The Houston Texans will face the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday without wide receiver Nico Collins, who has been ruled out with a Grade 1 hamstring strain suffered during practice last week. Collins missed practice during the week and sat out Houston’s loss to Cincinnati, leaving the Texans without their leading receiving threat for a second consecutive game.
Sports.yahoo.com reported the decision, citing NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Houston and Indianapolis are both 0-2, with each team seeking its first win. The Texans scored six points in a 20-6 defeat to the Bengals. Dalton Schultz may see more work after catching 12 of 14 passes for 140 yards against Cincinnati. Eight of those receptions came in the fourth quarter. Through two games, Schultz leads Houston with 16 catches and 175 yards.
Houston could turn to additional tight ends or its running game. David Montgomery and Woody Marks had limited results against Cincinnati, as Texans running backs averaged 1.5 yards per carry. The Colts have given up 354 rushing yards at a rate of 5.4 yards per carry through two games.
Houston’s other receivers are Kayshon Boutte, Xavier Hutchinson, Jaylin Noel and Jared Wayne. No further information was provided about Collins’ recovery timeline.