The Houston Texans will face the New York Giants on Sunday without four starters: running back David Montgomery, nickel defender Jalen Pitre, safety Reed Blankenship and right tackle Blake Fisher were ruled out after none of them took part in a single practice this week.
The one piece of good health news for the 2-4 Texans is on the outside. Tank Dell, listed as questionable with a knee designation, practiced fully on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and was moved to the active roster on Saturday. He is in line to play his first NFL game in 673 days.
We have activated Tank Dell to the active roster and made other roster moves. pic.twitter.com/xtuPFJ6ijf
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) October 24, 2026
Who is out and why
Montgomery (groin) and Pitre (shoulder) were both hurt in the 26-3 win at Tennessee on Sunday, October 11, and DeMeco Ryans called each of them week to week the next day. Neither played in London a week later, when Houston edged Jacksonville 34-31, and neither has practiced since. Woody Marks has handled the lead running back job in Montgomery’s absence.
Blankenship was ruled out with a concussion during that game against the Jaguars and also carries a hand injury on the report. Fisher missed the whole week with a thumb injury. Losing Pitre and Blankenship together leaves the secondary thin, which is why Houston also elevated cornerback Bryce Hall from the practice squad for the game, along with linebacker Kenneth Murray.
Who practiced fully
Several players who started the week on the report finished it as full participants and carry no game status: linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (knee), tight end Dalton Schultz (quad), linebacker Henry To’oTo’o (shoulder), tackle Trent Brown (wrist), defensive end Logan Hall (knee), guard Ed Ingram (back and hip) and tight end Brevin Jordan (foot). Al-Shaair and Schultz both sat out Wednesday before building up through the week.
Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney did not practice Friday, but that was a scheduled rest day, and he has no designation.
What it means against New York
Dell gives C.J. Stroud another target at a time when the running game is without its most experienced back. Dell had 98 catches for 1,376 yards and 10 touchdowns in his first 25 games before the knee injury in December 2024.
The Giants arrive with problems of their own. Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds went on injured reserve this week and cornerback Greg Newsome II (concussion) is out, tight end Theo Johnson is doubtful with a neck injury, and cornerback Paulson Adebo, tackles Jermaine Eluemunor and Marcus Mbow, and safeties Jevón Holland and Tyler Nubin are all questionable. The full list for every team is on our injury report page.
What comes next
The Texans host the Giants at Reliant Stadium on Sunday, October 25, at 1:00 p.m. EDT; the final word on who plays comes with the inactive lists 90 minutes before kickoff. Follow it on the Game Center. Houston then has its bye week before visiting the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, November 8, at 4:05 p.m. EST, which gives Montgomery, Pitre and Blankenship two more weeks to get healthy.
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