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Nico Collins injury update: What happened to Texans WR and will he play in Week 2 vs Bengals?
Nico Collins led C.J. Stroud’s targets in Week 1, recording 75 receiving yards and a touchdown in the Texans’ loss to the Bills.
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The Houston Texans have another injury concern to monitor ahead of Week 2, with wide receiver Nico Collins appearing on the team’s first practice report of the week.
What happened to Nico Collins?
Collins was a limited participant during Wednesday’s practice on Sept. 16 while the Texans continued to evaluate a hamstring issue. KPRC 2 Houston reported that the wide receiver was undergoing tests to determine the extent of the injury.
The development came unexpectedly, as Collins had not previously been listed as a concern entering the week. The results of his testing should provide a clearer picture of how serious the problem is and whether it could affect his availability against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Deep Dive
Although Collins was limited during practice, he was still able to participate in individual drills. That suggests the injury has not significantly restricted his movement at this stage, though the Texans will continue monitoring him throughout the week.
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The 27-year-old has not yet been given an official game-status designation for Sunday’s matchup with Cincinnati. If Collins is unable to take the field, Kayshon Boutte and Jaylin Noel would be among the receivers expected to assume larger roles in the Texans’ offense.
Collins remains key to Texans offense
The Texans wide receiver entered the season following three straight campaigns in which he surpassed 1,000 receiving yards.
The receiver posted 1,117 yards and six touchdowns last season as Houston reached the playoffs for the third consecutive year. He also began the 2026 campaign as quarterback C.J. Stroud’s leading target, recording 75 receiving yards and a touchdown during the Texans’ Week 1 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Collins is now in his sixth season with Houston after being selected by the Texans in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He has also earned Pro Bowl honors in each of the past two seasons.
Texans already lost Jayden Higgins
Houston’s receiver group was already weakened before the regular season began when Jayden Higgins suffered a torn ACL in August, ending his season before it started.
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Higgins was the Texans’ third-leading receiver as a rookie, making his absence another blow to the position group.
While Collins’ current situation does not appear to point toward a lengthy absence comparable to Higgins’ injury, his hamstring issue remains something Houston will need to keep a close eye on heading into Week 2.
