HOUSTON — The Houston Texans have announced that wide receiver Stefon Diggs will be sidelined for the remainder of the season due to a torn ACL in his right knee, an injury sustained during a recent game.

Coach DeMeco Ryans addressed the media on Tuesday, stating that the loss of Diggs is significant for the team. The injury occurred in the third quarter of the Texans’ victory against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. As Diggs was running a route, he suddenly stopped and grasped his knee before collapsing to the ground.

Diggs, now 30 years old, had made a considerable impact with the Texans this season, recording 47 receptions for 496 yards and three touchdowns in just eight games after joining the team in a major trade with the Buffalo Bills. Notably, he is a four-time Pro Bowler and has consistently surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in every season for the last six years, including a standout performance in 2020 when he led the NFL with a record 1,535 yards.

This injury compounds the challenges for a Texans team already missing their top receiver, Nico Collins, who is on injured reserve with a hamstring injury and will be out for at least another game. With the absence of Diggs, the Texans will look to increase the involvement of Tank Dell in their offensive schemes during their upcoming matchup against the New York Jets.

Dell, who had an impressive rookie season with 709 receiving yards and seven touchdowns over 11 games before suffering a leg injury, has seen a decline in his production this year, accumulating only 229 yards thus far. He did score his second touchdown of the season in the win over the Colts, helping to elevate the Texans’ record to 6-2, now leading the AFC South.

In addition to Dell, the Texans still roster receivers Robert Woods, Xavier Hutchinson, and John Metchie, but their contributions have been minimal this season. Collectively, these three players have garnered just 146 receiving yards, raising concerns about the team’s depth at the wide receiver position moving forward.