Friday Injury Report: Nico Collins and Rico Dowdle Ruled Out for Sunday

Friday injury reports are the NFL’s weekly reminder that we can never have nice things, and this week's casualties are hitting two struggling offenses right where it hurts.

Ian Rapoport dropped the hammer on Friday afternoon, reporting that the Pittsburgh Steelers have officially ruled out running back Rico Dowdle with a toe injury, while the Houston Texans are shelving wide receiver Nico Collins with a hamstring issue.

"Ian Rapoport tweeted: 'Injury updates: -- The #Steelers have ruled out RB Rico Dowdle (toe). -- The #Texans have ruled out WR Nico Collins (hamstring).'"

Let’s start with Collins, because this one stings. He tweaked his hamstring in practice on Wednesday, and while reports are calling it a Grade 1 strain, that is zero comfort to a Houston offense that looked completely lost last week.

The Texans managed exactly six points against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Now they head to play the Indianapolis Colts without their top target, in a receiver room already gutted by Jayden Higgins' preseason ACL tear. Oh, and Collins missed five games in 2024 with a hamstring injury. Soft tissue problems for a 6-foot-4 receiver are like check-engine lights on a used BMW—they never just go away.

Meanwhile, the Steelers are shutting down Dowdle for a toe injury after he sat out practice all week. Pittsburgh is preparing to host the Bengals, and they desperately need a spark after scoring a grand total of three points against the New England Patriots last week.

Missing a key running back is the last thing you want when your offense is currently operating with the horsepower of a golf cart.

If you were eyeing either of these guys for weekend prop bets, it is time to rip up the slip and start over. The sportsbooks are going to aggressively adjust the lines for both the Texans and Steelers, forcing both teams to rely on backup plans that nobody is excited about.

Looking ahead, Dowdle’s toe might just be a short-term headache, but Collins’ hamstring history is a massive flashing warning sign. Do not be shocked if Houston plays this extremely safe heading into October.