The Houston Texans have not had the start to the season that they were hoping for. A 0-3 start with a stagnant offense is not what fans wanted to see when the Texans opened the year. Fortunately, Week 4 brought a cure to Houston's offensive woes, in the shape of a horrid Tennessee Titans team.
It wasn't a great start to the game, as the offense was unable to gain much traction over the first three quarters. Then, all of a sudden, the dam broke, and with it, this year's draft investments showed why the Texans selected them. Rookies Jayden Higgins and Woody Marks both found the endzone in the fourth quarter. Higgins' touchdown, in particular, showed why he was picked in the second round, using his length to get separation before striding away from the corner as he entered the end zone.
As impressive as the score from Higgins was, Marks was the breakout star in this game. The rookie rusher out-carried starter Nick Chubb for the first time this season and made the most of the opportunity. Marks totaled 119 yards of offense and added two touchdowns. His presence has added a dimension to the offense that Chubb really hasn't provided with his receiving out of the backfield. This has paved the way for a more dynamic offense and, in turn, opened up the field.
Marks' breakout and Higgins' red zone effectiveness should lead to greater roles in the coming weeks. With C.J Stroud struggling through the first three games, and the only reliable options in the passing game seeming to be Nico Collins and Dalton Schultz, the Texans need to continue developing the relationship between Stroud and these new additions to the offense.
GM Nick Caserio envisioned long-term connections between Stroud, Higgins, Marks, and fellow rookie Jaylin Noel when these selections were made. While there are still plenty of games left on the schedule, that vision seems to be coming into focus as we move deeper into the season.
Rookie Breakouts Should Lead to Increased Opportunity for Jaylin Noel
Despite these breakout games coming against the Titans, both Marks' and Higgins' college resumes suggested they would be successful pros if given the opportunity. Higgins nearly had two 1,000-yard seasons with Iowa State, and Marks averaged 5 yards a carry during his time with Mississippi State and USC. Noel had similar college success, breaking 1,000 yards in his senior year and averaging over 10 yards per reception during his time at Iowa State.
Noel is competing for snaps with a multitude of receivers, whereas Higgins and Marks' roles are more clearly defined. Marks entered the season as third on the depth chart as a running back and has slowly built his role over the course of four games. His success may have earned him a timeshare with Nick Chubb going forward, if not outright becoming the lead back as the season progresses. Higgins is consistently on the field for about half of the Texans' offensive plays.
So far, Noel finds himself on the field in four receiver sets. He saw slightly more time the first two weeks with Christian Kirk being sidelined, but he is now back to being the fifth option in the receiver group. There is no question that he belongs behind Nico Collins. It makes sense for Noel to be behind Xavier Hutchinson and Christian Kirk on the depth chart, as well, due to the chemistry Hutchinson has from his time in Houston and the size of Kirk's contract. Higgins is a different type of receiver than Noel, though, so they aren't necessarily competing for similar roles.
However, Kirk's contract is void after this year, and Hutchinson is a free agent in 2027. Neither may be a long-term answer at WR for Houston. Noel is under contract until 2028, so it makes sense to get him on the field to build chemistry with Stroud. It was a curious decision at the time to draft Higgins and Noel in the same draft, but the Texans may have been future planning.
The Texans may be thinking that the short-term answer is to pick up some wins with Kirk and Hutchinson playing significant roles. Houston can't be faulted for that mindset. The 0-3 start was not something that the team anticipated. If the Texans were serious about long-term planning and investment as the season progresses, the team needs to see if Noel can bring the same value that Marks and Higgins did in Week 4. The only way to do that is by increasing his role.
Some rookies take time to acclimate to the NFL; Higgins and Marks have not. Noel hasn't been given the opportunity in the regular season, but he did show those glimpses during training camp. Noel is a natural successor to Kirk if the Texans don't re-sign him. The only way to know for sure is for him to get on the field. If his draft class teammates have shown anything, it's that all these rookies need is a chance.