Cade Stover Injury News & Updates

Stover was not targeted and used as a runner in a short-yardage situation in Sunday's 20-10 win over the Chiefs in Week 14.

Stover's lone touch came on a 4th-and-1 in the red zone and resulted in a first down, but the play was wiped out by an offside penalty. Houston settled for a field goal instead. It was the fourth time in the last two games that the Texans used Stover as a runner.

Stover caught both of his targets for 16 yards and had four carries for three yards in Sunday's 20-16 win over the Colts in Week 13.

In addition to Stover's day job as the backup tight end to Dalton Schultz, the Texans gave him a side hustle as a short-yardage, tush-push element in the running attack. All four of his carries were on 3rd- or 4th-and-one situations, including three inside the red zone. The first two worked, but Indianapolis stopped it on successive tries in the fourth quarter. It was a curious decision by the coaching staff to run Stover on 4th-and-one at the Colts' 17-yard line after it didn't work on third down. At the time, Houston was leading, 20-16, and the turnover on downs left the Texans vulnerable to a loss had Indianapolis scored a touchdown. That Houston added this package for Stover and used it in the red zone slightly enhances the backup tight end's value going forward.

Stover was unable to bring in either of his two targets in Thursday's 23-16 win over the Bills in Week 12.

Stover played his second game since returning from a broken foot suffered in the season opener. He was on the field for 20 snaps, which represents an increase from Week 11. He's not a big piece of the offense but is a willing blocker as the No. 2 behind Dalton Schultz.

Stover played 14 snaps and was not targeted in Sunday's 16-13 win over the Titans in Week 11.

Stover was activated off injured reserve and played for the first time since Week 1. Injuries in the tight end room led to Stover opening the season as the clear backup to starter Dalton Schultz, but Stover suffered a broken foot in Week 1 that shut him down until Sunday. With Harrison Bryant (neck/shoulder) landing on IR last week, Stover resumes his role as the top backup.

Stover (foot) is active for Sunday's game against the Titans.

Stover was activated from injured reserve Saturday and is officially ready to suit up for Sunday's contest as the No. 2 TE behind Dalton Schultz. In Stover's only regular-season game in the 2025 campaign, he logged 36 offensive snaps where he caught all four of his targets for 22 yards. The tight end's return should open up more options for Davis Mills and the Texans' offense.

The Texans activated Stover (foot) from injured reserve Saturday, but he remains questionable for Sunday's game at Tennessee.

The Texans swapped out Stover for fellow TE Harrison Bryant (neck/shoulder) on IR, meaning the former is set to serve as the No. 2 TE behind Dalton Schultz in his first game action since Week 1, when he broke his foot and required surgery. Through 16 games as a pro, Stover, a 2024 fourth-round pick, has compiled a 19-155-1 line on 26 targets.

Stover (foot) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Titans

Stover upgraded to a full practice participant Friday after logging limited sessions both Wednesday and Thursday, meaning he is trending up for Sunday's game. The tight end was designated to leave the injured reserve this week, and with fellow tight end Harrison Bryant (neck/shoulder) unable to practice Friday, Stover's chances of suiting up for Sunday seem better than ever.

Stover (foot) logged a limited practice Thursday.

Stover, who was designated to return from a broken foot this week, logged a second consecutive limited practice ahead of Sunday's game against Tennessee. What makes his situation interesting is that two tight ends currently on the active roster, Harrison Bryant (neck/shoulder) and Dalton Schultz (illness/shoulder), were non-participants for the first two practices of the week.

Stover (foot) returned to practice Wednesday, after the Texans designated him to return from injured reserve, KPRC 2 Houston's Aaron Wilson reports.

Stover had surgery on his foot in September after suffering a fracture Week 1 against the Rams. He's reportedly moving well at practice, but it's unclear at this point if the Texans hope to bring him back as their No. 2 TE this Sunday at Tenessee.

Stover (foot) is expected to return to practice soon, possibly as early as this week, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Stover is still on injured reserve after he suffered a broken foot in the Texans' Week 1 loss to the Rams, but his recovery has gone smoothly, and it looks like he's going to have a pretty good chance to play again this season. In his lone appearance this season, Stover made the start and played 57 percent of the offensive snaps, securing four catches for 22 scoreless yards versus Los Angeles.

Stover (foot) is expected back within the next few weeks, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Wilson reports Stover is recovering well from a broken foot and surgery. He's already missed the four-game minimum and can be activated at any time, but it appears the tight end will be out until some point in November at the earliest. Stover's return will bolster the position, which has been impacted by injuries to several of its personnel going back to training camp.

