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The Houston Texans faced a harsh reality last week against the Cincinnati Bengals with Nico Collins out of their lineup.
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Houston failed to score a touchdown, losing by a final score of 20-6 and falling to 0-2 on the season. Despite quarterback C.J. Stroud throwing for 353 yards, it was tight end Dalton Schultz, not one of Houston’s wide receivers, who led the team with 140 receiving yards.
In fact, no Texans wide receiver finished with more than 37 yards, with Xavier Hutchinson and Kayshon Boutte each hauling in just three receptions for that total. The lack of a high-end wide receiver behind Collins is quickly becoming a glaring problem.
There was hope that Collins would return for a pivotal Week 3 game against the Indianapolis Colts, but that now appears unlikely. Collins was not spotted at practice Wednesday, and according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, the star wide receiver is dealing with a Grade 1 hamstring injury and is not currently expected to play Sunday.
#Texans coach DeMeco Ryans no update on Nico Collins: ‘Still seeing how he progresses with his recovery.’
Grade 1 hamstring injury, per source, and not currently expected to play vs. #Colts
Likely same receiver personnel this week again
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) September 21, 2026
The stakes for the Week 3 matchup aren’t just high for Houston, as the Colts are also 0-2. Neither team wants to start the season with a third straight loss and dig an even deeper hole in the AFC playoff picture.
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Houston will need one of its receivers to step up in a big way if Collins isn’t able to suit up. While Hutchinson hasn’t had many big statistical games in his career, Boutte has. It’s why the team went out this offseason and acquired him from the New England Patriots for safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round pick.
Boutte scored six touchdowns last season, showing a nose for the end zone while also playing a key role in the Patriots’ run to the Super Bowl. The Texans know that well themselves, as Boutte scored a touchdown against them in their loss to New England in the AFC Divisional Round.
Second-year wide receiver Jaylin Noel hasn’t lived up to the expectations that came with Houston selecting him 79th overall in the third round last season out of Iowa State. The 24-year-old has caught just three passes on seven targets thus far this season.
Noel’s college teammate Jayden Higgins was expected to take a leap as the No. 2 wide receiver behind Collins this season, but a torn ACL during training camp stopped that from happening.
Even if Collins does play Sunday, Houston’s lack of a reliable No. 2 wide receiver isn’t going away. Whether it’s Boutte, Hutchinson or Noel, the Texans desperately need someone to step up.
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This story was originally published September 23, 2026 at 1:21 PM.