Texans' Justin Watson: Won't play in divisional round
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Watson (concussion) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's divisional-round matchup against the Patriots.
The veteran wideout from Penn sustained a concussion in the Texans' wild-card win over the Steelers on Monday and wasn't able to clear protocol in time to play in the divisional round. Watson appeared in just three regular-season games for Houston in 2025, catching three of four targets for 30 yards. While he's sidelined Sunday, expect Jaylin Noel and Xavier Hutchinson to have expanded roles in the Texans' receiving corps.
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Texans' Justin Watson: Unable to practice Wednesday
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Watson (concussion) did not participate in practice Wednesday.
Watson suffered a concussion in the Texans' wild-card game against the Steelers on Monday. The 29-year-old has both Thursday and Friday to have a chance at returning to practice. Watson still faces an uphill battle in clearing the NFL's concussion protocol in preparation for the Texans' AFC divisional-round matchup Saturday.
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Texans' Justin Watson: Won't return Monday
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Watson (concussion) has been ruled out for the remainder of Monday's wild-card game against the Steelers.
Watson suffered a head injury during the third quarter and has been diagnosed with a concussion. He didn't get any touches or targets prior to his departure. With Nico Collins (concussion) also ruled out for the remainder of the wild-card contest, Houston's wideout corps for the rest of the game consists of Jayden Higgins, Christian Kirk, Xavier Hutchinson and Jaylin Noel.
Watson is being evaluated for a concussion and is questionable to return to Monday's wild-card game against Pittsburgh.
Watson was deemed questionable to return near the end of the third quarter. He spent some time in the medical tent before walking to the locker room. Watson typically serves as a depth wideout and also contributes on special teams.
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Texans' Justin Watson: Activated from IR
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The Texans activated Watson (calf) from injured reserve Monday.
Watson's 21-day window to return from injured reserve was set to close Wednesday, and with the Texans activating him from injured reserve, he'll be available for Houston's regular-season finale against Indianapolis on Sunday. Watson landed on IR in mid-September, and in the two games prior to his injury he logged three catches (on four targets) for 30 yards while also contributing on special teams.
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Texans' Justin Watson: Returns to practice Wednesday
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Watson (calf) had his 21-day practice window opened Wednesday.
Watson has been on injured reserve since getting injured in Week 2, but Wednesday's development marks a key step in his recovery process, as Watson will rejoin his teammates at practice. The Texans will have 21 days to add Watson back to the active roster from IR. Such a move could come prior to Sunday's game against the Cardinals, though Houston may ease Watson back in at practice given his extensive layoff.
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Texans' Justin Watson: Lands on IR
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Watson (calf/Achilles) was placed on IR by the Texans on Wednesday.
Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, Watson is dealing with a calf/Achilles injury, but given that the wideout's Achilles isn't torn, it's possible that he could be designated to return from IR at some point down the road. Either way, Watson will miss at least four games, but on the plus side from the perspective of the Texans, fellow WRs Christian Kirk (hamstring) and Braxton Berrios (hamstring) are expected to return to action in Week 3.
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Texans' Justin Watson: Two more targets in loss
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Watson caught one of two targets for three yards in Monday's 20-19 loss to Tampa Bay.
Watson has been targeted four times through two games, the same as 2025 second-round pick Jayden Higgins and more than 2025 third-round pick Jaylin Noel. It's hard to get a read on Houston's offense, which has stumbled through two games as C.J. Stroud remains in a slump that dates back to Week 5 of 2024, the last time the quarterback threw for more than 300 yards. Watson's fringy fantasy relevance is diminished by Stroud's play and should end once Christian Kirk (hamstring) is able to play.
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Chiefs' Justin Watson: Another decent season in KC
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Watson claimed 22 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns on 32 targets over 17 games during the 2024 regular season.
While Watson hasn't tallied more than 27 catches in a season, he's still found regular playing time during his three campaigns with the Chiefs, likely due to his abilities as a blocker in the running game. His two-year deal with the Chiefs expires after 2024, so he'll enter the offseason looking for a home for 2025 in his age 29 campaign. It's unlikely he'll find his way into fantasy relevance in future campaigns, but the veteran should claim a depth role somewhere again this offseason.
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Chiefs' Justin Watson: Three targets in Week 18
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Watson recorded one reception on three targets for five yards in Sunday's 38-0 loss to the Broncos.
The Chiefs rested the majority of their top skill-position players, and Watson also drew limited snaps, with his lone catch coming late in the second quarter. Watson ends the regular season with 22 receptions on 32 targets, the latter his lowest mark since 2021. He should retain a peripheral role in the offense throughout the Chiefs' postseason run.
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Chiefs' Justin Watson: Follows up long grab with TD
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Watson caught both of his targets for 60 yards and a touchdown in Wednesday's 29-10 win over the Steelers.
All of Watson's production came on Kansas City's second possession, as he made a field-flipping 49-yard reception and secured an 11-yard touchdown three plays later. Watson sees limited usage in a Chiefs receiving corps that has added depth through trades and players returning from injuries, but when Watson gets targeted, it's often on deep shots.