Houston executive vice president and general manager Nick Caserio said Tuesday that he expects Stover (foot) to return at some point in 2025, Sam Warren of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Stover suffered a broken foot in the season-opening loss to the Rams and placed on injured reserve, which ensures at least four missed games. Caserio's comments suggest the tight end will be unavailable beyond the four-week minimum. While addressing the status of Houston's injured players, the GM lumped Stover into a group whose return timeline is "not as definitive" as it is with some other players.

The Texans placed Stover (foot) on injured reserve Wednesday.

Stover suffered a broken foot during Houston's loss to the Rams in Week 1, and he'll now have to miss at least four games before being eligible to return to practice from IR. The Texans' tight end corps was heavily depleted even before Stover's injury, with Brevin Jordan (knee) and Irv Smith (ankle) both done for the year, hence the team's decision to sign Harrison Bryant off the practice squad to back up starter Dalton Schultz.

Stover suffered a broken foot in Sunday's 14-9 loss to the Rams and is out indefinitely, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Stover started the Texans' Week 1 contest and recorded a team-high four catches for 22 yards versus Los Angeles before sustaining the injury. He was in a walking boot after the loss and is now likely to miss multiple weeks, though the team has yet to confirm the injury. With Brevin Jordan (knee) and Irv Smith (ankle) both on injured reserve and done for the season, Houston is already severely shorthanded at tight end. Veteran Harrison Bryant and seventh-round rookie Luke Lachey are currently on the practice squad as options behind Dalton Schultz.

Stover caught four of four targets for 22 yards in Sunday's 14-9 loss to the Rams.

Stover's 36 snaps on offense were more than starter Dalton Schultz (34), which is surprising but unlikely significant. The Texans' passing attack struggled, and there many packages used to jumpstart a dormant offense. Stover has history with quarterback C.J. Stroud at Ohio State, which gives him a level of fantasy intrigue, but Schultz is still considered the best fantasy option at tight end in Houston.

General manager Nick Caserio told reporters Thursday that Stover (collarbone) has stood out during the offseason and the early portions of training camp, Jared Koch of SI.com reports.

Stover saw limited playing time during his rookie campaign, finishing with 15 catches (on 22 targets) for 133 yards and one touchdown across 15 regular-season games. He broke his collarbone during the Texans' wild-card win over the Chargers in January, but he has fully recovered from the injury and has made a good impression on Caserio and the coaching staff. Stover enters training camp in a competition against Brevin Jordan (knee) for backup tight end duties behind Dalton Schultz.

Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans confirmed Tuesday that Stover sustained a fractured collarbone in Saturday's 32-12 win over the Chargers and will require season-ending surgery, Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Houston placed Stover on injured reserve earlier Tuesday but didn't make a corresponding addition to the active roster, though Teagan Quitoriano (calf) could be reinstated from IR later this week to give the Texans a third option at tight end behind Dalton Schultz and Irv Smith for Saturday's divisional-round game against the Chiefs. Stover recorded four catches for 28 yards on four targets in the win over the Chargers and finished the regular season with a 15-133-1 receiving line on 22 targets over 15 appearances.

The Texans placed Stover (undisclosed) on injured reserve Tuesday.

The nature of Stover's injury is unclear after the rookie tight end played 36 offensive snaps, his second-most of the season, during last Saturday's wild-card win over the Chargers. He finished the contest catching all four of his targets for 28 yards. Primarily used as a blocker this season, Stover's rookie campaign ends having caught 15 of 22 targets for 133 yards and one touchdown during the regular season. Teagan Quitoriano (calf) was recently designated for return from injured reserve and could be activated ahead of the divisional round clash with the Chiefs. Irv Smith is also on the roster behind Dalton Schultz.

Stover caught four of four targets for 28 yards in Saturday's 32-12 win over the Chargers in the wild-card round.

Stover set season-highs in catches and yards in the playoff game. He finished with more catches and yards than starter Dalton Schultz (two catches, 23 yards). Stover's playing time could take a hit if Teagan Quitoriano (calf) is activated off injured reserve for next week's divisional-round matchup against Kansas City.

Stover did not catch his lone target in Sunday's 23-14 win over Tennessee in Week 18.

Stover had missed Weeks 15 and 16 while recovering from an appendectomy but has since returned. He played a less-than-normal 19 snaps in his first game back and was at his usual level (36 snaps) for the regular-season finale. The rookie tight end gained a lot of experience in 2024 after Brevin Jordan (knee) sustained a season-ending ACL injury in Week 2. When healthy, Stover played 42.1 percent of the offensive snaps. That exposure, however, didn't lead to much production. Stover finished with 15 catches, 22 targets, 133 yards and one touchdown over 15 games played. There isn't expected to be much change at the position group next season; both Jordan and starting tight end Dalton Schultz are under contract for 2025.

