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  • Nick Chubb RB | HOU

    Texans' Nick Chubb: Gets extra run in garbage time

    Chubb rushed 10 times for 48 yards and was not targeted as a receiver in Monday's 30-6 wild-card win over the Steelers.

    Chubb took a back seat to rookie starter Woody Marks (19-112-1) as he had been doing in the second half of the regular season. It was the veteran backup's first game with double-digit carries since Week 9 of the regular season. Six of his 10 carries against Pittsburgh came in garbage time late in the fourth quarter, so DFS players should not expect this kind of workload from Chubb against the Patriots in the divisional round.

  • Jayden Higgins WR | HOU

    Texans' Jayden Higgins: Gains 39 yards in playoff win

    Higgins had three receptions (on four targets) for 39 yards in Monday's 30-6 wild-card win over Pittsburgh.

    Higgins finished second in receiving yardage for Houston after teammate Nico Collins suffered a concussion early in the second half and did not return. It was Texans slot receiver Christian Kirk (8-144-1) who benefited the most from Collins' late exit in the dominating wild-card round victory over the Steelers. That said, if Collins is unable to clear the league's concussion protocol ahead of Sunday's road playoff tilt against the Patriots, then Higgins would likely absorb some of his star teammate's targets in the divisional-round matchup.

  • C.J. Stroud QB | HOU

    Texans' C.J. Stroud: Overcomes early mistakes to advance

    Stroud completed 21 of 32 pass attempts for 250 yards, one touchdown and one interception while recording a pair of lost fumbles in Monday's 30-6 wild-card win over the Steelers.

    Stroud struggled with ball security against Pittsburgh after losing possession of two of his four fumbles in the first half of Houston's wild-card matchup. The Ohio State product tacked on an interception in the third quarter and another fumble that he recovered on the fourth quarter, but the Steelers were only able to generate three points off of the signal-caller's three turnovers Monday. Stroud would settle down behind a dominant performance from his defense (including two defensive TDs) and comfortably guide the Texans to victory in the second half. The 23-year-old will have to clean up those mistakes in the divisional round in order to put his team in position to advance past the Patriots on Sunday.

  • Steelers' Calvin Austin: Quiet in playoff loss

    Austin brought in three of six targets for eight yards and returned one punt for 14 yards in the Steelers' 30-6 wild-card loss to the Texans on Monday night.

    Austin's receiving line underscores how suffocating the Texans defense was overall, on a night when Aaron Rodgers was sacked four times and threw for only 146 yards. Austin recorded 31 receptions for 372 yards and three touchdowns on 55 targets across 14 regular-season games in 2025, adding 15 punt returns for 101 yards. The 2022 fourth-round pick is slated to hit unrestricted free agency at the start of the new league year, and given his unremarkable body of work over his first four seasons, it's likely the Steelers allow him to explore the open market.

  • DK Metcalf WR | PIT

    Steelers' DK Metcalf: Two catches in playoff defeat

    Metcalf (suspension) brought in two of five targets for 42 yards in the Steelers' 30-6 wild-card loss to the Texans on Monday night.

    Metcalf returned from a two-game ban to close out the regular season and contributed 25- and 17-yard gains on his pair of grabs. His yardage total was a team-high figure, and he tied for second in targets as well. Ultimately, the Texans defense put the clamps on the Steelers offense as a whole, leading to a quiet finish to Metcalf's debut campaign in Pittsburgh. The veteran wideout posted a 59-850-6 line on 99 targets while adding two rushes for 12 yards across 15 regular-season games while working with Aaron Rodgers for the first time. Metcalf is in line to reprise his role as Pittsburgh's No. 1 receiver in 2026, but he may be working with a new quarterback for the second straight season.

  • Woody Marks RB | HOU

    Texans' Woody Marks: First 100-yard game of career

    Marks took 19 carries for 112 yards and a touchdown while failing to catch his only target in Monday's 30-6 playoff win over Pittsburgh.

