The Houston Texans will not have two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins on the field in Week 2, but they will have new fan favorite Lewis Bond.
"# Texans rookie WR Lewis Bond is being elevated from the practice squad for Sunday's game vs. the Bengals , per a source," the Houston Chronicle's Jonathan M. Alexander reported in a post on X on September 19.
"Standard elevation."
Bond is the second elevation the the Texans have made for their Week 2 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, joining veteran safety and All-Pro special teamer George Odum .
The Texans drafted Bond in the sixth round of the 2026 draft with the 204th overall pick. He was part of the Texans' roster cuts at the deadline to trim down to 53 players. That came as a surprise both because of the work he put in and the apparent fit in the offense.
It was also a surprise due to his popularity.
Collins' status moving forward is unclear. So, this may not be the last time the Texans turn to Bond, who has two more call-ups before they must sign him to the 53-man roster or find someone else.
"With #Texans Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins dealing with a Grade 1 hamstring injury, current expectation is this could sideline him for two games, including Sunday vs. #Bengals and next week on road vs. #Colts, per a league source," KPRC 2s Aaron Wilson reported on X. "Fluid situation, but hamstrings are tricky. Avoided long-term injury, now it's got to heal."
The Texans were fortunate to get Bond back as a member of their practice squad roster to even have him available for this move.
"Hard-hat possession receiver who has delivered with consistency for three consecutive seasons. Bond shines with natural ball skills highlighted by plus catch focus and sure hands to routinely win contested catch battles," NFL.com's Lance Zierlein wrote before the 2026 draft.
"Separation as a pro will be a challenge. He's not shifty enough to beat a pro press and doesn't have the speed or suddenness to break free from sticky man coverage. He might need pre-snap motion or bunch formations to get rolling. Bond will find his best chance with teams who covet pro-caliber ball skills over separation traits."
Bond may not be explosive, but he can be a fine slot option for the Texans.
Houston will turn to Kayshon Boutte , Xavier Hutchinson , Jared Wayne , and Jaylin Noel ahead of Bond, but the rookie should certainly see the field in some capacity.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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