Stover (appendix) was a full participant in Monday's practice.

Stover has missed the last two games after undergoing an appendectomy, but he's poised to return for Wednesday's Christmas Day game versus Baltimore. Stover has a 14-132-1 receiving line on 20 targets behind Dalton Schultz this season.

Stover (appendix) was listed as a limited practice participant on Sunday's estimated report, Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Stover underwent an emergency appendectomy Dec. 14, which has forced him to be sidelined for the Texans' last two games. Houston didn't practice Sunday, so his practice participation over the next two days will provide clarity on his status heading into Wednesday's game against the Ravens. Irv Smith was signed to the Texans' active roster this past Friday, and he would serve as the No. 2 tight end behind Dalton Schultz if Stover isn't able to play on Christmas Day.

Stover (appendix) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Texans.

Stover will be sidelined for a second straight game after undergoing an emergency appendectomy this past Saturday. It's unclear whether he'll be able to progress in his recovery enough to play against the Ravens on Christmas Day. With no other healthy tight end on the active roster outside of starter Dalton Schultz, the Texans will likely elevate Irv Smith from the practice squad ahead of Saturday's game due to Stover's injury.

Stover (appendix) did not participate in Tuesday's walkthrough.

Stover underwent an emergency appendectomy Saturday. That forced him to miss Sunday's win against the Dolphins, and the procedure may force the rookie tight end to be sidelined for multiple weeks. Irv Smith could be elevated from the Texans' practice squad to the active roster for Saturday's game against the Chiefs and serve as the No. 2 tight end behind Dalton Schultz if Stover is ruled out.

Houston downgraded Stover from questionable to out for Sunday's game against Miami after he required an emergency appendectomy Saturday.

While the Texans relay that Stover is doing well and expected to make a full recovery, he'll likely be in store for a multi-game absence and could be a candidate for injured reserve. With Stover sidelined for at least Sunday's contest, the Texans will turn to Irv Smith to serve as the backup behind starting tight end Dalton Schultz.

Stover is dealing with an illness and is questionable to play against the Dolphins on Sunday.

Stover appears to have been afflicted with the illness during the weekend, as he didn't have an injury designation following the Texans' final practice Friday. The rookie tight end logged a season-high 57 percent of Houston's offensive snaps Week 13 against Jacksonville prior to Houston's bye and caught his first career touchdown pass one week prior. If Stover can't play Sunday, there'd likely be more opportunities available for Irv Smith, who was elevated from the team's practice squad Saturday.

Stover caught his lone target for four yards in Sunday's 23-2 win over the Jaguars in Week 13.

Stover (37 snaps) was on the field nearly as much as starter Dalton Schultz (43), but the starter continued to dominate the targets at tight end. Injuries to Brevin Jordan (knee), Dalton Keene (knee) and Teagan Quitoriano (knee) presented an opportunity for the rookie Stover, which should set him up nicely for 2025; however, Schultz is signed for another two seasons.

Stover caught three of four targets for 26 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 32-27 loss to the Titans in Week 12.

Stover caught his first touchdown in the NFL on the game's opening play from scrimmage. He wasn't the primary option on the play, but when he broke past the defender and was wide open, quarterback C.J. Stroud took advantage. This was the first week that Stover had more targets than starter Dalton Schultz (two), who has yet to reach the end zone in 2024.

Stover caught both of his targets for 15 yards in Monday's 34-10 win over Dallas in Week 11.

Stover had multiple catches for just the third time in 11 games, but a positive note is that he was given his second red-zone look in the last three weeks. While his playing time has increased since the season-ending injury to Brevin Jordan (knee), Stover remains firmly behind Dalton Schultz. The rookie tight end has 10 receptions on 15 targets for 102 yards through 11 games.

Stover caught one of two targets for two yards in Sunday's 26-23 loss to Detroit in Week 10.

Stover had a multiple targets, including his first in the red zone, for a third consecutive week. Dalton Schultz remains the primary target at tight end, but Stover is enjoying increased attention due to injuries at wideout. The rookie tight end has eight receptions on 13 targets for 87 yards through 10 games.

Stover did not catch either of his two targets in Thursday's 21-13 loss to the Jets in Week 9.

Houston was without its top two wideouts for the game, which presented an opportunity for a lesser-known receiver, such as Stover, to produce. However, that didn't materialize, as quarterback C.J. Stroud (eight sacks, 11 hits) was on the run most of the night, which impacted the passing attack. Stover has seven catches on 11 targets for 85 yards through nine games.

