Jaylin Noel was held without a catch in the Texans’ Divisional Round loss to the Patriots.

19 January 2026

Nico Collins (concussion) was sidelined and Dalton Schultz (calf) soon joined him, but third-rounder Noel commanded only one target as C.J. Stroud turned his 47 attempts into just 20 completions and an unfathomable four interceptions. Unlike fellow Iowa State rookie Jayden Higgins, fellow 23-year-old Noel never took on a bigger role in the Texans’ offense after popping up for some 4-5 catch performances in late October/early November. He caught six total passes after Thanksgiving, including zero in the playoffs. With fellow slot man Christian Kirk headed to free agency, there’s still plenty of reason to believe Noel could be more involved in 2026, but he is looking like an average at best hold in shallower dynasty leagues.