The Cincinnati Bengals vs. Houston Texans stands out as one of the best NFL Week 2 matchups, kicking off on CBS at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 20. PrizePicks currently lists the Texans as 2.5-point favorites on the spread, but a pair of key injuries could impact this game.
Alongside WR Nico Collins battling a hamstring injury, Bengals QB Joe Burrow was a surprise add to the injury report on Wednesday. Cincinnati’s franchise signal-caller was listed as a limited participant at Wednesday’s practice with a back injury.
What’s the latest Joe Burrow injury update? We’ll look at his status at Thursday’s practice and more, featuring Burrow’s projections via PrizePicks for Sunday’s game vs. the Texans.
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Joe Burrow Injury Update: Will Injured Back Impact Week 2?
Some Bengals fans were panicking following Wednesday’s news, but those concerns were quickly alleviated by Burrow labeling it as “back tightness” while saying he expects to play on Sunday.
Furthermore, Burrow said unless he’s having surgery, he’ll be on the field.
Burrow may have suffered the injury from a hard hit taken as he ran out of bounds vs. the Buccaneers in Week 1.
Jeremy Rauch of FOX19 also speculated during Wednesday’s practice, stating Burrow seemed off while potentially wearing a brace during his limited session.
After Burrow’s comments on Wednesday, Thursday brought good news, with Burrow at practice making throws during the open portion of practice. Plus, Jay Morrison of Sports Illustrated reported Burrow was throwing longer and harder compared to Wednesday.
Any concerns are reasonable considering Burrow missed nine games from a toe injury in 2025 and seven games from a wrist injury in the 2023 season. Plus, he tore his ACL, MCL, and PCL during his 2020 rookie campaign.
Injuries have been a story throughout Burrow’s seven-year NFL career, consistently limiting the Bengals’ success. But this time around, it seems Burrow is dealing with a minor injury and should be ready to go for Sunday’s must-see clash with the Texans.
Joe Burrow Fantasy Football Outlook & Projections via PrizePicks
The Bengals have a 1.38x payout to qualify for the playoffs, slightly ahead of the Texans’ 1.56x payout. This could be a potential NFL playoff preview, with Houston favored by 2.5 points on the spread, per PrizePicks.
In Week 1, Cincinnati charged to a 33-27 win, and it was the defense making a big impact by forcing 4 turnovers with 4 sacks. Meanwhile, the Texans’ vaunted defense was torched in a 36-31 loss vs. the Bills, though QB C.J. Stroud’s performance was a positive.
Burrow led a pass-heavy attack in Week 1, making 35 passing attempts compared to the unit’s 27 rushing attempts. The Stripes’ QB1 recorded 25 completions for 254 passing yards, 1 passing TD, and 1 INT.
That translated to 15.2 fantasy points (QB20) and 0.103 adjusted EPA per play (17th), per RBSDM. However, his 56.1% pass success rate (sixth) was encouraging, and the Texans allowed 323 passing yards, 11.5 yards per passing attempt, and a 47.2% dropback success rate (18th) in Week 1.
Check out a few of Burrow’s projections via PrizePicks for Week 2’s matchup vs. the Texans.
- 251.5 Pass Yards
- 1.5 Pass TDs
- 17 Fantasy Score
Burrow could be under duress against one of the league’s best pass rushes, headlined by Texans EDGEs Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. According to ESPN, Cincy’s offensive line had a 37% pass block win rate (29th) in Week 1, potentially harming Burrow’s time in the pocket on Sunday.
Pick Joe Burrow + Bengals to win on PrizePicks.
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Make Bengals vs. Texans Picks on PrizePicks
Following a surprise appearance on Wednesday’s injury report, Joe Burrow said he expects to play on Sunday, further supported by positive updates from Thursday’s practice. Assuming Burrow plays in Week 2, he has a tough test ahead vs. the Texans.
Don’t wait until kickoff — make your Bengals vs. Texans picks on PrizePIcks now! You can make picks on the winner, spread, and over/under on PrizePicks Team Picks, now available in 36 states. With PrizePicks, just pick players and predict More or Less on their stats!
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