Ahead of training camp, Jared Koch of SI.com projects that Hutchinson slots in as the No. 4 option in a WR corps that also includes Nico Collins, Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel, Tank Dell (knee) and Lewis Bond.
Collins remains Houston's clear-cut top wideout, with Koch having noted last month that Higgins and Noel both logged frequent reps in the first-team offense on the outside and in the slot, respectively. Hutchinson's role in 2026 is thus TDB, with Dell's ongoing recovery from a knee injury a notable moving part in that regard. In 17 regular-season games in 2025, Hutchinson compiled a 35-428-3 line on 57 targets, but steady volume may not be in the cards for the 2023 sixth-rounder out of the gate this season unless injuries hit the Texans' WR corps.