Can you feel it? The 2025 NFL season officially begins on March 12, but teams are already making changes. No other position group has seen multiple moves like the wide receivers, with Christian Kirk being the second wide receiver to be traded in the last five days. This is alongside multiple other receivers who have been released.
Christian Kirk was set to be one of those after initially being reported as released by the Jacksonville Jaguars as a cap casualty. However, the Houston Texans swooped in and traded their 2026 seventh-round pick for the receiver. Now, all that is left to be answered is how this will impact the fantasy football landscape.
Luckily, I’ve got answers!
The Fantasy Football Impact of Christian Kirk Traded to the Texans
Christian Kirk Replaces Tank Dell
If there was a perfect landing spot for Kirk, it was definitely the Texans. With wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Robert Woods both being Unrestricted Free Agents (UFAs), that already left 67 receptions, 94 targets, 699 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns vacated from last year.
If you look at the current receiver room for the Texans, you’ll see Tank Dell. Flashback to Dec. 21, and Dell suffered a significant knee injury. The former Houston Texans receiver is still recovering from this gruesome injury and allegedly underwent surgery to repair his torn ACL on Wednesday. While we don’t have any rumors on when he will return, it is highly speculated that Dell will miss the entire 2025 season.
That’s where Kirk plugs in. The Texas A&M Aggie only has one year left on his contract and is pretty much the perfect replacement. Kirk is 5-foot-10, 201 pounds with a 30-inch arm length and ran a 4.47-second 40-yard dash. This is similar to Dell, who is 5-foot-10, 165 pounds with a 30-inch arm length and ran a 4.49-second 40-yard dash.
This way, Kirk is essentially replacing Dell in 2025. This way, there is no need to rush the healing process, and the 2023 third-round pick can take his time recovering.
Houston Texans Fantasy Football Impact
In fantasy football terms, Kirk is replacing Dell’s fantasy production. Dell averaged 15 Points Per Reception (PPR) fantasy points per game and was the WR19 in 2023. It did fall to 10 PPR points per game last year and was the WR54.
I think DeMeco Ryans and the Texans understood that they needed to change what happened last year and revert to the 2023 season. That would put Kirk around the WR3/flex range for me. Nico Collins will be unaffected by this, but it will definitely help QB C.J. Stroud!
Jacksonville Jaguars Fantasy Football Impact
Luckily, we’ve already had time to speculate about how this would impact the Jaguars. This was rumored earlier this offseason, but now you add that Evan Engram has also been released. It’s tougher to upgrade someone like Brian Thomas Jr., who was already a borderline first-rounder in redraft leagues. This just makes Thomas Jr. a sure-fire first-rounder. No, Kirk and Engram mean that 111 targets are now gone. For someone who already had 133 last year, I can see some more targets coming the WR1’s way.
The more interesting player is Gabriel Davis. He will be in the second year of his three-year contract. Davis has not finished higher than WR36 in his career. Though he had the moniker of “Big Game Gabe” in Buffalo, he only had one game last year in an injury-shortened season where he scored a touchdown. I’m still wary of looking at Davis as I sense that the Jaguars will grab another receiver either via free agency or through this stacked draft class at the position.
Also, keep an eye on TE Brenton Strange, who now inherits the TE1 role after having three games last season with 50+ receiving yards, including Week 14, when he caught 11 of 12 targets for 73 yards. He could be in line for a borderline TE1 season, depending on how the rest of the Jaguars’ offseason pans out.
Check out all of our articles on the Fantasy Football Impacts of 2025 NFL Free Agency & Trades:
- NFL 2025 Free Agency Fantasy Football Winners & Losers (Day 3)
- NFL 2025 Free Agency Fantasy Football Winners & Losers (Day 2)
- NFL 2025 Free Agency Fantasy Football Winners & Losers (Day 1)
- The Fantasy Football Impact of D.K. Metcalf Traded to the Steelers
- The Fantasy Football Impact of Geno Smith Traded to the Raiders
- The Fantasy Football Impact of Christian Kirk Traded to the Texans
- The Fantasy Football Impact of Deebo Samuel Traded to the Commanders
Thanks for reading “The Fantasy Football Impact of Christian Kirk Traded to the Texans.” If you’re looking for more fantasy content like this or need help with the last-minute fantasy football start/sit decisions for your roster, you can find me on Facebook at “Fantasy Sports Start or Sit’Em Questions,” Twitter/X @FSSOSEQ or on BlueSky!
*Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas – USA TODAY Sports*
