Christian Kirk will miss a second straight Texans game with a hamstring, leaving Nico Collins, Xavier Hutchinson and Justin Watson to pace Monday night’s attack against Tampa Bay. Braxton Berrios is out too, and rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel could see extra targets as Tank Dell’s 2025 absence looms large.

Weeks 3 vs Jacksonville could finally bring Kirk back, a reunion with his former team that would reshape Houston’s target share and lift the value of the top three receivers and the rookies stepping in now.

Texans adjust for Week 2 vs. Tampa Bay as Jake Andrews sits with a rolled ankle and Ed Ingram returns to bolster the interior. Jarrett Patterson steps in at center to stabilize the line, while Christian Kirk and Braxton Berrios miss another game, narrowing the target tree behind Nico Collins. With Ingram back, Houston hopes to regain cohesion up front and lean on Collins and the slot options—Jaylin Noel and Xavier Hutchinson—along with Justin Watson in the interim.

Houston’s Week 2 outlook hinges on the health of Christian Kirk, with hamstring concerns keeping him out of Friday practice and his Week 2 status uncertain for Monday vs. Tampa Bay. Braxton Berrios and Jake Andrews also missed time, elevating the Texans’ WR room and leaving Nico Collins, Xavier Hutchinson, and rookie Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel as the most likely beneficiaries if Kirk sits. Ed Ingram’s return to full practice bolsters the line, but receiver depth remains a concern as Houston eyes a primetime matchup.

If Kirk misses, Collins could lead targets, with Hutchinson and the rookie duo stepping into significant roles. The Texans may lean on a quick-hitting, pass-friendly script to ease quarterback C.J. Stroud into his second start, while TB’s defense tests the Texans’ growing inexperienced group. Fantasy managers should monitor Kirk’s practice status Saturday for clear Week 2 guidance.

Cade Stover’s broken foot and indefinite sidelining upend Houston’s TE depth, cueing a potential roster upgrade. Stover was a rising factor in two-TE sets; with Irv Smith out for the season, the Texans must lean on Harrison Bryant or Luke Lachey from the practice squad while exploring veteran options in free agency. Jake Andrews’ day-to-day status keeps interior line concerns on the radar. Christian Kirk and Braxton Berrios are inching back from hamstring injuries, but timetable remains open.

Fantasy takeaway: Stover’s absence tightens the Texans’ TE target share, elevating Bryant and Lachey as immediate speculative adds with upside if they seize the opportunity, while the team’s free-agent pursuit could alter the midseason TE landscape.