2025 Houston Texans Projected Finish, Key Signings and Fantasy Stars

Ka'imi Fairbairn (YouTube)

In the 13th of a 32-part series, we are featuring all National Football League teams with a prediction of where each team will finish within their division, key off-season acquisitions and their top fantasy stars. Here are the Houston Texans.

Key Off-Season Acquisitions

The Texans acquired three players via trades in the offseason. On March 12, wide receiver Christian Kirk of Scottsdale, Arizona was traded from the Jacksonville Jaguars for a seventh round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Also on March 12, the Texans acquired safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson of Cocoa, Florida and a sixth round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft for guard Kenyon Green of Humble, Texas and a fifth round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft (Eagles selected linebacker Smael Mondon Jr. with the 161st overall pick out of the University of Georgia). Then on March 13, the Texans acquired guard Ed Ingram of DeSoto, Texas from the Minnesota Vikings for a sixth round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Ingram has spent the last three seasons with the Vikings.

Kirk had spent four seasons with the Arizona Cardinals (2018 to 2021), and the last three seasons in Jacksonville (2022 to 2024). This past season, he had 27 catches for 379 yards and one touchdown with the Jaguars.

Gardner-Johnson is joining his fourth NFL team. He was with the New Orleans Saints from 2019 to 2021, the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022 and 2024, and the Detroit Lions in 2023. This past season with the Eagles, Gardner-Johnson had 59 combined tackles (35 solo tackles and 24 assisted tackles), two tackles for a loss, six interceptions for 116 yards, one pick six, 12 pass deflections and one forced fumble. One tackle for a loss and forced fumble came in a 37-20 Eagles win over the Los Angeles Rams on November 24. The second tackle for a loss came in a 27-13 Eagles win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 13. The interception return for a touchdown was for 69 yards and came in a 41-7 Eagles win over the Dallas Cowboys on December 29.

Also this past season, Gardner-Johnson won the Super Bowl with the Eagles. Philadelphia defeated Kansas City 40-22. Gardner-Johnson had three combined tackles (two assisted tackles and one solo tackle) in Super Bowl LIX.

In free agency, the Texans had two notable acquisitions, with one on offense, and one on defense. Houston signed offensive tackle Cam Robinson of Monroe, Louisiana to a one-year deal worth $12 million. The Texans will be the third NFL franchise Robinson has played for. He was previously with the Jacksonville Jaguars for eight seasons from 2017 to 2024, and one season in 2024 with the Minnesota Vikings.

The Texans also signed defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins of Covington, Georgia to a one-year deal worth $5.25 million. The Texans are bringing back Rankins after playing there in 2023. He was also with the New Orleans Saints (2016 to 2020), New York Jets (2021 to 2022), and Cincinnati Bengals (2024).

Last season with the Bengals, Rankins had 18 combined tackles (10 solo tackles and eight assisted tackles), one tackle for a loss, one quarterback hit and one sack. The tackle for a loss, quarterback sack, and quarterback hit came in a 21-14 Bengals win over the Cleveland Browns on October 20.

In 2023 with the Texans, Rankins had 37 combined tackles (29 solo tackles and eight assisted tackles), 10 quarterback hits, nine tackles for a loss, six sacks one fumble recovery for 13 yards, one fumble recovery for a touchdown, and one forced fumble. The forced fumble came on November 12, 2023 in a 30-27 Texans win over the Bengals. The 13 yard fumble recovery for a touchdown came in a 26-3 Texans win over the Tennessee Titans on December 31, 2023.

Fantasy Stars

At kicker, Ka’imi Fairbairn of Kailua, Hawaii is ranked fourth. Last season he made 36 of 42 field goals, and 34 of 36 converts. The Texans defense is ranked seventh. Last season they were second in the NFL with 19 interceptions. Safety Calen Bullock Jr. of Pasadena, California and cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. of Baton Rouge, Louisiana led the Texans with five interceptions each.

Projected Finish

The AFC South is considered the weakest division in all of football. The Texans won the division last year with a record of 10 wins and seven losses with a points for and against differential of zero. Houston could receive a minor challenge from the Indianapolis Colts this season, but should be able to defend their title.