    Marks saved his best performance of the season for the first playoff appearance of his professional career while helping make easy work of the Steelers on Monday Night Football. He did exit the contest briefly in the first half to be evaluated for a concussion before promptly returning without issue. The upstart rookie also registered the first 100-plus yard rushing game of his career after spending most of the regular season splitting backfield work with veteran Nick Chubb. The latter remained involved with 10 carries for 48 yards, but a significant portion of the backup's work came in garbage time. Marks will face a stiff test on the road against the Patriots on Sunday, but the rookie provides the highest upside out of the Texans backfield for the divisional round.

  • Steelers' Kenneth Gainwell: Nets 146 all-purpose yards in loss

    Gainwell rushed six times for 20 yards and brought in four of six targets for 26 yards in the Steelers' 30-6 wild-card loss to the Texans on Monday night. He also returned four kickoffs for 100 yards.

    Gainwell filled a complementary role on the ground, logging half the amount of carries as Jaylen Warren. The versatile Gainwell also had a key role in the passing game, recording a team-high reception tally while also tying for the lead in targets. He made his presence felt on kickoff returns as well, following up what was a successful Steelers debut campaign. The veteran rushed for a career-best 537 yards and career-high-tying five touchdowns at 4.7 yards per carry, adding a career-best 73-486-3 line on 85 targets, 633 kickoff-return yards and two fumbles (one lost) across 17 games. While Gainwell played 2025 on a one-year deal, his success could lead to the Steelers making an effort to retain him before he hits unrestricted free agency.

  • Jaylen Warren RB | PIT

    Steelers' Jaylen Warren: Just under 50 total yards Monday

    Warren rushed 12 times for 43 yards and brought in his only target for four yards in the Steelers' 30-6 wild-card loss to the Texans on Monday night.

    Warren doubled up backfield mate Kenneth Gainwell in carries while outgaining him by 23 rushing yards. Despite a modest night against the elite Texans defense, the versatile Warren finished the 2025 regular season having posted career highs in rush attempts (211), rushing yards (958) and rushing touchdowns (six) while adding a 40-333-2 line on 45 targets, 205 kickoff-return yards and one fumble that stayed with Pittsburgh across 16 games. Warren is under contract through the 2027 season and should once again play a prominent role in the ground attack next season.

  • Christian Kirk WR | HOU

    Texans' Christian Kirk: Goes off for 8-144-1 in wild-card win

    Kirk corralled eight of nine targets for 144 yards and a touchdown in Monday's 30-6 wild-card win over the Steelers.

    Kirk led Houston in receiving by a healthy margin while top wideout Nico Collins exited Monday's win in the second half with a concussion. Even before Collins left the game, the 28-year-old Kirk was already on his way to a big performance after he cashed in on C.J. Stroud's only touchdown pass in the second quarter. Kirk was limited to a 28-239-1 receiving line in 13 appearances during the regular season, so his outburst in the first round of the playoffs was wholly unexpected. If Collins is unable to clear the league's concussion protocol by Sunday, Kirk will likely serve as Houston's top receiving threat in a divisional-round matchup with the Patriots.

  • Aaron Rodgers QB | PIT

    Steelers' Aaron Rodgers: Difficult night in playoff loss

    Rodgers completed 17 of 33 passes for 146 yards with no touchdowns and one interception in the Steelers' 30-6 wild-card loss to the Texans on Monday night. He also committed two fumbles, losing one.

    If this was indeed Rodgers' NFL swan song, the Texans did plenty to encourage him to hang up the cleats thanks to a relentless defense that sacked him four times. Rodgers had DK Metcalf back at his disposal following the latter's completion of a two-game suspension, but outside of a pair of solid gains, the duo and the rest of the Steelers offense managed precious little against Houston's elite unit. Both of Rodgers' fourth-quarter turnovers -- a fumble on a strip sack and a interception on what may have been his final career pass attempt -- were returned for touchdowns as well. He did put together a solid regular season, completing 65.7 percent of his passes for 3,322 yards with a 24:7 TD:INT and adding 61 rushing yards and an additional score on the ground over 16 games while playing out a one-year deal. The future Hall of Famer will presumably take some time to contemplate his future this offseason before deciding whether he'd like to continue his playing career.

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