Houston Texans Injury Report: Jadeveon Clowney limited in practice

Having 14 players listed on their Wednesday injury report, the Houston Texans could be without some of their usual starters in their Week 3 game against the New York Giants.

Seven Houston Texans players were listed as limited participants on their Wednesday injury report, including four wide receivers, a starting tight end, a starting defensive pass rusher and a defensive back as they prepare to face the New York Giants.

At total of 14 players combined were listed as either limited or full participants on Wednesday for the Texans they and the Giants are both 0-2 on the season.

After missing last Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans — which was a 20-17 loss by the Texans — defensive end and outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney was limited on Wednesday due to a back injury. In Week 1 when Clowney made the start against the New England Patriots where he collected two combined tackles and no sacks.

Clowney is a much needed part of the defensive puzzle of the Texans, and it shows when he’s not on the field. It is just simple, the Texans aren’t as good of a defense when Clowney is injured. With it being so early in the season it is more important for him to be healthy 100-percent than playing injured and risk being injured even worse.

At wide receiver listed as limited were Sammie Coates Jr. (hamstring), Keke Coutee (hamstring), Will Fuller (hamstring) and DeAndre Hopkins (thumb/ankle).

This part is a little worrisome for the Texans even if both Hopkins and Fuller both played this past Sunday. When both Hopkins and Fuller played during the same week as they did last Sunday against the Titans both Hopkins and Fuler each earned 100-plus yard receiving days. Hopkins finished with six receptions for 110 yards and one touchdown, while Fuller had eight receptions for 113 yards and one touchdown.

If both Fuller and Hopkins are healthy, the Texans offense has a chance to be dangerous each week. For that to happen they both must be in the lineup to make defenses think about who should draw top coverage because both are very talented wide receivers who deserve to have top coverage against the each snap.

Also listed as limited in practice on Wednesday were tight end Ryan Griffin (hip) and cornerback Kavon Webster (Achilles).

Others on the injury report as full participants were: cornerback Johnson Bademosi (knee), defensive end Christian Covington (thigh/knee), outside linebacker Duke Ejiofor (hamstring), safety Kareem Jackson (ankle), outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus (shoulder), offensive tackle Martinas Rankin (ankle) and defensive end J.J. Watt (knee).

For the Giants three players were listed as did not participate. Those players included: cornerback Eli Apple (groin), linebacker Connor Barwin (knee) and linebacker Olivier Vernon (ankle). Listed as limited participants were wide receiver Kaelin Clay (ankle) and tight end Evan Engram (ankle).

Having so many players listed as limited early in the week makes for an interesting remainder of practices before Sunday’s game in Houston. The Texans will most likely have most of the players listed on this injury report available for Sunday’s game, but only time will tell which players that will be.