The Texans’ wide receiver group is murky beyond star No. 1 wide receiver Nico Collins. Stefon Diggs departed via free agency, and Tank Dell’s expected return date remains unknown following his 2024 knee dislocation and multi-ligament tear. The team initially addressed the effective losses of their Nos. 2 and 3 wide receivers by trading for former Jaguars slot receiver Christian Kirk and signing both Justin Watson and Braxton Berrios, who is recovering from an ACL tear of his own. Kirk is currently penciled in as the second-most fantasy-relevant player in the group, but the Texans’ reported intent to draft multiple wide receivers this year could reduce Kirk’s fantasy potential. While Collins remains a safe bet to return WR1 value, Kirk’s weekly WR4/flex performances could become slightly more volatile due to increased target competition.

A week after acquiring Kirk from the Jaguars in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round pick, the Texans have converted $14 million of his $15.5 million base salary into a signing bonus to clear $12 million in cap for this upcoming season. With Tank Dell (knee) likely to miss most or all of the 2025 season, Kirk will be tasked with playing a significant role in Houston’s passing game. While he didn’t live up to the lofty expectations the Jaguars placed on him when they signed him to a four-year, $72 million contract in 2022, Kirk, 28, still averaged 61.5 yards per game with the Jaguars in his three seasons while being targeted on 20.5 percent of his routes. Playing opposite Nico Collins, Kirk’s fantasy ceiling will be limited, but he should provide a decent floor as a PPR scam if Houston doesn’t add any other receivers of note.

A day after learning he would be released, Kirk now has a new home in Houston. The wide receiver-needy Texans gave up virtually nothing to acquire the veteran slot receiver, who is on the final year of a four-year, $72 million deal he signed in 2022, and will hope he can make for an adequate pairing with Nico Collins. Kirk underperformed his contract while with the Jaguars, catching 168 passes for 2,274 yards and 12 touchdowns in 37 games, as his last two years have been plagued with injuries. Kirk has played over 75 percent of his snaps from the slot since 2021 and will likely play a similar role for the Texans next season. While he should make for a solid addition, the Texans would still benefit from adding another outside receiver this offseason.

The widely-expected move saves the Jaguars $10.4 million against the salary cap in 2025. Kirk missed much of the 2024 regular season after sustaining a broken collarbone in October, finishing the year with 27 catches for 379 yards and one touchdown on 47 targets. Kirk, 28, had a career year with the Jags in 2022, catching 84 passes for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns. He’s struggled since then, and in 2024 was quickly usurped by Brian Thomas as the team’s No. 1 wideout. Kirk should have several suitors in free agency, though he would seem destined for a short-term, incentive-laden deal.