HOUSTON (AP) — Houston receiver Nico Collins will miss Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals with a hamstring injury.
Collins was injured during Wednesday's practice and did not participate in practice Thursday or Friday before being ruled out.
He had seven catches for 75 yards and a touchdown in Houston's season-opening loss to Buffalo.
Collins, who is in his sixth season, has had at least 1,000 yards receiving in each of the last three seasons.
Offensive coordinator Nick Caley was asked how Houston's game plan would be affected if Collins couldn't play on Sunday before he was ruled out.
“The good thing about the offense is we have a lot of guys that we have trust in,” he said. "I would say this, that we go through our reads and the ball finds the open guys. C.J. (Stroud) does a good job distributing the football. I think you saw that last week. We have guys that have a lot of experience with them and have played a lot of football and we’ll go through it like that.”
Stroud completed passes to 11 different players in the opener.
Starting guard Ed Ingram, who has a groin injury, defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (knee) and linebacker Jake Hummel (groin), were also ruled out for the Texans on Friday.
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Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (12) catches a pass as Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford (47) defends during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Carson Wentz will start at quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, with Kyler Murray still in the NFL concussion protocol and ruled out for the game at Chicago.
Murray was a limited participant in practice all week and simply ran out of time to make more more progress after taking an illegal hit to the head in the first quarter of his debut for Minnesota in the season opener.
Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said he expects Murray to clear the protocol early next week and be able to play at Tampa Bay on Sept. 27.
“Kyler showed a lot of progress,” O’Connell said. “He’s doing well.”
Murray took a jarring hit to the side of his helmet that drew an unnecessary roughness penalty on Green Bay safety Javon Bullard, leaving Murray in the type of defensive pose that can accompany brain trauma.
Because Murray didn't slide feet first and forward, he left himself open to contact, even though Bullard's lowered shoulder was deemed excessive as Murray ducked toward the turf.
“He plays with such explosiveness that he was trying to go feet-first, but he ended up going kind of sideways,” O'Connell said. “The game speed and the velocity of the play ended up putting him in a risk-worthy opportunity there for him to get hurt, and luckily it seems to be we avoided anything serious. Just how he’s feeling, I’m very encouraged about what next week looks for him.”
The eighth-year player — who signed with the Vikings after being released by Arizona — was eventually able to slowly walk off the field under his own power. He was alert and interacting with teammates in the locker room afterward and looked spry on the practice field this week.
Wentz threw three touchdown passes in relief of Murray to help the Vikings close the game with 29 consecutive points in their 39-22 victory. J.J. McCarthy will be the No. 2 quarterback at Chicago. Against Green Bay, McCarthy was the emergency No. 3 quarterback who can only enter the game if the first two are injured.
The Vikings also ruled out wide receiver Jauan Jennings, who hasn't practiced all week because of a personal family matter. Running back Jordan Mason is also out for at least four games because of a broken thumb. Right tackle Brian O'Neill was listed as questionable with a knee injury that occurred in practice on Wednesday, but O'Connell said he was encouraged by how O'Neill looked on the field on Friday.
Missing Murray, Mason and Jennings will be a challenge in a game the Vikings will likely need a high score to win against a Bears team that put up 59 points last week, but Wentz will at least be more prepared this time than having to come in cold against the Packers.
“It was good to get a lot of reps in, and even just building the game plan and being part of those conversations a little bit more attentively this week,” Wentz said. “It was a good week.”
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Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell responds to a question during a news conference after an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray (1) scrambles under pressure from Green Bay Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (56) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minn. (AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim)
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz (11) drops back to pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minn. (AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim)
