Colts, Texans Final Injury Report: 2 Total Ruled OUT, 1 QUESTIONABLE

Between the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans, they have ruled two players out and one questionable ahead of Sunday's regular-season kickoff.

Oct 29, 2023; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (1) warms up before the game against the New Orleans Saints at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images / Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

After months of anticipation, the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans will finally kick off their seasons on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium, but there are a few players who may have to watch from the sidelines.

The two teams had a total of three players who were unable to get on the practice field throughout the week, leading to them marking two as out and the other as questionable (but in all sense, unlikely to play.)

Here is the final injury report for both teams leading into their regular-season kickoff.

COLTS

WEDNESDAY

• Did Not Participate — WR Josh Downs (ankle), K Matt Gay (hernia)

THURSDAY

• Did Not Participate — WR Josh Downs (ankle), K Matt Gay (hernia)

FRIDAY

• Did Not Participate — WR Josh Downs (ankle), K Matt Gay (hernia)

• OUT — Downs
• QUESTIONABLE — Gay

Colts head coach Shane Steichen came out on Friday and declared to reporters that Downs would be out and Gay questionable (but wouldn't commit to calling him a game-time decision).

“Yeah, we'll see in the next two days, Steichen said of Gay. "He's feeling good. He's progressing well, and we'll make that decision when we need to make that decision,” later acknowledging that Gay has kicked this week.

If Gay is unable to play, which again feels unlikely given he's had hernia surgery within the last two weeks, then undrafted rookie Spencer Shrader would get the nod.

“Yeah, he's progressing really well," Steichen said of Downs, who was seen sprinting and cutting on a side field during Friday's practice. "I mean, shoot, hopefully sooner than later, for sure. But we're just going to hold him this week and see how next week goes.”

Downs originally suffered a high ankle sprain in early August and has been replaced in the lineup primarily by rookie AD Mitchell, but the Colts have also rotated looks in the slot for Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, and Anthony Gould.

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TEXANS

WEDNESDAY

• Did Not Participate — S M.J. Stewart (knee)

THURSDAY

• Did Not Participate — S M.J. Stewart (knee)

FRIDAY

• Did Not Participate — S M.J. Stewart (knee)

• OUT — Stewart

The Texans are in great shape, health-wise after getting stars Will Anderson Jr. (ankle) and Laremy Tunsil (knee) back in time for the regular season. Stewart is the only player out for them, but he's not a starter, so there should be minimal impact defensively.

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