Chairshot NFL News Report (9/19/2026): Wentz Gets Chicago, Collins Is Out & Donald Is Back

Carson Wentz starts against Chicago, Nico Collins is ruled out for Houston and Aaron Donald plans to make his Rams return Monday night.

The final Week 2 injury reports are in, and several offenses will look considerably different Sunday than they did seven days ago.

Minnesota officially ruled out Kyler Murray and will start Carson Wentz against Chicago, Houston lost Nico Collins for its matchup with Cincinnati and Baltimore is unlikely to have Zay Flowers. One major name is moving in the opposite direction, with Aaron Donald planning to make his return Monday night against the Giants.

It’s the Chairshot NFL News Report for September 19, 2026!

Carson Wentz Gets the Start Against Chicago

Minnesota officially ruled Kyler Murray out for Sunday’s game against Chicago because he remains in the concussion protocol. Carson Wentz will make his 100th career NFL start after replacing Murray during Week 1 and throwing three touchdowns while helping the Vikings rally from a 22-10 deficit to beat Green Bay.

This is one of the easier backup-quarterback decisions a team will make. Wentz already demonstrated that the offense can function with him, while Minnesota has no reason to accelerate Murray through a concussion protocol simply to meet a divisional opponent in September.

The game should also tell us whether Wentz’s Week 1 performance represented a veteran taking advantage of one favorable situation or whether Minnesota genuinely has enough around him to survive multiple starts if necessary.

Nico Collins Is Out Against Cincinnati

Houston ruled Nico Collins out of Sunday’s game against the Bengals because of the hamstring injury he suffered during practice this week. Jadeveon Clowney will also miss the game because of a knee injury.

Losing Collins changes Houston’s offense considerably because C.J. Stroud no longer has the receiver who most naturally forces defenses to alter coverage. The Texans still scored 31 points against Buffalo in Week 1, but Cincinnati presents another opponent capable of forcing the offense into a high-scoring game.

David Montgomery’s three-touchdown debut demonstrated Houston has other ways to generate points. Sunday will show whether those alternatives remain as effective when opponents no longer have Collins occupying so much defensive attention.

Aaron Donald Plans to Return Monday Night

Aaron Donald plans to make his 2026 debut Monday night when the Rams host the Giants. Donald returned from retirement on August 30 but was held out of the season opener in Australia while rebuilding football conditioning.

The irony is that Donald’s return arrives immediately after Los Angeles placed Myles Garrett on injured reserve following knee surgery. The pairing everyone imagined when Donald came back still has not played together and will remain delayed for at least several more weeks.

Los Angeles nevertheless needs Donald now. San Francisco ran through the Rams in Week 1, and Monday provides the first opportunity to see whether adding one of the greatest defensive players in league history can immediately change the character of that unit.

Puka Nacua Pops Up on the Injury Report

Rams receiver Puka Nacua was added to Friday’s injury report with a hip issue and did not practice. His availability for Monday night now becomes another significant question for a Los Angeles team already dealing with Garrett’s absence.

The extra day before a Monday game helps, but appearing on the report this late in the week is rarely ideal. Nacua remains one of Matthew Stafford’s most important weapons and would be particularly valuable against a Giants team expected to play physically after controlling Dallas in Week 1.

Los Angeles entered the season with enormous expectations. One bad opening loss does not destroy them, but the injury list is making the path more difficult very quickly.

Zay Flowers Is Doubtful for Baltimore

Baltimore listed Zay Flowers as doubtful against New Orleans because of the hamstring injury he suffered during the Ravens’ Week 1 victory over Indianapolis. Defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike has also been ruled out, while Ronnie Stanley and Trey Hendrickson are questionable.

Flowers was dominant before leaving the opener, producing 150 receiving yards and looking like the most dangerous part of Baltimore’s passing attack. Removing him forces Lamar Jackson to redistribute targets even if Derrick Henry continues giving the offense a reliable rushing foundation.

New Orleans nearly stole an overtime game from Detroit last week, so Baltimore cannot treat the matchup as an opportunity to coast through injuries. The Saints already demonstrated they can produce enough offense to punish a team that starts slowly.

Joe Burrow Is Questionable but Expected to Play

Cincinnati listed Joe Burrow as questionable because of a back issue, although head coach Zac Taylor said Friday that he expects Burrow to play against Houston.

The designation matters more because Houston is already entering compromised on the other side. Collins is out, which potentially reduces the margin Stroud has if the Bengals offense forces another shootout.

Cincinnati would obviously prefer Burrow at full strength, but simply having him available keeps the structure of the offense intact. The Bengals opened with a six-point win over Tampa Bay and now have an opportunity to move to 2-0 against a Houston team already facing more pressure after losing its opener.

Brock Bowers Is Doubtful Against the Chargers

Las Vegas tight end Brock Bowers is doubtful for Sunday’s AFC West matchup with the Chargers as he continues recovering from his knee procedure. Chargers receiver Ladd McConkey is questionable with a rib injury.

The Raiders handled Miami without Bowers in Week 1, which gives them less reason to rush one of the offense’s most valuable long-term pieces. Ashton Jeanty’s return gave Las Vegas another focal point and helped make the missing tight end less damaging than it might otherwise have been.

The Chargers have more urgency after losing their opener to Arizona. An 0-2 start would immediately create pressure inside a division where Kansas City already looked significantly better Monday night.

D.J. Moore Avoids a Major Injury

Buffalo receiver D.J. Moore is believed to have suffered an AC joint sprain during Thursday’s victory over Detroit. His availability for Week 3 is uncertain, but the injury is not believed to be serious.

That is about as encouraging an update as Buffalo could have expected after Moore left the stadium opener. The Bills are already 2-0 and now receive the benefit of additional recovery time following the Thursday game.

Buffalo’s first two weeks have demonstrated that the offense has enough alternatives to survive short-term absences. The goal now should be making sure Moore’s shoulder remains a Week 3 question rather than turning into something the team manages for months.

Week 2 Moves Into Sunday

Sunday’s schedule includes Minnesota at Chicago with Wentz starting, Cincinnati visiting a Houston team without Collins, Seattle facing Arizona while Sam Darnold remains out and Kansas City hosting Indianapolis on Sunday Night Football.

Week 1 gave teams an initial identity. Week 2 immediately begins testing whether those identities survive once injuries remove important pieces.

Minnesota knows it can win with Wentz because it already did. Houston now has to discover what the passing game looks like without Collins, while Baltimore is preparing to lose its most productive Week 1 receiver.

The Rams get the opposite opportunity Monday. Donald finally returns, giving Los Angeles a chance to show that the team embarrassed by San Francisco was not the version everyone will see for the rest of the season.

This report includes information from: NFL.com, Reuters.com, Raiders.com, ESPN.com, and official team injury reports.