Nico Collins' performance in the Houston Texans' hard-luck loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 1 was a pretty perfect encapsulation of his NFL career to date. He was one of the best players on the field on Sunday, turning his 10 targets into seven catches for 75 yards and a score. Of course, he also suffered an injury in the process — one in line to cost him not just Houston's Week 2 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals but potentially more.
Collins tweaked his hamstring during the Buffalo loss, and while there was some initial optimism that he and the Texans had dodged a bullet — he logged a limited practice on Wednesday — it didn't take long for that optimism to dissipate. Now the question isn't whether Collins will be able to suit up against Cincinnati on Sunday; the question is just how much time he'll miss.
Is Nico Collins playing today? Texans injury update as Houston's WR1 already ruled out for Week 2
As soon as Collins missed practice on Thursday, the writing was on the wall. Sure enough, Aaron Wilson of Houston's NBC affiliate reported on Friday that the receiver was dealing with a Grade 1 hamstring strain and would miss Sunday's game against the Bengals. Wilson also added that the injury "could sideline him for two games," which would include the team's Week 3 divisional tilt against the Indianapolis Colts.
With #Texans Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins dealing with a Grade 1 hamstring injury, current expectation is this could sideline him for two games, including Sunday vs. #Bengals and next week on road vs. #Colts, per a league source. Fluid situation, but hamstrings are tricky.…
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) September 19, 2026
The good news for Houston's long-term prospects is that it sounds as though Collins' hamstring strain is relatively minor. But even minor hamstring strains are worth taking very seriously, especially at that position. It's a long season, and the last thing the Texans want is to rush him back in September only for things to get worse — especially considering how banged up the team already is in its receiver room.
Texans WR depth chart with Nico Collins on the shelf
Jaydon Higgins is already out for the year with a knee injury, and Tank Dell will miss at least the first four weeks of the season on IR. Combined with Collins' absence, Houston will be pretty undermanned out wide on Sunday.
Position | Player |
|---|---|
WR1 | Kayshon Boutte |
WR2 | Xavier Hutchinson |
WR3 | Jaylin Noel |
WR4 | Jared Wayne |
WR5 | Lewis Bond |
It sure is a good thing the Texans swung that trade for Kayshon Boutte just before the season began, huh? The pressure now really falls on the former LSU star, as he's far and away the most proven wideout left healthy in Houston. Xavier Hutchinson and second-year slot man Jaylin Noel have both shown flashes at times, but those flashes have been short lived. And beyond them, CJ Stroud is down to the likes of Jared Wayne and Lewis Bond — not exactly the situation you want to be in when you're trying to keep pace with Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Co.
Houston will be hoping for a much better effort from its defense than it got against the Bills in Week 1. Because if this turns into a shootout, it'll likely be hard for Stroud to keep up without his top target.
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