The absence of Nico Collins was notable for the Houston Texans during their 23-20 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, but his return may be imminent. Reports from KPRC2 Sports’ Aaron Wilson suggest that Collins could be ready to play next weekend against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.
Collins had a strong start to the game, amassing 78 yards on two receptions before suffering a hamstring injury while making a 67-yard touchdown catch late in the first quarter. Following the touchdown that put the Texans ahead 14-3, Collins was seen limping off the field and went to the medical tent before heading to the locker room for further assessment.
Prior to the game, Collins led the NFL with 489 receiving yards from 30 receptions; his performance increased his total to 567 yards. If he remains healthy, Collins is on track for an impressive season, projected to achieve 128 catches for 2,078 yards and nine touchdowns, solidifying his status as a primary target for quarterback C.J. Stroud.
In the previous week’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Collins had an outstanding performance with 12 receptions for 151 yards and one touchdown on 15 targets, which helped secure a 24-20 win.
If Collins is unable to play, the Texans still have a strong receiving corps featuring Tank Dell, Stefon Diggs, and tight end Dalton Schultz. In his debut against his former team, Diggs led the team with six catches for 82 yards. Dell, who sat out the last game, caught four passes for 38 yards.
The Texans are set to kick off their match against the Patriots next week at noon CT.