Noel hauled in his lone target for 12 yards while adding 89 total return yards on five punts and two kickoffs in Sunday's 16-13 win over the Titans in Week 11.
Noel's production has been a roller coaster since Houston's Week 5 bye. In three of the last five contests, the rookie third-round pick has a combined 13 catches on 17 targets for 175 yards. In the two other games, Noel has one catch on one target for 12 yards. Noel's greatest contribution has been as a returner; he leads the team with a combined 457 returns yards (eight kickoffs, 23 punts).
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Texans' Jaylin Noel: Bounces back in win
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Noel caught all four of his targets for 35 yards and returned one punt for eight yards in Sunday's 36-29 win over the Jaguars in Week 10.
Noel was more involved Sunday than in Week 9, when he played just 11 offensive snaps and went untargeted, but that performance looks like a outlier. Other than last week's shutout, Noel has at least four catches and four targets in three of the last four games.
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Texans' Jaylin Noel: Personnel packages affected role
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Noel said Wednesday that his diminished role in Week 9's loss to Denver was the result of personnel packages used by the offense, Sam Warren of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Following two productive weeks, when Noel caught nine of 13 targets for 140 yards, the rookie's upward trajectory reversed course against the Broncos last week. He was limited to 11 snaps on offense, zero targets and just four routes run. Part of that was due to the returns of Nico Collins and Christian Kirk from injury, but Noel also cited matchup reasons. He noted the team's abundant use of two-wide receiver sets, which meant more running backs or tight ends on the field. Noel, who primarily plays in the slot, is typically not on the field in such packages. Losing quarterback C.J. Stroud to a concussion also played a role, as Houston shifted to a conservative rush-focused attack that required its best blocking personnel on the field. Stroud has been ruled out against the Jaguars in Week 10, which should limit Noel's role on offense again.
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Texans' Jaylin Noel: Sleeper WRs
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Nico Collins (concussion) and Christian Kirk (hamstring) are not expected to play in Week 8 against San Francisco, which gives Noel and Jayden Higgins the chance to be low-end No. 3 Fantasy receivers in deeper leagues. I like Noel better than Higgins, and Noel just stepped up in Week 7 at Seattle in the game Collins was injured, while Kirk was out. Noel had four catches for 77 yards on seven targets against the Seahawks, and he should remain a go-to option for C.J. Stroud. Higgins has yet to get more than four targets in any game, but that should change in this outing. The 49ers are a tough matchup, but four receivers have scored at least 11.5 PPR points against San Francisco in the past three games. Noel and Higgins could be surprise Fantasy options with their opportunity with Collins and Kirk injured.
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Texans' Jaylin Noel: Week 9 Waiver Priority List
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There are several things to monitor for the Texans receivers heading into Week 9 against Denver, notably the health of Nico Collins (concussion) and Christian Kirk (hamstring). Collins missed Week 8 against San Francisco, and Kirk has been out for the past two outings. With both out against the 49ers, Noel, Jayden Higgins (21 percent rostered) and Xavier Hutchinson (2 percent rostered) stepped up and would be worth adding in all leagues for Week 9. If Kirk remains out, then I like Noel the best, and he has nine catches for 140 yards on 13 targets in his past two games. He might have long-term value even when Kirk is healthy, so add him for 5 percent of your remaining FAB. Higgins would likely only benefit if Collins is out, and Higgins had four catches for 34 yards and a touchdown on eight targets against San Francisco. He's worth adding for up to 5 percent of your remaining FAB since we don't know if Collins can play against the Broncos. And I would take a flier on Hutchinson in deeper leagues for 1 percent of your remaining FAB. He had five catches for 69 yards and a touchdown on six targets against the 49ers and also scored 16.8 PPR points at Baltimore in Week 5, but I don't expect him to be consistent when everyone is healthy, which is why he's lower on my list heading into Week 9.
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Texans' Jaylin Noel: Week 7 Waiver Priority List
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There are several things to monitor for the Texans receivers heading into Week 9 against Denver, notably the health of Nico Collins (concussion) and Christian Kirk (hamstring). Collins missed Week 8 against San Francisco, and Kirk has been out for the past two outings. With both out against the 49ers, Noel, Jayden Higgins (21 percent rostered) and Xavier Hutchinson (2 percent rostered) stepped up and would be worth adding in all leagues for Week 9. If Kirk remains out, then I like Noel the best, and he has nine catches for 140 yards on 13 targets in his past two games. He might have long-term value even when Kirk is healthy, so add him for 5 percent of your remaining FAB. Higgins would likely only benefit if Collins is out, and Higgins had four catches for 34 yards and a touchdown on eight targets against San Francisco. He's worth adding for up to 5 percent of your remaining FAB since we don't know if Collins can play against the Broncos. And I would take a flier on Hutchinson in deeper leagues for 1 percent of your remaining FAB. He had five catches for 69 yards and a touchdown on six targets against the 49ers and also scored 16.8 PPR points at Baltimore in Week 5, but I don't expect him to be consistent when everyone is healthy, which is why he's lower on my list heading into Week 9.
