The Houston Texans’ Week 2 inactive list came in heavy, and the biggest blow is the one they already knew was coming: Nico Collins is out.
Houston listed seven players inactive for Sunday’s game against the Bengals, with Collins joined by TE Brevin Jordan, LB Jake Hummel, CB Collin Wright, OG Ed Ingram, OT Nate Thomas and DE Jadeveon Clowney.
Collins is the headliner here after suffering a Grade 1 hamstring strain in practice earlier this week and missing back-to-back practices. Without him, the Texans’ receiver group gets thin in a hurry, especially with Jayden Higgins and Tank Dell also unavailable. That leaves Kayshon Boutte, Xavier Hutchinson, Jaylin Noel and Jared Wayne to carry the load, while sixth-round rookie Lewis Bond has been brought up from the practice squad to give the room a fifth body.
Ingram’s absence also matters up front. The starting right guard is sidelined by a groin injury he picked up in practice this week, and Wyatt Teller is set to slide into that spot against Cincinnati. Depending on how long Ingram is out, that arrangement could last beyond Sunday.
Houston’s defense is also taking hits. Clowney is out with a knee issue, and the Texans will be without starting WILL linebacker Henry To'oTo'o after the shoulder injury he suffered in Week 1 against the Bills landed him on Injured Reserve for at least four weeks.
Jake Hummel is also inactive, removing another special teams piece and a bit of depth at linebacker. Jake Hansen is expected to take over the WILL role, with rookies Wade Woodaz and Aiden Fisher positioned for more chances.
The rest of Houston’s inactive group includes players still waiting for their first real action in Texans colors. Jordan is still waiting on his season debut, Collin Wright is still awaiting his NFL debut, and Nate Thomas remains out after the recent trade that brought him to Houston on cutdown day a little less than a month ago.
Cincinnati’s biggest storyline is much simpler: Joe Burrow is in. The Bengals quarterback had been dealing with a back issue during the week and was limited in practice, but he said in his weekly presser he expected to play, and the team’s latest injury report backed that up.
Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. MT at Reliant Stadium, where Houston will try to climb back to .500 after a rough start to the season.
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Now comes a sharper test in Week 2 against a Bengals front that can make any offense earn every inch. Houstons revamped offensive line and its backs will have to deal with a defense led by Dexter Lawrence II, which is exactly the kind of matchup that can expose whether the Texans offseason changes were enough or whether Stroud is still going to be carrying too much of the load early on. [Read more 🡒]