Stefon Diggs: Houston Texans receiver ruled out for 2024 season with ACL injury in right knee

nfl Tuesday 29 October 2024 19:51, UK

Houston Texans star receiver Stefon Diggs has been ruled out for the rest of the season after tearing the ACL in his right knee on Sunday.

Diggs suffered the non-contact injury in the third quarter of Houston's win over the Indianapolis Colts, with head coach DeMeco Ryans confirming on Tuesday the loss of Diggs for the remainder of their 2024 campaign.

The 30-year-old has 47 receptions for 496 yards and three touchdowns in eight games in his first season in Houston after a blockbuster trade from the Buffalo Bills.

"It hurts our team to hear that news," Ryans said. "He's been such an important part to our team and just everything that he brought, not only on the field, but off the field.

"The energy, the leader, the way he worked every single day. He brought a lot to our team and we have to pick up the slack - a lot of guys have to pick up the slack."

Diggs, a four-time Pro Bowler, has had at least 1,000 yards receiving in each of the past six seasons, highlighted by his 2020 campaign where he led the NFL with a career-high 1,535 yards.

The injury is another blow to the Texans, who are already without leading receiver Nico Collins, who will miss at least one more game after having being placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

With Diggs out, the Texans will need Tank Dell to take on a bigger role in the offense on Thursday night when they visit the New York Jets. Dell's production has dropped off this season after a standout rookie year where he had 709 yards receiving, with seven touchdowns in 11 games, before breaking his leg.

He has 229 yards receiving this season and scored his second touchdown in Sunday's win, which improved the AFC South-leading Texans to 6-2 on the year.

"Once you lose one of the star players, everybody has got to step up," Dell said. "Even if you are one of the star players, you still have to step up and do more and produce more.

"I know all of us are more than capable of doing that. So we are going to try to go out there and make plays."

The Texans also have receivers Robert Woods, Xavier Hutchinson and John Metchie, but none have contributed much this season. The three players have combined for just 146 yards.

Week Nine in the NFL begins Thursday night when the Houston Texans face the New York Jets live on Sky Sports NFL from 12.15am in the early hours of Friday; Also stream with NOW.

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