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Texans' Jaylin Noel: Another solid showing in win
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Noel brought in five of six targets for 63 yards in the Texans' 26-15 win over the 49ers on Sunday. He also logged two punt returns for 11 yards.
Noel finished tied for the team lead in receptions and for runner-up status in targets while also finishing second in receiving yards. It was the second straight productive showing in less than a week for the rookie third-round pick, who'd also produced a career-best 77 receiving yards on four catches during the Week 7 Monday night loss to the Seahawks. The absences of Nico Collins (concussion) and Christian Kirk (hamstring) have both played a part in Noel's recent surge -- Collins exited early in the fourth quarter in Seattle while Kirk has missed the last two games -- but Noel could be carving out a larger role for himself that will endure even when his veteran teammates are back in action. Noel also reclaimed his duty on special teams as a punt returner following a one-week hiatus when Braxton Berrios handled that chore.
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Texans' Jaylin Noel: Gains 77 yards on MNF
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Noel hauled in four of seven targets for 77 yards in Monday's 27-19 loss to the Seahawks.
Fresh off his first career touchdown reception in Week 6, Noel followed that up with a season-high 77 receiving yards on Monday Night Football. The absence of Christian Kirk (hamstring) helped elevate the rookie's role, and it is currently unclear how much time the veteran slot receiver will miss. No. 1 wideout Nico Collins (concussion) also left Monday's loss late in the fourth quarter, so the Texans may ask Noel to continue serving an elevated role if either starter is forced to miss Sunday's contest against the 49ers.
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Texans' Jaylin Noel: Targeted once in win
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Noel caught his lone target for minus-2 yards and returned three punts for 15 yards in Sunday's 26-0 win over Tennessee in Week 4.
Noel, who continued to play a limited role on offense, has caught three of four targets for nine yards through the first quarter of the season. He does have a more significant role on special teams as a punt returner and sometimes kickoff returner, although he was replaced on kickoffs Sunday by Tremon Smith.
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Texans' Jaylin Noel: Sleeper WRs
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Christian Kirk (hamstring) is out for Week 1 at the Rams, which should allow Noel to be the slot receiver for the Texans. I consider Jayden Higgins a sleeper as well, but you might be able to add Noel (5 percent rostered on CBS Sports on Friday afternoon) a little easier than Higgins (49 percent). That said, both are worth a look since the runway is clear for someone to emerge as the No. 2 option in the passing game behind Nico Collins. Higgins has more upside given his big-play ability, but Noel might get more targets. In deeper leagues, both Higgins and Noel are worth using as No. 3 Fantasy receivers or flex options.
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Texans' Jaylin Noel: Could play more early with WRs hurt
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Noel could see an expanded opportunity Sunday against the Rams, as both Christian Kirk and Braxton Berrios are dealing with hamstring injuries, the Houston Chronicle reports.
Noel could work in the slot if Kirk sits out, while fellow Iowa State rookie Jayden Higgins starts on the outside opposite Nico Collins. If Berrios doesn't play, Noel could also add punt return responsibilities to his ledger. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, Kirk is expected to miss 1-2 weeks as a result of his hamstring injury.
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Texans' Jaylin Noel: Snags two passes Saturday
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Noel caught both his targets for 16 yards in Saturday's 20-10 preseason loss to the Vikings.
The 2025 third-round pick slightly out-performed fellow rookie Jayden Higgins, although both young wideouts were overshadowed by veterans John Metchie (5-45-0 on eight targets) and Braxton Berrios (3-33-1 on three targets). Nico Collins and Christian Kirk should be C.J. Stroud's top two options when the regular season begins, but Higgins and Noel could be locked in a battle for the No. 3 spot straight through training camp and the preseason. Tank Dell (knee) currently has no timetable for a return.
The Texans selected Noel in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 79th overall.
The Texans already took Noel's Iowa State teammate Jayden Higgins in the second round, so the dominant Cyclone duo reunites in Houston. Nico Collins and Christian Kirk might be too good to lose that many targets to the rookie duo in 2025, and Noel in particular might get the short end of the stick as the smallest of the four, but Noel's athletic testing and collegiate production indicate that he should seize whatever opportunity he's given. At 5-foot-10 with short arms Noel does not have the conventional build to line up on the boundary, though Noel's 4.39-second 40-yard dash showed he absolutely has the wheels to burn a defense deep if they aren't careful. Collins and Kirk both have had their share of durability troubles and Tank Dell isn't expected to be available anytime soon, so there's a chance Noel plays meaningful snaps in 2025 even though the Texans would prefer to keep him in a reserve role. Regardless of his short-term situation, Noel projects as a starting NFL wideout eventually.
