Texans' C.J. Stroud Addresses Possible Nico Collins Absence

The Houston Texans are looking more and more likely to be without their star wide receiver, Nico Collins, for their upcoming playoff battle against the New England Patriots, as he's now been a non-participant in team practice for two straight sessions as he goes through the NFL's concussion protocol following his head injury vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers.

It's a major loss for a Texans offense that's had its ups and downs throughout the 2025-26 campaign. Collins leads this team in receptions (71) and yards (1,117), and has six total touchdowns while continuously commanding the attention of opposing defenses no matter who's under center, and has been a consistent force in doing so.

However, even while they might be down their top offensive playmaker for their biggest game of the season yet, Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud won't be letting his confidence waver one bit for how this offense might perform while Collins is sidelined––especially with the receiver depth that Houston has shown to have all year.

"We're hoping Nico [Collins] can play, but if not, we've had this experience before, played a couple games this year without him, sadly," Stroud said ahead of facing the Patriots, via Adam Wexler. "All our guys are talented, we have a lot of depth in that room. I have the most confidence in everybody in there to get the job done."

#Texans C.J. Stroud on WR Nico Collins (concussion), "We're hoping Nico can play, but if not, we've had this experience before, played a couple games this year without him, sadly. All our guys are talented, we have a lot of depth in that room. I have the most confidence in…
— Adam Wexler (@AdamJWexler) January 14, 2026

C.J. Stroud Confident in Texans' Chances Without Nico Collins

Stroud and the Texans have had a couple of occasions this season where they've been forced to make it work even without Collins on the field, and as their receiver depth has continued to show, they might have the right depth onboard to patch that hole and make the necessary plays to keep the ball moving downfield.

Rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel have gradually won the respect and trust of the coaching staff throughout the season. Third-year pass-catcher Xavier Hutchinson has been a quality depth fixture in the mix all season. Just as recently against the Steelers, Christian Kirk proved to have a lot left in the tank, as shown with his performance for eight catches and 144 yards with a touchdown.

Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk (13) celebrates after a touchdown with wide receiver Nico Collins (12) during the first half of an AFC Wild Card Round game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

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Of course, it'll be tough to put together a seamless transition offensively while forced without the presence Collins brings. Especially if the Texans are up against a matchup like Patriots star corner Christian Gonzalez on the other side—who's also in the NFL's concussion protocol, though further ahead—the mountain then becomes a bit steeper to climb.

But Stroud has had multiple performances this year, even with Collins healthy and in his arsenal, to show that he loves to spread the ball around his arsenal wherever he sees fit, making the adjustment to playing without him out there on the field just a tad easier.

More clarity will come on Collins' availability once gameday statuses are ironed out before the weekend, but if he is indeed out for his third game of the season, Stroud is assured that he and the offense can make the right tweaks to fill that void and thus move the chains downfield regardless.

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