The Houston Texans may be staring at another week without Nico Collins.
Collins, who is dealing with a hamstring injury, was not among the players taking part in the open portion of Wednesday’s practice, according to multiple reports. He was joined on the sideline by tight end Dalton Schultz, offensive linemen Trent Brown and Ed Ingram, and edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney.
That list matters, but Collins is the name that changes the whole picture for Houston.
The receiver has already missed a week after suffering a Grade 1 hamstring strain in practice leading into Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals. That injury kept him out of the Texans’ second game of the season and has now sidelined him for the past three sessions as well. While Grade 1 strains are considered minor, the Texans are clearly treating this as the kind of issue that can linger longer than a one-game absence.
If Collins can’t go in Week 3 against the Indianapolis Colts, Houston’s offense will have to find production somewhere else again. That wasn’t easy last week.
Against the Bengals, no Texans wideout finished with more than three catches or 40 yards. Dalton Schultz ended up carrying the passing game, piling up 12 catches for 140 yards.
That’s the problem Houston is trying to avoid: an offense leaning too hard on one outlet because its top receiver is watching from the sideline. Collins gives this group the kind of punch it clearly missed against Cincinnati.
There’s also a real chance the Texans choose to hold him out until Week 4 against the Dallas Cowboys. That would give him more time to recover and lower the risk of a setback, but it would also leave Houston trying to survive another game without its best receiving threat.
At 0-2, the Texans can’t afford many more empty weeks. Another loss would drop them into an 0-3 hole, the same kind of start they were trying to avoid. So Collins’ practice status will be one of the biggest stories to track as the week unfolds.
If he remains out, the pressure shifts to Xavier Hutchinson, Kayshon Boutte and Jaylin Noel, who combined for just seven receptions against the Bengals. It also puts more on offensive coordinator Nick Caley, who now has an extra week to prepare for the possibility of being without his star receiver against a division opponent.
In Other News...
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DeMeco Ryans said he had not yet seen Stroud after the game, though the coach said he hoped the quarterback was fine. For now, there is no indication Stroud is dealing with a significant injury, which is the main thing Houston wanted to hear after watching him leave the field with that slight concern hanging in the air. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Head To Indianapolis With One Worry Growing Fast
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Nick Caley Is Already Facing Heat In A Huge Colts Test
Through 22 games, the early returns on Texans offensive coordinator Nick Caley have been under the microscope, and the scrutiny is getting louder as Houston tries to dig out of an 0-2 hole. Former NFL player Chris Long recently questioned some of Caleys play-calling choices, adding another layer to the frustration around an offense that has also been slowed by injuries at wide receiver.
The timing is hardly ideal, because Houston is staring at a must-win matchup with the Colts and trying to avoid another sluggish start that has now become part of the conversation around the team. With the offense still searching for rhythm and confidence, this game feels less like a September checkpoint and more like an early test of whether Caley and the Texans can steady things before the season starts to tilt away from them. [Read more 🡒]