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Chiefs' Justin Watson: Blanked in Week 14
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Watson was not targeted during Sunday's 19-17 victory over the Chargers.
Watson plays a consistent role for the Chiefs on offense, accumulating a snap percentage in the high 40s or better. That said, he has seen a marked drop from 58-plus percent from Weeks 4 to 12 down to just 48 and 49 percent in the last two games, and the 28-year-old wideout has proven time and again he's not much of a fantasy threat, tallying no more than three receptions in a game this season. Watson can safely be left in free agency in most league formats.
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Chiefs' Justin Watson: Small impact versus Broncos
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Watson hauled in both of his targets for six yards during Sunday's 16-14 victory versus the Broncos.
Watson remains a regular in the offensive game plan, logging a team-high 52 snaps at wide receiver. That said, he's not a significant target as a receiver, finishing with no more than three catches in a game this season. The veteran wideout should continue to see regular offensive snaps but doesn't serve much purpose from a fantasy perspective.
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Chiefs' Justin Watson: Another quiet effort in Week 7
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Watson reeled in his only target for eight yards during Sunday's 28-18 win over the 49ers.
Watson continues to log regular reps for the Chiefs, claiming the largest snap share (73 percent) among wideouts Sunday. Despite that, he's rarely utilized as a pass-catcher, sporting just seven grabs through the first six games. The Chiefs are also, unsurprisingly, rumored to be shopping around for another wide receiver before the trade deadline, a move that would position Watson further down the pecking order. Watson should continue to see ample playing time for now, especially after JuJu Smith-Schuster departed Sunday's contest due to a hamstring aggravation.
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Chiefs' Justin Watson: Blanked in Week 5
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Watson wasn't targeted during Monday's 26-13 win against the Saints.
Watson still logged the most snaps (59) among Chiefs wideouts Monday, but he's clearly not a go-to option as a receiver. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Mecole Hardman and Xavier Worthy all saw more targets despite playing fewer snaps. Watson hasn't reeled in more than two passes in a game today, so even if his playing time increases moving forward with Rashee Rice (knee) and Hollywood Brown (shoulder) both done for the regular season, the veteran wideout is unlikely to enter the fantasy realm in a meaningful way.
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Chiefs' Justin Watson: Minimal impact versus Chargers
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Watson hauled in two of three targets for 27 yards during Sunday's 17-10 win versus the Chargers.
The Chiefs' carnage of injuries continued to pile up Saturday, when Rashee Rice (knee) was added to the list. Thus, Watson could be in line for additional snaps moving forward; he logged the second-most snaps during Sunday's game behind Xavier Worthy. Per Adam Teicher of ESPN, head coach Andy Reid plans to spread the ball around more in the absence of Rice, meaning Watson could see a few more looks. Even if that's the case, Watson has been in similar positions in years past, so it remains to be seen if the veteran wideout can provide any significant fantasy value.
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Chiefs' Justin Watson: Tallies pair of grabs in Week 2
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Watson hauled in both of his targets for 22 yards during Sunday's 26-25 win over the Bengals.
Watson made the most of his limited opportunities and has reeled in each of the three passes thrown his way through two games. That said, he played less than half the offensive snaps (45 percent) in Sunday's contest and has just three targets through two games. As has been the case for Watson in recent seasons, the wideout seems slated to play a regular role that doesn't figure to amount to fantasy relevance in most league formats.
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Chiefs' Justin Watson: Hauls in lone target Week 1
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Watson secured his only target for 25 yards during Thursday's 27-20 win over the Ravens.
Watson played 52 percent of offensive snaps versus Baltimore in Week 1, working as the Chiefs' clear No. 3 receiver behind Rashee Rice (78 percent) and Xavier Worthy (63 percent). That involvement will dip once starter Marquise Brown (shoulder) returns from injury, but if he remains sidelined Week 2 versus Cincinnati, Watson will have another opportunity to capitalize on an increased snap share.
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Chiefs' Justin Watson: Could help fill in for Brown
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Watson could see more opportunities early on during the season while fellow wideout Marquise Brown tends to a shoulder injury, Adam Teicher of ESPN.com reports.
With Brown unable to practice and his availability for Week 1 unclear, Watson has been taking many of the snaps in training camp that would have otherwise gone to Brown. Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy would likely rank as greater priorities for targets if Brown's absence bleeds into the regular season, but Watson could be the top choice to join the two in three-receiver sets sans Brown. During the 2023 season, Watson suited up in 16 contests on his way to finishing with a 27-460-3 receiving line on 53 targets over 513 offensive snaps.
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Chiefs' Justin Watson: Foot injury downplayed
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Watson is expected to miss just a few days of training camp due to a minor foot issue, Matt Derrick of ChiefsDigest.com reports.
Per Derrick, at first glace the left foot injury that Watson sustained Wednesday appeared concerning, but tests have reportedly revealed that the wideout avoided a long-term issue. Once Watson is able to return to practice, he'll look to cement his standing in a Kansas City WR corps that also includes Rashee Rice, Hollywood Brown, Xavier Worthy, Kadarius Toney, Mecole Hardman and Skyy Moore. In 16 regular-season outings in 2023, Watson compiled a 27-460-3 receiving line.
