The Houston Texans will be without a pair of wide receivers for Sunday's Week 1 tilt against the Los Angeles Rams.
Christian Kirk and Braxton Berrios have been ruled out for the team's season-opener per Friday's injury report. The duo missed the last three days of practice due to hamstring injuries. While the severity of each injury is unknown, Kirk's injury could sideline him for multiple weeks.
Texans WR Christian Kirk has a strained hamstring that is expected to sideline him for at least Sunday’s opener vs. the Rams and possibly longer, per sources. One source estimated it to be a two-week injury for Kirk, but the Texans will be “cautious” with him. pic.twitter.com/2nkyFGUhI8
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 4, 2025
Both wideouts were acquired by the Texans this offseason—Kirk in a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Berrios via free agency. Kirk, 28, totaled 27 receptions for 379 yards and a touchdown in 2024. Berrios, 29, spent last season with the Miami Dolphins, seeing action in six games primarily as a return specialist.
Their injuries ahead of Week 1, however, represent a concerning trend for Texans wide receivers, almost as if the team is cursed.
The Texans' offense won't be 100% in Sunday's season opener against the Rams
Last season, Houston’s top wideout, Nico Collins, missed five games after suffering a hamstring injury in Week 5 against the Buffalo Bills. Despite playing in 12 games, Collins still managed to eclipse 1,000 yards for the second-straight season.
Stefon Diggs, the team’s prized offseason acquisition, missed the second half of the 2024 campaign after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in Week 8 against the Indianapolis Colts. The Texans also lost Tank Dell, who suffered a gruesome knee injury in Week 16 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Dell is expected to miss the entire 2025 season as he recovers from two surgeries to repair his knee. And after losing Diggs this offseason to free agency, the Texans brought in Kirk, Berrios, and Justin Watson to offset the losses.
Per Tuesday's unofficial depth chart, Kirk was slated to start at wide receiver and Berrios as the team's punt returner. With their injuries, however, the Texans are expected to start rookie wideouts Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel alongside Collins.
Noel is projected to replace Kirk's spot on the depth chart and handle punt return duties in place of Berrios. Veteran Xavier Hutchinson, who played his college ball at Iowa State like Higgins and Noel, should also see more playing time.