Prior to wide receiver Jayden Higgins’ injury, he was the No. 2 receiver listed on the Houston Texans’ unofficial depth chart with Xavier Hutchinson right behind him at No. 3.
With Higgins out for the season with a torn ACL, this should propel Hutchinson to the team’s No. 2 receiver, which should increase his fantasy stock.
Hutchinson finished last season with 428 receiving yards, the fourth-most of anyone on the Texans behind top receiver Nico Collins, tight end Dalton Schultz and Higgins.
With Higgins not part of the offense for the remainder of this season, Hutchinson should see an increased share of targets, which makes him a viable fantasy prospect, especially in points per reception (PPR) leagues.
Houston signed veteran receivers Zay Jones and Sterling Shepard after Higgins’ injury, but they do not pose significant threats to take targets away from Hutchinson. They are depth pieces at receiver instead of players that the Texans will rely on to be starters, while Hutchinson will be a starter more than likely for the majority of the season.
Nonetheless, he is not going to be a top fantasy option as quarterback C.J. Stroud is still going to primarily target Collins and Schultz. Rather, he is someone to pick up as a bench player on your fantasy team, especially in larger leagues.
Since he is generally not being drafted, he is someone you can pick up in the last round of the draft. And keep in mind that while Tank Dell has the potential to be a solid No. 3 option on rosters, he’s still a ways away
It may be smarter to draft him now as opposed to waiting until the season starts to pick him off the waiver wire. If you wait to pick him up until after he has a successful game or two, you are risking not being able to get him if other people in your league put in a request for him.
Drafting him in the final round would be a good way to ensure he is on your roster if he steps up during the regular season in Higgins’ absence.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: How did Jayden Higgins’ injury affect Texans WR Xavier Hutchinson’s fantasy value?
Reporting by Ariana Pensy, Texans Wire / Texans Wire
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By Ariana Pensy, Texans Wire | USA TODAY Network