Stover caught two of three targets for 19 yards in Sunday's 23-20 win over Indianapolis in Week 8.

The targets were a season high for Stover, who's seen an uptick in playing time in the wake of Nico Collins' hamstring injury that landed him on injured reserve. Collins could have company on the sidelines this coming Thursday against the Jets, as Stefon Diggs sustained what appears to be serious knee injury Sunday, which is likely to leave Houston without its top two receivers for Week 9. That sets up a scenario where Stover could get additional opportunities, although it's likely any available targets would accrue to Dalton Schultz.

Stover caught his lone target for 15 yards in Sunday's 24-22 loss to Green Bay in Week 7.

The passing attack struggled in this game, as quarterback C.J. Stroud was held to 86 yards while completing just 10 of 21 throws. However, Stover continued a pace of roughly one target per week. The rookie tight end has five catches on six targets for 66 yards through seven contests. Stover is firmly behind Dalton Schultz but has become more prominent, averaging 26 snaps over the last five weeks since Brevin Jordan suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Stover caught both targets for six yards in Sunday's 23-20 win over Buffalo in Week 5.

This was Stover's first game with multiple targets, and the rookie tight end has caught all four thrown his way for 51 yards (12.8 ypc). He's played 31.7 percent of the offensive snaps in 2024.

Stover caught his lone target for 27 yards in Sunday's 24-20 win over the Jaguars in Week 4.

Stover's 27-yard catch moved the Texans to midfield on a drive that eventually resulted in the team's first touchdown. Brevin Jordan's season-ending knee injury has elevated Stover to the No. 2 tight end behind veteran Dalton Schultz. The rookie tight end has two catches on two targets for 45 yards.

Stover caught his lone target for 18 yards in Sunday's 19-13 win over the Bears in Week 2.

Stover was once again the third tight end, but the former Ohio State teammate of quarterback C.J. Stroud made his first catch in the NFL. Opportunities are limited for the rookie, who is playing behind Dalton Schultz and Brevin Jordan.

Stover went untargeted over 15 snaps in Sunday's 29-27 win over the Colts in Week 1.

Stover operated as the Texans' third tight end behind Dalton Schultz and Brevin Jordan. That should be the case going forward for Stover, who made the final roster after Teagan Quitoriano (calf) got injured during preseason.

Stover made the Texans initial 53-man roster.

Stover's healthy status likely played a role in his winning a roster spot, as the Texans waived-injured Teagan Quitoriano (calf). Injuries appeared to play a role in the makeup of the roster. In addition to Quitoriano, the Texans released Noah Brown (shoulder) and Andrew Beck, who was dogged by a calf injury during preseason. Stover currently lines up as the third tight end behind Dalton Schultz and Brevin Jordan.

Stover was targeted once in Saturday's preseason game against the Giants.

Stover had a quiet night after shining a week ago. He and Dalton Keene played 22 snaps behind the top two tight ends, Dalton Schultz and Brevin Jordan. Stover and Keene are angling for the third spot on the depth chart, while Teagan Quitoriano (calf) has been unavailable.

Stover caught three of four targets for 32 yards in Friday's 20-12 preseason win over Pittsburgh.

Stover was used early on and was a safety valve on one of C.J. Stroud's two completions. The tight end also bailed out Davis Mills later in the first half. Stover has caught five of seven targets for 58 yards through two preseason games. The Texans have injuries at tight end, as both Brevin Jordan (undisclosed) and Teagan Quitoriano (calf) did not suit up for the contest. That puts Stover, a 2024 fourth-round draft pick, in prime position to influence roster decisions.

Stover should see more snaps in preseason games with Teagan Quitoriano (calf) expected to miss at least a few weeks.

Quitoriano suffered a strained calf during Thursday's preseason game against Chicago, which clears the way for Stover to emerge as the team's third tight end. Stover caught two of three targets for 26 yards Thursday.

Stover caught two of three targets for 26 yards in Thursday's 21-17 preseason loss to Chicago.

Stover was the lone healthy tight end remaining after Teagan Quitoriano was carted off the field during the second quarter with what appears to be a knee injury. Neither of the top two tight ends -- Dalton Schultz and Brevin Jordan -- suited up and Dalton Keene was unavailable due to a leg injury. Pending Quitoriano's evaluation, the Texans may look to add a tight end in the coming days. Stover, drafted in the fourth round out of Ohio State in 2024, has history with quarterback C.J. Stroud and should see ample opportunities during preseason contests.