The Texans will have to make do without one of C.J. Stroud’s top targets on Sunday, and that changes the look of Houston’s offense right away. Nico Collins is out against the Bengals with a Grade 1 hamstring injury, leaving the Texans to shuffle targets in Week 2 as they try to get their first win of the season.
Aaron Wilson reported Friday that Collins’ status for next week’s game against the Colts is still up in the air. Houston has already shifted toward a committee approach in his absence.
Collins was injured during Wednesday’s practice and then sat out the final two practices of the week. The Texans listed him as out on their final injury report, ending any suspense for Sunday.
He opened the season with seven catches for 75 yards and a touchdown in Houston’s 36-31 loss to Buffalo. Over the past three seasons, he has been one of the Texans’ most productive offensive players, which makes this a significant absence even in Week 2.
Houston’s answer now is spread-the-ball football. Kayshon Boutte, Xavier Hutchinson and Jaylin Noel are among the receivers who could see more work against Cincinnati. Boutte may matter even more after arriving late in the offseason, especially with Jayden Higgins already out for the year because of an ACL injury.
Stroud completed passes to 11 different players in the opener, so the Texans already showed they can distribute the ball widely. That will need to continue with Collins sidelined, as Houston tries to keep the offense moving without one of its most reliable weapons.
In Other News...
Joe Burrows Latest Injury Hint Should Worry Bengals Fans
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Burrow later tried to soften the remark with a smile, but it still landed as the kind of injury hint Cincinnati cant ignore. Anderson, a two-time Pro Bowler and the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023, was a constant problem for the Bengals, and any note suggesting Burrow needed help getting a rib back in place is the sort of detail that will have fans watching closely for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Burrows Postgame Message Should Fire Up Bengals Fans
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The performance fit the kind of balanced start the Bengals have been chasing, with the offense making enough plays and the defense doing the heavy lifting when needed. Burrows postgame message only added to the sense that this group believes it has more in front of it, and Bengals fans will want to hear the rest of what he had to say. [Read more 🡒]
Dexter Lawrence Is Already Creating A Bengals Dilemma Texans Know Well
Dexter Lawrence II barely had to fill up a box score to leave his mark in Cincinnatis Week 1 win, because the real damage came in the attention he drew. The recently acquired defensive tackle was swallowed by double teams, and even when the numbers did not jump off the page, the ripple effect showed up everywhere else on the field.
Now the Bengals are carrying that problem into a matchup with the Houston Texans, a team that knows the challenge well. Texans general manager Nick Caserio offered a blunt reminder of what makes Lawrence so difficult to deal with, praising his athleticism and comparing his presence to former Patriots All-Pro Vince Wilfork, a nod to the kind of disruptive style that can bend an offense without always showing up in the stat sheet. [Read more 🡒]