pass for 4 yards, suggesting Hutchinson may have narrowed the gap. Ben Skowronek was the third wide receiver, and Steven Sims also saw action. Skowronek and Sims continued into the second half, highlighting that Hutchinson and Metchie are clearly in contention for roster spots. Hutchinson stood out as the best wide receiver for Houston on Thursday night and is worth monitoring in fantasy leagues if a role opens up in the Texans' high-powered offense.
Aug 2, 2024 4:07 AM EST
Houston Texans rookie wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson made his NFL debut in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday and finished the 25-9 loss by catching his only target for a nine-yard gain. Hutchinson was Houston's No. 5 receiver in this one with John Metchie III (hamstring) unable to play, and he saw just seven snaps on offense. The 23-year-old sixth-round selection worked behind Robert Woods, Nico Collins, Noah Brown and rookie Tank Dell on the road in Baltimore. The Iowa State has good size, which could make him a red-zone option, but he's buried too far down the Texans' receiver depth chart to be on the fantasy radar in 2023.
Sep 11, 2023 11:07 AM EST
Houston Texans Wide Receiver Xavier Hutchinson could muster only one catch for two yards in Saturday's 28-3 preseason loss to the Miami Dolphins. The former Iowa State pass-catching monster couldn't get anything going Saturday night and remains primarily a short-range target for the team. Hutchinson is fighting for a roster spot on the wide receiver depth chart that includes Robert Woods, Nico Collins, Noah Brown, Tank Dell, and John Metchie III. The rookie's sixth-round pedigree makes him a longshot for 2023 fantasy relevancy, but he'll look to get back on track in next week's preseason finale against the New Orleans Saints.
Aug 20, 2023 3:36 AM EST
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