Texans WR Nico Collins has been sidelined for the last two games after suffering a hamstring strain. Collins originally suffered the injury in practice before the team’s Week 2 contest against the Bengals.
The Texans are scheduled for an interstate showdown against the Cowboys on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on FOX. Houston’s offense would be without its WR1 for the third consecutive week if Collins can’t suit up.
Is Collins slated to play in Week 4? Let’s look at the latest Nico Collins injury update, including Collins’ practice status, followed by the potential impact on fantasy football and Cowboys vs. Texans picks for PrizePicks.
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Nico Collins Injury Update: Is Collins Playing in Week 4?
The next few days will be crucial in determining if Collins can play against the Cowboys. Collins was initially diagnosed with a Grade 1 hamstring strain.
On Monday, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said Collins has been “progressing well,” and the week of practice should assist in the staff deciding whether the star WR will return to the field in Week 4. He got back to work on Wednesday afternoon.
Collins caught 7 passes for 75 yards and a TD in a 36-31 loss against the Bills in Week 1. The two-time Pro Bowler is fresh off a season in which he recorded 71 receptions for 1,117 yards and 6 TDs in 15 games.
Collins has recorded three consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns coming into 2026.
The Texans have certainly missed Collins’ presence, scoring just 23 points in their two games without his services. If the former third-round pick can’t suit up, who could step up?
Texans Fantasy Football Outlook If Collins Misses Week 4
Collins has yet to complete a full 17-game season since entering the NFL in 2021. However, he has managed to log at least 15 games in two of the past three campaigns.
With Collins sidelined against the Colts, the Texans were limited to just 223 total yards. In fact, QB C.J. Stroud completed 16 of 27 passes for only 167 yards and a TD. His lone TD pass came on a 1-yard strike to TE Foster Moreau late in the second quarter.
Collins is clearly a major piece of the Texans’ passing attack, as shown by his 27.0% target share (13th among NFL WRs), per PlayerProfiler. The Texans also rank first in team pass plays per game (52.5).
With Collins out of the lineup, TE Dalton Schultz has been a huge part of Houston’s offense. Schultz’s 22 targets rank second among all TEs; he also boasts a 25.3% target share that's third at the position.
Schultz caught 12 passes for 140 yards on 14 targets in a 20-6 loss against the Bengals in Week 2. Through Week 3, the veteran TE has recorded 19 receptions for 205 yards but has yet to find the end zone.
WR Xavier Hutchinson has seen his usage increase in Collins' absence, logging 6 catches for 88 yards on 15 targets in the last two contests.
The Cowboys' defense has surrendered the sixth-most PPG (27.3) and just gave up 31 points and 378 yards in a 34-31 loss against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3. According to RBSDM, the Dallas has yielded 0.193 EPA per play, which ranks last in the NFL among defenses.
In addition, the Cowboys have ceded 0.38 EPA/dropback (31st), so Hutchinson and Schultz might find ways to succeed even if Collins doesn’t play.
According to PrizePicks, Collins is currently projected for 72.5 receiving yards, while Schultz is projected for 42.5 receiving yards vs. the Cowboys in Week 4.
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Nico Collins has missed each of the last two games with a hamstring injury. As a result, his status will likely be determined by his practice status during the week leading up to the Texans’ Week 4 contest against the Cowboys.
If Collins can’t play, Dalton Schultz and Xavier Hutchinson may provide opportunities for picks on pass-catcher projections on PrizePicks.
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