Nico Collins is coming back. The Houston Texans wideout, sidelined since Week 2 with a hamstring injury, practiced Wednesday and Thursday this week and is set to return against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4.
The timing could not be more urgent for a team that has started 0-3. Houston lost Week 2 and Week 3, falling to the Cincinnati Bengals and the Indianapolis Colts, while Collins watched from the sideline. The offense averaged just 11.5 points per game without him. With Collins in the lineup, though, the Texans scored 31 points in the season opener against the Buffalo Bills.
Coach DeMeco Ryans knows what the team loses when Collins sits. He made that clear on Wednesday.
“Everyone understands and knows the type of player Nico is,” Ryans said. “He’s an explosive playmaker any time he’s touching the ball, any time he’s on the field, he’s a threat. Defenses have to prepare for him and they have to do different things to adjust for him, so we’re happy to have Nico back.”
The Injury That Cost Two Games
Collins hurt his hamstring during a Week 2 practice. The Texans have been without him since, and the offense has struggled for it. The two-game stretch without him was a quiet period for the team. The Bengals and Colts were solid opponents, but the offense could not find a rhythm without its biggest weapon.
The contrast with Week 1 is stark. Houston put up 31 points against the Bills with Collins in the lineup. That performance suggests the offense simply runs better when he is available. The gap between the two stretches is the story of the early season.
Why Collins Matters So Much
Ryans described Collins as a threat whenever he touches the ball. That is not hyperbole. Collins is a Pro Bowl wideout, and his presence changes how defenses have to plan. When Collins is on the field, teams have to do different things to adjust for him. It is a coach talking about a player who forces multiple layers of preparation. It is a compliment, and it explains why his absence showed up in the scoring.
The coach’s words matter here. Ryans did not just say Collins is good. He said the whole defense has to change how it prepares when Collins is involved. That is the kind of impact that separates a star from a role player.
A Borderline Must-Win Game
Houston sits 0-3 heading into Week 4. This is a borderline must-win game for the Texans to keep any hopes of making the playoffs alive. The only team to ever start 0-4 and make the postseason were the Chargers in 1992.
That history hangs over the game. A fourth loss would put Houston in uncharted territory. The winless record is disappointing for a team that had Super Bowl aspirations. Instead, the Texans are staring at a season that has gone sideways.
But there is precedent for a turnaround. In 2025, Houston sat 0-3 after three weeks before finishing the regular season winning 12 of its remaining 14 games.
That is the path the Texans can still follow. Twelve wins out of 14 is a remarkable run, and it shows what this team can do when things click.
What Returns With Collins
The offense gets more than just Collins back this week. Ed Ingram, the starting right guard, returns from missing the last two games.
The Road Ahead
The immediate task is simple: beat the Cowboys. The team has shown it can win with Collins. The question now is whether it can hold on to the results when the stakes are higher.
Here is how the two stretches compare:
| Without Collins | With Collins | |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 2 and 3 | 11.5 points per game | — |
| Week 1 | — | 31 points vs. Bills |
The gap is real. The difference between those numbers tells you everything you need to know about Collins’ value to this offense. It also tells you what the Texans lose when he is out.
The Texans are desperate for a win. Collins gives them a chance. The offense has firepower when he is healthy, and his return changes the equation against a Cowboys team.
The pressure is on. A win would keep playoff hopes alive. A loss would push the team toward a history it does not want to repeat. Collins is back, and that is the best news the Texans could have asked for this week.
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