Three weeks into the 2026 NFL season, the Houston Texans’ receiver situation has become hard to ignore. With Nico Collins sidelined for the past two games because of a hamstring injury, the shortcomings in the room have been on full display, and that could push the front office toward a midseason addition.
One name keeps bubbling up: Marvin Harrison Jr.
The Arizona Cardinals wideout has been the subject of trade chatter for weeks, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently said teams are still watching the situation “closely.” Fowler added that one team believes the Cardinals’ asking price would land in the range of a “high quality Day 3 pick” if they were to move him.
"Teams are continuing to watch the Marvin Harrison Jr. situation closely, wondering if he would become available," Fowler reported. "He would have a market, though not for a high pick (possibly a quality Day 3 pick, as one team forecasted)."
That kind of price is at least in the Texans’ wheelhouse. Houston has only three Day 3 selections across its 2027 and 2028 drafts, but two of those are fourth-round picks. Parting with one of them could give the Texans a realistic shot at making a competitive offer.
From Houston’s perspective, the appeal is obvious. A midseason trade for a player with Harrison Jr.’s talent would be a relatively quick way to inject more life into an offense that has opened 0-3. And because the price could be a mid-round pick rather than premium draft capital, the move would not require the Texans to gut future flexibility.
Harrison Jr.’s 2026 season, and really his NFL career overall, has not unfolded the way many expected. He entered the league with a reputation as one of the most exciting young receivers available, but his fit in Arizona has increasingly looked off.
A change of scenery could be exactly what the Texans are hoping to offer. He would not be asked to carry the offense as a No. 1 receiver with Collins in the mix.
He would also land in a situation where opportunities should come quickly. And perhaps most intriguing, he would be reunited with his college quarterback from Ohio State, with a chance to rediscover the chemistry they once had.
Whether Arizona would actually move on from its former top pick for a fourth-rounder is another question entirely. And whether Houston would ultimately decide to pull the trigger on a deal for a player with this much uncertainty remains to be seen.
Still, if Harrison is made available, it is easy to see why the Texans would be viewed as one of the strongest possible landing spots.
In Other News...
Texans Wideout Depth Suddenly Back In Focus After Another Change
The Texans dipped back into a familiar pool for a little more receiver depth, signing TreyVHon Saunders to the practice squad after Mitchell Tinsley was taken off Houstons practice squad by the Bengals. Saunders, an undrafted rookie out of Colgate, had already spent the offseason and preseason with the Texans, so his return gives the team another developmental pass catcher who knows the system and the building.
For Houston, these are the kinds of small roster moves that can matter over the long haul, especially at a position where depth can change quickly. Saunders now gets another chance to continue his development in-house, while the Texans sort through the ripple effects of losing Tinsley and keeping the wideout room stocked behind the players already on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Suddenly Face A Linebacker Crisis Ahead Of Dallas
Houstons linebacker room is suddenly a problem heading into the rivalry game with Dallas, and the timing could hardly be worse. E.J. Speed is out for the season, Henry TooToo is on injured reserve, and Azeez Al-Shaair is dealing with the groin injury he picked up in Week 3, leaving the Texans thin at a spot that usually has to do a lot of the dirty work in the middle of the defense.
If Al-Shaair cannot go, the Texans would be leaning on veteran Jake Hansen and rookie Wade Woodaz to absorb a much bigger load. It is the kind of depth test that can change the shape of a game plan in a hurry, especially against a Dallas offense that will be paying close attention to every weak spot Houston has left in front of it. [Read more 🡒]
Andre Johnson Weighed In On Houstons 0-3 Mess
The Texans 0-3 start has already turned up the pressure in Houston, but Andre Johnson wasnt willing to put the blame on C.J. Stroud alone when he spoke at the teams Forever H-Town event. The former star receiver, now a trusted voice around the franchise, said Stroud has looked generally solid even as the results have gone sideways, and he framed the opening month as a broader team issue rather than a quarterback-only problem.
Houstons early struggles have been tied to a shaky offensive line, a running game that has not found much traction and the absence of top target Nico Collins because of injury. Johnsons read is a reminder that the Texans fix is going to have to be more comprehensive than one quick change at quarterback, and the longer the losing continues, the more every part of the offense will stay under the microscope. [Read more 🡒]