Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins was ruled out for the team's Week 2 game against the Cincinnati Bengals after injuring a hamstring during a midweek practice, according to the Texans' official injury report. Collins, 27, was listed as limited in Wednesday's practice because of the injury and as a non-participant in Thursday's and Friday's practices.
Texans rule out receiver Nico Collins for Week 2 against Bengals after hamstring injury
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins was ruled out for the team's Week 2 game against the Cincinnati Bengals after injuring a hamstring during a midweek practice, according to the Texans' official injury report. Collins, 27, was listed as limited in Wednesday's practice because of the injury and as a non-participant in Thursday's and Friday's practices.
Collins was healthy at the start of Wednesday's practice and tweaked his hamstring later in the session, the report said. He met with team doctors after the practice, and the injury is not believed to be "serious" and does not appear to be long term, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter who was not named in the report.
Collins also dealt with a hamstring injury in 2024, when he was placed on injured reserve and missed five games in the middle of the season. He opened 2026 with seven receptions on 10 targets for 75 yards, all team highs, and a touchdown in the Texans' Week 1 loss at home to the Buffalo Bills. The six-year veteran has been Houston's leading receiver in each of the last three seasons, eclipsing 1,000 receiving yards in each campaign.
His absence is another loss for the wide receiver group, which already lost Jayden Higgins to a torn ACL during joint practices with the Las Vegas Raiders last month. Higgins, a 2025 second-round pick, was projected to be the Texans' No. 2 wideout alongside Collins after a strong training camp, following a rookie season with 525 receiving yards and six touchdowns.
After Higgins' injury, Houston acquired wide receiver Kayshon Boutte in a trade with the New England Patriots in late August. The main group of receivers heading into Week 2 will be Jaylin Noel, Xavier Hutchison, Jared Wayne and Boutte.
The Texans also ruled starting right guard Ed Ingram out for the game with a groin injury.
- The source does not state the date of the Week 2 game against the Bengals.
- The source does not state how many games Collins is expected to miss.
- The source does not state the terms of the trade that sent Boutte from the Patriots to the Texans.
- The source spells one receiver's surname two ways, as "Hutchison" in the text and as "Hutchinson" in a linked player page URL.
- The source does not name the person who told ESPN's Adam Schefter that the injury is not believed to be serious.
- No Texans official or player is quoted in the source commenting on the injury or on how the receiving group will be reshaped.