Who Should I Start? Christian Kirk or Jayden Higgins

Wednesday, July 9, 3:34 PM

Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk was dealt from the division rival Jacksonville Jaguars for a late-round NFL Draft pick this offseason. The 28-year-old had a fantastic first season with Jacksonville in 2022, but injuries and offensive woes limited his production in 2023 and 2024. Last year, he tallied just 27 receptions for 379 yards and one score in eight games while Brian Thomas Jr. took over the WR1 role. Now in Houston, he is seemingly competing with rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel for the WR2 job behind Nico Collins. ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime believes Kirk might be the favorite to win that job. "The best way to step into the No. 2 or No. 3 role is building chemistry with CJ.. Stroud," Bien-Aime wrote. "And Kirk looked like a potential safety blanket for the third-year signal-caller." While this is promising for Kirk's fantasy prospects, the veteran has eclipsed 800 yards in just two of his seven NFL campaigns, and Houston's acquisitions of Higgins and Noel could suggest they were not comfortable with Kirk in the clear WR2 role. That said, his cost in drafts outside the top 50 WRs makes him an interesting dart throw in all formats.

Tuesday, July 15, 3:29 PM

Houston Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins was selected with the No. 34 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft after an outstanding collegiate season at Iowa State. As a senior, he tallied 87 receptions for 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns despite sharing the field with Texans third-round pick Jaylin Noel. Texans reporter Mike Jones of The Athletic believes Higgins could be the team's breakout player in 2025. "The 6-foot-4, 214-pound receiver out of Iowa State brings size, athleticism, and speed," Jones said. "Lining up along with Nico Collins and new veteran addition Christian Kirk, Higgins should receive plenty of opportunities to help the Texans. He can win 50-50 balls, gets good separation, and should make a name for himself in Houston this season." While competing for targets with Collins is not ideal, Stroud has shown the ability to support multiple fantasy-relevant pass-catchers in the past, and the Jaguars being willing to send Kirk to a division rival for pennies on the dollar isn't exactly a screaming endorsement for Kirk. At Higgins' WR50-55 price tag in preseason drafts, he presents intriguing upside, especially since Kirk and Collins have missed a combined 21 games over the last two seasons.