NFL Trade Rumors: Houston Texans Wide Receiver Nico Collins Expected Back for Week 11

The Houston Texans offense is about to look a lot different. According to KPRC 2 Houston's Aaron Wilson, wide receiver Nico Collins is expected to practice all week and make his long-awaited return to game action for Monday Night Football's showdown with the Dallas Cowboys.

'It's going to help everybody,' how star wide receiver Nico Collins' return against #Cowboys boosts #Texans stagnant offense @KPRC2 https://t.co/eIrMdhd3XP
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) November 13, 2024

Collins was activated from injured reserve last week. He went down early in the Texans' Week 5 23-20 win over the Buffalo Bills. He appeared to strain his hamstring following a 67-yard touchdown grab in the first quarter. He has missed a total of five games.

Collins should instantly and drastically transform the Texans offense. His 567 receiving yards through the first five weeks of the season were, at the time, the most in the league. Since linking up with quarterback C.J. Stroud in 2023, Collins has averaged a team-high 93.2 receiving yards per game at an astonishing 12.1 yards per target. He has been unquestionably one of the most valuable wide receivers in the league.

The Texans offense is in desperate need of added firepower. They're averaging a middling 22.4 points per game, and Stroud, in particular, has regressed precipitously in his second year. The 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year's passing yards per game have dropped from a league-best 273.9 to 237.1, and his net yards per attempt are down from 7.03 to 5.79. Notably, the Texans also lost Stefon Diggs, their second-leading receiver, to a season-ending torn ACL in Week 8.

The Texans currently have a 6-4 record and a comfy 2.5-game lead over the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South, but they've lost three of their last four and actually sport a -2 point differential on the season. If they're going to contend for a Super Bowl this postseason, they'll need Collins to almost singlehandedly lift their offense back into the upper echelons of the NFL.