Houston Texans Fantasy Football News | Shark Bites

Texans WR Nico Collins did not practice on Wednesday and is on the injury report with hip and foot issues. Collins seemed to make it out of Sunday night's win over the Bears OK, and insider Aaron Wilson reports that Collins is expected to play vs. the Vikings this weekend. He should stay penciled into Week 3 fantasy lineups for now.

Texans RBs Joe Mixon (ankle) and Dameon Pierce (hamstring) did not practice on Wednesday. Mixon's injury reportedly isn't serious, but he shouldn't be considered a lock to play vs. the Vikings this weekend. "We’ll take it day-by-day with Joe and his injury and see where he ends up at the week," HC Demeco Ryan said. "Still holding out hope that he can make it.” If Mixon and Pierce both miss Sunday's game, RB Cam Akers would slide in as Houston's early-down back, with RB Dare Ogunbowale playing some passing downs.

Texans insider Aaron Wilson reports that RB Joe Mixon's ankle injury is "not considered long term or serious." Mixon briefly returned to Sunday night's game vs. the Bears after spraining the ankle but eventually gave way again to RB Cam Akers. It sounds like Mixon won't miss a ton of time, but his status for Week 3's meeting with the Vikings is uncertain. Wilson also reports that RB Dameon Pierce is "making fast progress" from his hamstring injury. If neither guy is available this weekend, Akers would be in for a significant workload. Houston also has RB Dare Ogunbowale on the active roster, but he's a passing-down specialist.

Texans QB C.J. Stroud did just enough to beat the Bears completing 23 of his 36 passes for 260 yards and a TD. He locked in on WR Nico Collins throughout the game, who had over 100 yards and a touchdown. The Bears defense got pressure, but Stroud kept his cool and led nearly the entire game.

Texans WR Nico Collins flashed his dominance with a stat line of eight catches on 10 targets for 135 yards and a TD. Collins remains QB C.J. Stroud’s favorite target, especially when he can draw one-on-one coverage, as seen on nearly every Bears blitz. Fear of Collins stats taking a hit with WR Stefon Diggs joining the team has been unfounded so far.

Texans RB Joe Mixon's right ankle got rolled up on in the third quarter of Sunday night's game vs. the Bears. He hobbled off the field and headed into the medical tent. We'll update Mixon's status when we know more. RB Dameon Pierce (hamstring) is inactive tonight, leaving the backfield to Cam Akers and Dare Ogunbowale.

Update: Mixon is officially questionable to return.

Update: Mixon returned later in the third quarter.

Texans RB Dameon Pierce (ankle) is inactive for tonight’s game vs. the Bears. RBs Cam Akers and Dare Ogunbowale are active behind workhorse Joe Mixon.

After missing the first two practices of the week, Texans TE Dalton Schultz (ankle) put in a full workout on Friday and is off the final injury report. It looks like he’ll be available for his usual role vs. the Bears on Sunday night. Schultz checks in 12th in the Week 2 TE Rankings.

Texans RB Dameon Pierce (ankle) is listed as questionable for this Sunday night’s game vs. the Bears. He was added to the injury report on Thursday and then did not practice on Friday, so he’s seemingly on the wrong side of questionable. Pierce’s absence would give Cam Akers a crack at No. 2 RB duties. He’s obviously not a fantasy option behind a healthy Joe Mixon. But we’ll see if Akers can do enough on Sunday night to potentially move past Pierce on the depth chart.

Texans TE Dalton Schultz (ankle) did not practice on Wednesday. There was no injury reported on him during or after the Week 1 win over the Colts, but his status now bears monitoring over the next couple of days. If Schultz can't play vs. the Bears on Sunday night, Houston would be down to TEs Brevin Jordan and Cade Stover. Neither would be a recommended fantasy play.

Texans RB Joe Mixon is "fully healthy" for Week 1, according to insider Aaron Wilson. Mixon missed some time in August and didn't play in the preseason due to a quad injury. But he's been back on the field for a couple of weeks now and will be ready for a full workload on Sunday vs. the Colts.

Texans second-year Edge Will Anderson Jr. might be iffy for Week 1. Anderson hasn't practiced since the week of the Hall of Fame game, which opened the preseason on Aug. 1. HC Demeco Ryans reportedly gave no specific info on Anderson's outlook after Monday's closed walkthrough.

The Texans have placed LB Christian Harris on IR to open the season because of a nagging calf strain. Harris missed a significant stretch of camp with the initial injury and then aggravated it upon his return. He has been designated to return, which means he's eligible to return as soon as Week 5 against the Bills.

Jaguars WR Christian Kirk is feeling good and will practice this week, HC Doug Pederson said Monday, per Sports Illustrated's John Shipley. Kirk missed about a week-and-a-half with a minor calf injury.

Jaguars WR Christian Kirk will not practice this week due to a calf injury, HC Doug Pederson said Monday. Kirk missed the final few practices of last week with what Pederson at that point called a "minor" injury. Pederson again expressed optimism today, saying that Kirk is "feeling good."

Jacksonville's preseason opener found WR Christian Kirk excluded from two-WR sets. The Jaguars opened Saturday's game against the Chiefs with Gabe Davis and rookie Brian Thomas Jr. as the WRs in "12" personnel (two TEs) for the first two plays. Kirk entered for three-WR sets and ultimately played seven snaps vs. nine for Thomas and Davis. (QB Trevor Lawrence played nine as well.) Thomas and Davis ran five routes to Kirk's four. Davis drew the only two WR targets before the first team left.

Texans DE Denico Autry has been suspended six games for violating the NFL policy against performance-enhancing drugs. Autry was slated to start on the DL for the Texans.

Texans RB Joe Mixon has been out of practice since early last week with a hamstring issue. HC DeMeco Ryans downplayed the injury when initially speaking about it on July 23. But Mixon remained out when the team took the field Monday morning, according to Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle.

Texans OC Bobby Slowik gushed about RB Joe Mixon in Saturday's press conference. "He's a fun, fun person to coach," Slowik said with a big smile. "From Day one, showed up and absolutely worked his tail off. I mean you could see right away in Phase two, and in OTAs, like I understand now why he was as good as he was in Cincinnati. He puts in an immense amount of work. He loves football. He does not stop wanting to learn, wanting to grow. ... Workhorse. He’s an absolute workhorse, in every regard. Not just as a ball carrier. He embraces protections. He embraces the other things he can do outside of carrying the ball, as an eligible [receiver], as a decoy."

Texans Wire's Cole Thompson reports that second-round rookie CB Kamari Lassiter "was the talk of OTAs." Thompson says the team drafted Lassiter -- 42nd overall, Houston's first pick of the draft -- with hopes he'd compete for the nickel CB role. But Lassiter "held his own working first-team reps on the boundary" against a strong group of Texans WRs. If Lassiter continues his strong play through training camp, he could compete for the starting gig opposite Derek Stingley Jr. His primary competition for that spot will be Jeff Okudah, a former first-round pick of the Lions who's now with his third team. Okudah signed a one-year, $4.75 million deal with the Texans this offseason.