The idea of C.J. Stroud and Nico Collins sitting atop the NFL’s quarterback-pass catcher hierarchy for 2026 is the kind of pick that will get plenty of pushback in Houston. It also tells you exactly how high some around the league still are on what this Texans pairing can become.
NFL Senior Staff Editor Brooke Cersosimo made that case in an NFL.com piece last week that asked, “ Which is the best QB-pass catcher combo in 2026?” Her answer landed on Stroud and Collins, even with bigger-name duos in the mix, including Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase, the Los Angeles Rams’ Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua, and the New England Patriots’ newly formed tandem of Drake Maye and A.J. Brown.
Cersosimo acknowledged the obvious problem with the selection.
“I know this isn't going to be a popular pick because Stroud has not matched the form he displayed as a rookie in the past two seasons,” she wrote.
But she pointed to what Houston has done around its quarterback this offseason as the reason for the leap of faith.
“But I like what the Texans did with the offense this offseason to aid their franchise quarterback. They overhauled the offensive line (again) and acquired David Montgomery to improve the rushing attack.
Stroud is in better position to thrive in Year 4 and Collins should greatly benefit. What's wild is that even with Stroud's roller-coaster efforts, Collins has logged three straight 1,000-yard seasons.
With more protection in 2026, Stroud and Collins should land at the top of the NFL ranks.”
That argument goes beyond just talent. It’s about the Texans building a better runway for the duo entering year four of this version of Houston football.
Stroud and Collins are both Pro Bowlers, and their rise has come after a rough stretch for the franchise. Before they settled in as the face of the offense, Houston went 11-38-1 over the two seasons from 2021-2022 leading up to the arrival of Stroud and head coach DeMeco Ryans.
Their first season together showed what the partnership could look like. Stroud, the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, threw for a career-high 4,108 yards, which ranked eighth in the league. Collins accounted for 1,297 of those yards, also eighth-best.
That came with rookie play caller Bobby Slowik, a backfield featuring Dameon Pierce and Devin Singletary, and a receiving group that included Tank Dell, Xavier Hutchinson, Noah Brown and Robert Woods.
Now the setup looks different. Houston has poured resources into the offensive line, bringing in at least five new players, while also trying to revive the run game and welcoming back pass-catching options who missed major time over the last two seasons, including Dell and tight end Brevin Jordan. The offense also gets another year under coordinator Nick Caley’s system and a new quarterback coaching voice in Jerry Schuplinski.
That kind of overhaul is what makes Cersosimo’s pick more than just a hot take. It’s a bet that a stronger structure will unlock more from both players, and especially from Collins, who could be staring at his biggest season yet. With more attention spread around the offense, a 1,400-yard year for Collins and another 4,000-yard season for Stroud isn’t hard to imagine.
It may not be the safest pick on the board. It may not even be the one Houston fans want to hear right now. But it does underline how dangerous this duo can be when the pieces around them finally start to hold up.
"I'm taking this right to my bank."
In Other News...
Texans Finally Linked To The Kind Of Receiver Stroud Needs
A recent PFSN mock draft took a long view on how the Texans might keep building around C.J. Stroud, pointing to a receiver prospect who could fit the kind of offense Houston has been trying to sharpen. The appeal is straightforward: a dynamic target with contested-catch ability and enough route polish to matter in a passing game that could always use another dependable outlet.
The projection is still far down the road, and that is part of what makes it worth noting. At this stage, it is less about a concrete move and more about the type of receiver Houston might want to track as the next draft cycle develops, especially if the Texans are still hunting for more explosion and reliability on the outside. [Read more 🡒]
Henry TooToo Sounds Like A Different Kind Of Texans Leader
Henry To'oTo'o has quietly become one of the more important pieces of the Texans' defense, settling in as a starting linebacker and working alongside Pro Bowl partner Azeez Al-Shaair. Entering the final year of his rookie contract, To'oTo'o has already put together 261 career tackles and established himself as more than just a depth option, the kind of young defender a contender needs to keep growing if it wants to stay in the mix.
What makes him stand out now is the way Houston is asking him to do more than just make plays. To'oTo'o wants to help younger teammates find their footing while still sharpening his own game, a balancing act that comes with the territory when a player reaches this stage of his career. For a Texans team trying to turn progress into something bigger, his focus is squarely on helping push the group toward a Super Bowl run. [Read more 🡒]
Tommy Togiai Earned This Texans Recognition After His 2025 Breakout
Tommy Togiais 2025 season was the kind of climb that tends to get noticed in a building like this. He began the year on the practice squad, then worked his way onto the active roster and carved out a real role on Houstons defensive line, giving the Texans reliable snap-to-snap work in the middle of the defense. For a team that values depth up front, Togiais emergence mattered because it gave them another interior piece they could trust in rotation.
The production followed. Togiai posted the best numbers of his career and became a steady part of the Texans run support, which helped stabilize a group that leaned on multiple bodies throughout the season. The question now is how much of that role carries into 2026, because Houston has added more competition at the position and still has young depth waiting behind him. [Read more 🡒]