Texans List Seven Starters on Injury Report Before Patriots Game

The Houston Texans and New England Patriots have each revealed their first injury reports of the week following one of three team practices for the week, where for the Texans in particular, they'll have seven of their starters listed as either limited participants or DNPs.

Here's the full injury landscape following the Texans' and Patriots' first practices:

Houston Texans Injury Report

– LB Azeez Al-Shaair: LIMITED (knee)
– CB Kamari Lassiter: LIMITED (ankle/knee)
– WR Nico Collins: DNP (concussion)
– S Jaylen Reed: FULL (knee)
– RB Jawhar Jordan: LIMITED (ankle)
– LS Austin Brinkman: FULL (knee)
– OG Tytus Howard: LIMITED (ankle)
– OG Ed Ingram: LIMITED (shoulder)
– OT Aireontae Ersery: FULL (thumb)
– OT Trent Brown: DNP (ankle)
– WR Justin Watson: DNP (concussion)
– DT Sheldon Rankins: LIMITED (elbow)
– DE Denico Autry: DNP (knee)

Of all the Texans' injury report entries that sound the alarms the most is wide receiver Nico Collins, who was a DNP for Houston's first practice of the week as he traverses through the NFL's concussion protocol.

Given that Collins suffered his second concussion of the season against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football, it puts real risk on the Texans' star receiver being able to suit up on such a short turnaround on the road in New England, which could leave Houston and their passing attack without their top target, who's led the team in both receptions (71) and reception yards (1,117) for a third-straight season.

He'll still have two more chances in practice before being officially ruled out for the action, which leaves the situation as one to monitor over the coming days.

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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Along with Collins, the Texans' offense saw another starter sitting out in practice, that being veteran right tackle Trent Brown, who was listed as a DNP with an ankle issue.

Brown played each of the Texans' 68 offensive snaps throughout the night in Pittsburgh, which wouldn't hint that Houston's starting right tackle suffered an in-game injury. However, the team opted to hold him out for at least one practice session for the week, leaving two more ahead for a chance to get back in the action.

Outside of those two, the remaining starters listed were deemed a limited participant, boding well for their status once the weekend rolls around.

Azeez Al-Shaair, Kamari Lassiter, and Sheldon Rankins were among those on the defensive end seeing a shift in their practice availability, while a couple of Houston's offensive linemen, left guard Tytus Howard and right guard Ed Ingram, were held out offensively. To this point, each of them still appears ready to go for their divisional matchup.

New England Patriots Injury Report

– OT Morgan Moses: DNP (knee)
– OT Thayer Munford Jr.: DNP (knee)
– CB Christian Gonzalez: LIMITED (concussion)
– TE Hunter Henry: LIMITED (knee)
– LB Anfernee Jennings: LIMITED (knee)
– RB Terrell Jennings: LIMITED (concussion)
– LB Harold Landry: LIMITED (knee)
– DT Khyiris Tonga: LIMITED (foot)
– CB Alex Austin: FULL (wrist)

The Patriots have a few key starters on their own injury report as well. Starting right tackle Morgan Moses is the only DNP amongst them, but the one name to monitor will be Christian Gonzalez, who was ruled out during the middle of their Wild Card victory over the Los Angeles Chargers due to a concussion, and now remains in concussion protocol.

Gonzalez was able to be a limited participant, though, which could be a sign that his status for this weekend is trending in the right direction, and would be a tough matchup for this Texans offense to face up against, especially if they're without their own star in Nico Collins.

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