Since Andre Johnson’s rookie year in 2003, the Houston Texans’ second year in existence, the one thing on which the team and its fans have always been able to go into each season with some clarity has been who the leading receiver for the team would be.
From 2003 through 2013, it was the future Hall of Famer, Johnson. In 2014, with both Johnson and DeAndre Hopkins on the squad, the baton was passed and for the next five seasons, Hopkins became arguably the best receiver in football. In 2020, Hopkins was abruptly (and maddeningly) traded to Arizona, but was quickly backfilled with Brandin Cooks, who led the team for the next three seasons, albeit on some really bad Texans squads.
Now, with Books traded to the Dallas Cowboys earlier this week, the Texans have some capable bodies at wide receiver, but nobody who we can say with any degree of certainty is the “go to” guy. So who will the Texans’ leading receiver be in 2023? I put that question to a Twitter poll, and the results are literally almost split equally four ways:
Interesting, especially considering the only choice with any experience as a Houston Texan is Collins, the third year wide receiver out of Michigan, who’s missed huge chunks of his first two seasons in the NFL.
ROBERT WOODS
Woods finished in fourth place in the poll, but was only four percentage points behind the winner, Metchie. Woods is easily the most accomplished of the named choices here, having averaged over 1,100 yards receiving from 2018 through 2020. Last season, his only season in Tennessee, Woods played in all 17 games, but due to the disappointing regression of the Titans’ offense, he only had 527 yards receiving and average under ten yards per catch for the only time in his career. Woods was brought into Houston for his blocking, as much as anything, but still, if he connects with the new QB early, he could be the guy.
NICO COLLINS
Collins might have the best physical package of skills on the list, in order to lead the team in receiving yards, as he was able to flash his skills at all levels of the defense last season, at times. He has a big body for a quarterback to target over the middle, and he has decent speed. Collins’ biggest issue is health, as he’s missed ten games in his two NFL seasons. This is kind of a make or break year for Collins, in terms of being viewed as a future foundational piece for the Texans.
JOHN METCHIE III
Metchie was the people’s choice in this poll, edging out “OTHER” by a fraction of a percentage point. Metchie was a second round pick in last year’s draft, but missed the entire season due to a leukemia diagnosis last May that resulted in cancer treatments throughout 2022. Metchie is now cancer free, and according to GM Nick Caserio, he is in great physical shape right now. It remains to be seen what kind of rust Metchie has built up from being on the sidelines for a year, and his role as a slot receiver might prevent him from getting the chunks of yardage needed to lead the team in receiving yards, but just being back on the field is a win for Metchie.
OTHER
It says a lot about the mystery of what the 2023 Houston Texans’ offense can be that a choice that included no name at all came within three tenths of a percentage point of winning this poll. Whether this is the right choice will largely depend on whether the Texans use the 12th overall pick in the draft on a receiver. If they do, then that player is as solid a choice as any of the others. One dark horse would be newly acquired tight end Dalton Schultz, but if a tight end leads your team in receiving yards, unless his name is Travis Kelce, then something has probably gone horribly wrong.
PENDERGAST CHOCIE: COLLINS
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This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2023.
