HOUSTON — The absence of Pro Bowl receiver Nico Collins has coincided with a clear offensive downturn for the Houston Texans. In the three games Collins missed because of a hamstring injury, Houston averaged 16 points and lost 20-6 to the Cincinnati Bengals despite C.J. Stroud throwing for 353 yards last week, according to the report.
Coach DeMeco Ryans called Collins “one of the top receivers in the league” and said others must fill the void. “A lot of guys have to step up to fill that void left by Nico,” Ryans said, adding that the team must find ways to make plays without him.
Collins did not practice Wednesday or Thursday as Houston prepared to travel to Indianapolis, and the team’s cautious approach to soft-tissue injuries usually signals he will not play, the report said. Collins had rested in the Week 18 finale against the Colts last season, when starters did not play the second half of a 38-30 victory.
Offensive production without Collins has been inconsistent. Over those three games, Stroud averaged 294 passing yards per game and threw three touchdowns and five interceptions, four of which came in a playoff loss to the New England Patriots. No receiver topped 70 receiving yards in that span; Xavier Hutchinson (69) and Jaylin Noel (63) did so against the San Francisco 49ers in 2025, and Jayden Higgins had 59 receiving yards against the Patriots. Higgins is expected to miss the season, leaving Houston without its top two wideouts, according to the report.
Houston also failed to score a touchdown in the loss to Cincinnati. Tight end Dalton Schultz had 140 yards on 12 catches, while Kayshon Boutte and Hutchinson led the wide receivers with 37 yards apiece. Stroud went 8-of-20 for 102 yards against man coverage in Week 2. The Texans rank better than only nine teams with a 3.7 yards-per-carry rushing average, the report noted.
Stroud stressed the importance of third-down play after going 5-of-17 in those situations. He faced third-and-7 or longer on 12 of 16 dropbacks and converted two first downs. When targeting Collins since being selected No. 2 in 2023, Stroud’s QBR is 91 with a 22-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio; his QBR is 45 with a 48-25 ratio when targeting anyone else, according to the report. Since the start of last season, the Texans rank last in red-zone touchdown percentage at 46 percent (league average 58 percent).
