The Houston Texans are visiting the Gillette Center in Foxborough, Mass. to take on the New England Patriots for the second AFC Divisional Round playoff game of the weekend. However, C.J. Stroud might be without one of his favorite targets on Sunday, as Nico Collins is injured.
Collins has shown that he and CJ Stroud can connect with one another very well, with him catching 71 passes for 1,117 receiving yards for six touchdowns, He averages 15.7 yards per reception and is an important part of the Texans’ offense. However, the big question is, will he play or not?
Nico Collins Injury Update
Nico Collins is currently undergoing concussion protocols and has so far not passed it yet. With the Texans now releasing their final injury report ahead of Sunday’s big game, it confirmed that two Texans players will be out of action, and one of them is Nico Collins, as he appears not to be anywhere near clearing the protocols by gametime.
The wide receiver missed all three practice days, from Wednesday to Friday, as he underwent concussion protocols, which he must clear in order to be able to play again. He is listed as WR1, so losing him would be a massive blow to the Houston Texans offense, especially as Stroud usually targets him the most.
Who Will Replace Nico Collins Today?
With the WR1 out, the one to step in should be fellow starter WR2 Jayden Higgins, followed by WR3 Christian Kirk. This leaves the question of who will be the one to fill up the third starting wide receiver slot now that Higgins and Kirk have been elevated. The answer should be WR4 Xavier Hutchinson if the depth chart is to be believed.
Hutchinson has already played several games this season for the Houston Texans, and he has proven that he can be a reliable target for the quarterback. The former Iowa State Hurricane currently has 35 receptions for 428 passing yards and three touchdowns, averaging 12.2 yards per reception.
His biggest game was back in January against the Indianapolis Colts as he caught five receptions for 84 yards. While he did not convert any of them to a touchdown, he has shown that he could become a viable backup for their star wide receiver in Nico Collins.
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