Following Week 1 of the NFL season, injuries are inevitable, and that’s hit key wide receivers hard — including Patriots WR A.J. Brown, Ravens WR Zay Flowers, and Chargers WR Ladd McConkey. Texans WR Nico Collins is the latest notable name to appear on the injury report.
Collins injured his hamstring at Wednesday’s practice, putting his status in doubt for Week 2’s big-time matchup between the Bengals and Texans — two likely contenders in the AFC.
Ahead of Sunday, September 20’s 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff, let’s jump into the latest Nico Collins injury update, whether he will miss Week 2, and how a potential absence shifts fantasy football and player picks for PrizePicks.
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Nico Collins Injury Update: Will Collins Miss Time from Hamstring Injury?
The Texans’ official injury report listed Nico Collins as a limited participant at Wednesday’s practice. After suffering the injury during practice, Collins met with doctors, and Adam Schefter of ESPN reported the Texans “don’t believe it’s serious.”
Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reported on Thursday that Collins was not practicing, but his hamstring injury was deemed Grade 1, avoiding a serious injury.
Collins has a history of hamstring injuries, though, including five missed games from a Grade 2 strained hamstring during the 2024 season.
Considering Sunday’s matchup is only a few days away, this firmly puts Collins in danger of missing more time. In 2025, he was out of Week 8 and the divisional round of the playoffs due to concussions.
After leaving practice on Wednesday, followed by an absence on Thursday, Collins’ status at Friday's practice is pivotal for his chance to play vs. the Bengals in Week 2. If he’s out, who could step up in his absence?
Texans Fantasy Football Outlook If Collins Is Out in Week 2
In Week 1’s 36-31 loss vs. the Bills, Houston’s offense held its own with 381 yards and 5.2 yards per play. According to RBSDM, the Texans logged 0.071 EPA per play (13th) and a 48.1% success rate (ninth).
Houston QB C.J. Stroud was a big piece of the puzzle, compiling 274 passing yards, 2 passing TDs, and a 51.0% success rate (11th). RB David Montgomery also enjoyed 23 touches, 79 scrimmage yards, and 3 TDs.
While Stroud and Montgomery were in the spotlight, Collins made a clear impact by logging a team-high 10 targets, 7 receptions, and 75 receiving yards. If the Texans’ WR1 is absent, attention turns to WRs Jaylin Noel, Xavier Hutchinson, Kayson Boutte, and TE Dalton Schultz.
Boutte, who was a free agency acquisition, had a 45.6% snap rate in Week 1, compared to Noel’s 30.4% and Hutchinson’s 55.7%. According to Pro Football Focus, Hutchinson (93.5%), Boutte (90.0%), and Collins (88.1%) led the receiving group in route rate, followed by Noel’s 83.3% mark.
Schultz was the most-used target behind Collins, proven by 8 targets for 4 catches and 35 receiving yards in Week 1.
The Bengals’ defense forced 4 turnovers paired with 4 sacks in a 33-27 win over the Buccaneers last week. Cincinnati’s improved defensive line, led by DT Dexter Lawrence, could be a tough test for Houston’s offensive line that gave up 3 sacks vs. the Bills.
If Stroud is under pressure, that could mean dumping it off to easy targets. As a tight end, Schultz may be a security blanket with his 4.9 average depth of target (aDOT) in Week 1.
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After suffering a hamstring injury on Wednesday, Nico Collins was absent from Thursday’s practice, but he also received good news with a Grade 1 strain.
While this shouldn’t be a long-term injury, Collins is still in danger of missing Week 2’s game vs. the Bengals, drawing attention to Dalton Schultz for picks on PrizePicks.
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