NFL Trade Rumors: Houston Texans Place Wide Receiver Nico Collins on Injured Reserve

One of the NFL's very best players will miss at least the next four games. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Houston Texans are placing star wide receiver Nico Collins on injured reserve due to a hamstring injury suffered in Week 5's 23-20 win over the Buffalo Bills.

Texans are placing WR Nico Collins on injured reserve due to his hamstring injury. He will be sidelined a minimum of four games.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 9, 2024

Collins played a mere nine snaps over three drives in Sunday's victory but still managed to make a massive impact. He secured both his targets for 78 yards, including a thrilling 67-yard touchdown to put the Texans up 14-3 late in the first quarter. His absence was keenly felt over the remainder of the game: the Texans scored nine points over their final nine drives, including 19-yard and five-yard field goal drives set up by favorable field position.

Even while missing most of Week 5, Collins has arguably been the most valuable pass catcher in the league through the early portion of the 2024 season. His 113.4 receiving yards per game lead the NFL, and he's doing it all at a staggeringly efficient 12.6 yards per target. He was on pace to blow away his breakout 2023 season in both metrics, where he averaged an impressive 86.5 receiving yards per game and 11.9 yards per target over 15 appearances.

Collins' absence will be a devastating blow for the Texans. Even with his excellent play, they've disappointed on offense this year: Their 20.4 points per game rank 19th in the league. Losing their best pass catcher could leave them scrambling for answers in the coming weeks. Luckily, their schedule could be a lot worse: They face the New England Patriots (1-4), Green Bay Packers (3-2), Indianapolis Colts (2-3), and New York Jets (2-3) in their next four games.

If Collins can make it back immediately after the minimum four-game absence, the Texans should be okay. They've given themselves a bit of a cushion in the AFC South by amassing a 4-1 record. So long as Collins can take the field for Weeks 10 and 11 when the Texans play the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys in consecutive weeks, the Texans should still be able to win the AFC South decisively and maybe even compete for the top seed in the conference.