Marvin Harrison Jr. Traded to the Texans, Back With C.J. Stroud

The mystery is over. The Arizona Cardinals have traded wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. to the Houston Texans.

Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans confirmed it himself at the end of his postgame press conference Sunday, after Houston beat Tennessee 26-3 for its first win of the season. "You guys want to know, huh? Yes, alright. We traded for Marvin Harrison," Ryans said, per On3.

The terms

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and ESPN's Adam Schefter:

• Texans get: WR Marvin Harrison Jr. and a 2027 seventh-round pick
• Cardinals get: a 2027 second-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick

ProFootballTalk reported that one sticking point was whether Houston would send its 2027 or 2028 second-rounder. The Texans gave in and sent the 2027 pick.

Arizona told Harrison on Saturday morning that he was being traded, and he was inactive for the Cardinals' Sunday game against the Lions while the deal was finalized.

Why Houston did it

Harrison, the No. 4 overall pick in 2024, never took off in Arizona. He had 62 catches for 885 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie, then 41 for 608 and four in 2025, per On3. Through four games this year he had five catches on 12 targets for 85 yards and a touchdown.

Houston needed help. Rookie Jayden Higgins tore his ACL in the preseason, and Kayshon Boutte arrived by trade as a stopgap, per Pro Football Rumors and Yahoo Sports. Tank Dell is nearing a return after missing all of last season.

The bonus is familiarity. Harrison and C.J. Stroud were teammates at Ohio State. In 2022, with Stroud at quarterback, Harrison caught 77 passes for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns. Stroud has been solid in 2026. He threw for 1,141 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions over the first four games, then went 26-of-34 for 260 yards and a touchdown against the Titans on Sunday.

Harrison is also signed beyond this season. Sporting News notes he has two more years on his rookie deal if Houston picks up his fifth-year option, which the team has to decide on next year.

Fantasy impact: Houston

Nico Collins is still the WR1. He has 19 catches for 249 yards and three touchdowns in three games, per CBS Sports, and nothing about this trade changes that.

Harrison's ceiling in Houston looks like a No. 2 receiver. Yahoo's Hayden Winks currently puts him in the range of low-volume intermediate-to-deep threats. He gets a fresh start with a quarterback he already knows, but there is no proof of a bigger role yet. His first chance comes in Week 6 against the Jaguars in London (Sunday, Oct. 18).

Fantasy impact: Arizona

This is good news for Michael Wilson, who already had 44 targets through four games. SI Fantasy calls him a weekly WR2 with upside now. Winks has him as the WR22 on WR6-level usage, and says he's "far more of a fantasy WR2 than the market believes."

Kendrick Bourne moves into a near full-time role as the WR2, per the Cardinals and Yahoo. Trey McBride, who leads Arizona with 33 catches, keeps his role.

Our verdict

• Marvin Harrison Jr.: HOLD. Treat him as a flex or WR4 until we see how many snaps and targets he gets in Houston. The Stroud connection is real, but Collins gets fed first.
• Michael Wilson: BUY. WR2 with upside as Arizona's clear top wideout.
• Kendrick Bourne: ADD in deeper PPR leagues as a bench stash.
• Nico Collins: HOLD. No change.

Who won the trade, Houston or Arizona? Tell us on Instagram @illegalmotionsports.

Reported terms as of 1:45 PM PT, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. The trade is pending the usual league processing.