Jaylin Noel Needs Bigger Role In Texans' Offense

Houston Texans rookie wide receiver Jaylin Noel may receive the biggest opportunity of his debut season in Sunday's Week 8 game versus the San Francisco 49ers. Superstar wideout Nico Collins missed Wednesday's practice with a concussion and remains in the protocol. Noel has to take advantage if he ends up in the starting lineup this weekend.

It's been tough sledding for Noel this season. The third-round rookie has recorded nine receptions for 99 yards and one touchdown in six appearances. To date, Noel has consistently taken a backseat in the Texans' receiver rotation behind Collins, Xavier Hutchinson, fellow rookie (and former Iowa State teammate) Jayden Higgins, Christian Kirk, and even Justin Watson was outsnapping him before his injury.

Collins' injury changed things in Week 7. C.J. Stroud's go-to receiver exited the contest after playing 39 snaps. Noel stepped up, earning a season-high 33 offensive snaps as a result. Noel took full advantage, registering four catches on seven targets for a career-best 77 receiving yards.

Noel's biggest gain was a 29-yard pickup. Stroud avoided pressure by wisely stepping up in the pocket. Noel made a contested-catch grab with a defender draped in coverage. It was especially impressive given his average size and frame.

Noel's showing versus the Seattle Seahawks was incredibly impressive. He was trusted to play a versatile inside-outside role. He averaged 19.3 yards per catch, with three of his receptions resulting in explosive plays of 20-plus yards.

Noel only created an average of 1.96 yards of separation on his targets, per Next Gen Stats. He made a pair of contested grabs in tough coverage. It should be considered a positive development. There's no denying Noel's overall separation skills, but the ability to make contested grabs is a newer wrinkle to his skill set that makes him a more well-rounded receiver.

The Texans were comfortable looking Noel’s way after Collins' injury. The former Cyclones playmaker ran routes on 92.9% of his snaps, with a season-high 2.96 yards per route run, per Pro Football Focus. He played 22 snaps in the slot and six out wide.

Stroud turned to Noel when he needed explosive plays. Noel's average depth of target (aDOT) was an intermediate-to-deep 18.1 yards. Stroud enjoyed a passer rating of 95.5 when targeting his rookie playmaker.

The Texans eased Noel into their lineup to begin his rookie campaign. Even when Collins clears concussion protocol and gets back healthy, Noel needs to continue playing consistent snaps. At the very least, Collins and Hutchinson should be the boundary receivers with the rookie taking over the slot role on a full-time basis. Kirk has been totally ineffective in that spot.

The Texans' offense has struggled to locate its footing under new offensive coordinator Nick Caley. The passing game has been wonky while failing to meet expectations. Stroud enjoyed success while targeting Noel following Collins' injury in Week 7. Noel should receive another big-time opportunity against the 49ers this weekend. He needs to be a mainstay in Caley's offense moving forward.