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When is Nico Collins coming back? Will Nico Collins play again this season? Read about Nico Collins' return date and injury updates for 2026.
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins missed Week 2, and the Houston Texans couldn't get into the end zone in their 20-6 defeat at home against the Bengals without their star receiver. The loss dropped the Texans to 0-2, so they need Collins back as soon as possible from his injury. Collins' fantasy football managers are feeling the squeeze as well after spending a high draft pick on a receiver who is now on the sidelines.
Collins sustained a hamstring injury in practice between Week 1 and Week 2, which resulted in his absence on Sunday.
When is Collins coming back? Will he miss most of the season? Let's dive in!
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Nico Collins Injury Update for Fantasy Football
According to KPRC2's Aaron Wilson, Collins was diagnosed with a Grade 1 hamstring strain after leaving early from practice on Wednesday after Week 1. He also said the team expects him to miss two games, and the injury requires careful management so it isn't aggravated or worsened by returning too soon.
Collins missed five weeks in 2024 with a hamstring injury, but that was a Grade 2 hamstring strain, meaning this will likely be a shorter-term injury.
Even though he avoided serious injury and was not placed on the IR (which would require him to miss four games), Collins seems unlikely to play in Week 3 when the Texans visit the Colts. After Week 2, Coach DeMeco Ryans said there was no update and that the team was "Still seeing how he progresses with his recovery.'
With no clear timetable, Collins will most likely miss a second game and then potentially return to practice before Week 4's matchup with the Cowboys. Fantasy football managers will definitely want to have a plan in place for at least Week 3 without Collins and potentially Week 4 until he is able to get back on the field.
Nico Collins Could Miss Multiple Games With Hamstring Injury https://t.co/qB9R2vVMTx
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) September 19, 2026
Nico Collins Fantasy Football Outlook
Collins was very involved in Week 1 before the injury. He hauled in seven of his 10 targets for 75 yards and a touchdown against the Bills in Week 1. He led the team with 10 targets, with Dalton Schultz ranking second with eight targets. Once he recovers, Collins will likely jump right back into a very involved role. He was clearly the top option, especially since the team lost second receiver Jayden Higgins (knee) to a season-ending injury in the preseason.
Collins has shown he has elite upside when the Texans throw the ball, and they did even without him in Week 2, when QB C.J. Stroud attempted 55 passes and racked up 353 passing yards. Most of those went to Schultz, who caught 12 of his 14 targets for 140 yards. Kayshon Boutte, Xavier Hutchinson, Jared Wayne, and Jaylin Noel all got more work at receiver without Collins, but no one emerged as a potential replacement for the dynamic playmaker.
Since it isn't a long-term injury, Collins managers should definitely hold the WR1 and look for him to return to a starting spot as soon as he's active. Dalton Schultz looks to be the biggest gainer from the injury, and he becomes a top-10 tight end with Collins out. The rest of the wide receivers have boom-or-bust upside, but haven't been strong enough to be direct replacements for Collins.
There are some great receiver options on most leagues' waiver wires, though, with plenty of emerging depth at the position to cover with a plug-and-play option until Collins is back in the game. Managers should consider picking up New York Jets wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, who has fully claimed the No. 2 role in the offense, and also consider rookie wideout Denzel Boston.
Who Should I Pickup Tool
Trying to decide who to pickup off the waiver wire? Check the Who Should I Pickup tool here:
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to pickup...
Who Should I Pickup? Some common 2026 fantasy football waiver wire decisions are regarding players like Adonai Mitchell, Denzel Boston, Dalton Schultz. We are here to help make these waiver wire decisions and build winning teams in 2026. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups in 2026. Our free Who Should I Pickup? tool will help make your fantasy football waiver wire decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to pick up... all free! Make the right decisions.
2026 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - Adonai Mitchell, Denzel Boston, Dalton Schultz. These are some common searches for 2026 fantasy football waiver wire pickups.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player name. In the second box, search for the second player name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Pickup? button to see who the recommended waiver wire pickups are based on fantasy football rankings, projections, and more.
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Popular Waiver Wire Searches. Curious to see some tough waiver wire decisions for 2026? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Pickup? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Pickup
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Pickup tool for 2026 for Adonai Mitchell, Denzel Boston, Dalton Schultz:
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