The good news? TheHouston Texans are expected to have Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins back before the midseason point.
The bad news? He's not expected to trot out there on Sundaywhen Houston travels to Indianapolis to take on the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium.
For the second consecutive day, Collins did not practice, as he is still recovering from a hamstring injury suffered last week during drills. While the three-time 1,000-yard playmaker hasn't been ruled out yet, the likelihood of him suiting up after missing over a week of practice is slim.
Even if Collins was limited during Friday's walk-through, that's probably not enough time to recover and put together a promising set of reps that will clear him from missing any time whatsoever.
For the
second straight day, the Texans said WR Nico Collins did not practice due to his hamstring injury.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 24, 2026
Again, Collins is expected back soon. When it was initially reported as a hamstring strain, it was mentioned that the star receiver would be back no later than Week 4 against the Dallas Cowboys. Of course, things could change and the pressure is on for Houston to win this Sunday following an 0-2 start for the third time in four years.
Sadly, it's not just Collins who's expected to miss Sunday's matchup on the road. Starting offensive lineman Ed Ingram and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, who are dealing with lower-body injuries, were also absent and are likely to miss Sunday.
In their place, Wyatt Teller will likely start at right guard, while veteran defensive end Dominique Robinson and Sabastian Harsh rotate in behind Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter.
At receiver, perhaps this is the week Jaylin Noel becomes a fixture of the offense in the vertical passing game. Currently, the second-year receiver is averaging 28 yards per catch after totaling a pickup of 31 last week in the 20-6 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
If Noel ends up being limited, the roles of Kayshon Boutte and Xavier Hutchinson should expand for the second week. Houston will also rely heavily on tight end Dalton Schultz, who had a career-high 12 catches for 140 yards last week.
“Dalton has always been that playmaker for us,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Just seeing him continue to thrive in this offense, seeing his connection with C.J., it’s been fun to watch. Every week Dalton finds a way to make a play.”Kickoff is scheduled for Noon on CBS.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans WR Nico Collins unlikely to play in Week 3 vs. Colts
