The Houston Texans are preparing for a crucial Week 9 matchup as they look to build on their recent success. Nico Collins missed last week’s game with a concussion that sidelined him for the first time this season. Will fantasy football managers get their elite receiver back for this week’s game against the Denver Broncos?
Nico Collins Injury Update
Collins sustained a concussion during the fourth quarter of the Houston Texans’ Week 7 loss to Seattle when he fell hard while attempting to secure a back-shoulder pass from C.J. Stroud. The Pro Bowl receiver was covered by Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe when he leaped for the catch, ultimately falling to the turf with the back of his head striking the ground hard.​
Collins was immediately holding his head after the fall and required medical assistance to get to his feet. He was quickly escorted to the blue medical tent for evaluation before being taken to the locker room, where he was officially diagnosed with a concussion and ruled out for the remainder of the game.​
As predicted last week, Collins missed at least one game with the concussion, which is standard for players entering the NFL’s concussion protocol. He did not practice at all during Week 8 and was ruled out for the game against the San Francisco 49ers, which the Texans won 26-15.​
The good news is Collins returned to practice on Wednesday, which represented significant progress through the protocol. ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime reported that Collins returned to practice along with Christian Kirk, who has also been dealing with a hamstring strain.​
Players who return to practice on Wednesday typically have a strong chance of being cleared to play by Sunday, assuming they continue progressing through the remaining phases of the protocol.​
Collins practiced in full on Thursday and officially cleared the concussion protocol. He will play on Sunday against the Denver Broncos.
Collins Fantasy Outlook
Collins’ expected return couldn’t come at a better time for fantasy managers and the Texans’ offense. The 26-year-old has been C.J. Stroud’s most dependable target this season, recording 26 receptions for 339 yards and three touchdowns through six games before his injury.
While the Texans managed to defeat San Francisco without Collins, getting impressive performances from Xavier Hutchinson, Jaylin Noel, and Jayden Higgins, having their top receiver back will significantly boost the passing attack. Collins remains a WR1 option when healthy and should resume that status against a Denver defense that will be missing reigning Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II due to a pectoral injury.
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Collins has missed at least two games in every season of his NFL career, making this concussion his first absence of 2025. The fact that he’s already back at practice suggests the protocol is going smoothly and he should be ready for Sunday.
Fantasy managers should expect Collins to return against the Broncos and immediately slot back into his role as Stroud’s primary target. His presence will also help elevate the fantasy value of the entire Texans passing attack.
