Noel got hurt in the fourth quarter and did not return. ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime saw him in a walking boot afterward, which RotoWire passed along, and Ryans then put a name on the injury. Noel finished with two catches on two targets for minus-3 yards.
That is a quiet line after the best game of his young career. Noel had 107 receiving yards against the Jaguars in London in Week 6, and that game pushed him onto waiver lists and into lineups this week.
Ryans confirmed turf toe, and the boot is confirmed. The Texans have not given a grade, a timeline or word on imaging. Turf toe covers a wide range. A mild sprain can clear in a week or two, while a more serious one can cost a receiver a month or more, so the next update will tell owners a lot.
Houston is on bye in Week 8, so Noel will not cost anyone a lineup decision next Sunday. That gives him two weeks before the Texans play again, and it gives the team time before it has to say much publicly.
Noel has dealt with a run of injuries already this year. He missed time in training camp with a finger injury and then a hamstring issue before he was ready for the opener.
What RSO owners should do now: hold Noel if you have the bench room, since the bye buys time and a cut now sells low. If you added him after Week 6 as a flex option, do not count on him for Week 9 until he practices. Owners who need receiver help should look to their waiver pool this week rather than waiting on him.
What to watch next: whether the Texans share imaging results this week, and whether Noel is practicing in any form when Houston returns from the bye ahead of Week 9.
