Texans' WRs Collins, Woods Proving Worth to QB C.J. Stroud

The Houston Texans offense only put up 9 points on Sunday, but receivers Robert Woods and Nico Collins have emerged as quarterback C.J. Stroud's favorite targets.

The first completion of Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud’s career was caught by his least favorite receiver—himself. The rest of his passes went to more qualified options and gave some insight into Houston’s offense moving forward.

The Texans fell to the Baltimore Ravens, 25-9, on Sunday. As far as losses go, Week 1 wasn’t so bad for Houston. Stroud looked poised and, while imperfect, kept the offense afloat. He completed 28 of 44 passes for 242 yards, with no touchdowns nor interceptions.

CJ Stroud pulled a Brett Favre.

His first #NFL completion is to himself. pic.twitter.com/9Vp1UMnMET

— Gershon Rabinowitz (@GershOnline) September 10, 2023

Of the 43 passes not thrown to himself, 21 went to receivers Nico Collins and Robert Woods. Neither found the end zone—no Texan did on Sunday—but it was a productive day.

Collins hauled in six of 11 targets for 80 yards. Woods had six catches for 57 yards. Both were frequent targets on third down and seemed to be the looks he trusted most.

© Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

After the game, he spoke to the former’s talents.

“Me and Nico put in a lot of work in the offseason, just trying to get consistent reps, consistent chemistry down,” Stroud said. “I feel like today we were connected on a couple of those throws and even some of the ones I want back. You got to give him a chance because Nico is one of those special talents where if he touches the ball he’s probably going to catch it.”

Stroud was adamant that he could perform better, especially on errant passes meant for Collins.

“I definitely think we’re going to keep going to me and him and really everybody on the offense,” he concluded.

Elsewhere, rookie receiver Tank Dell saw only four targets. His three receptions for 34 yards won’t drop any jaws but should be emblematic of his role in the offense. He likely isn’t a volume guy, but a receiver who can be lightning in a bottle and utilize his athleticism to kickstart a drive-through designed touches in space.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with that. The Texans don’t have a superstar target on their roster, so they’ve settled for an assortment of role players who do their respective jobs well. Expect Collins and Woods to continue earning high target shares, especially on third down, while Dell is given some sparser opportunities.

Finding success as a rookie quarterback is dependent on feeling comfortable when the bullets are flying. Clearly, Collins and Woods have earned his favor.

Stroud and his Houston teammates will host the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 17.