Texans' Brandin Cooks Won't Play vs. Chargers; Not Activated off COVID-19 List

Houston Texans wide receiver Brandin Cooks won't play Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers. 

Per ESPN's Field Yates, Cooks wasn't activated off the reserve/COVID-19 list by the Texans. 

As of Thursday, ESPN's Sarah Barshop noted Houston had 23 players on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Given the circumstances, the team has been operating under the NFL's intensive protocols. 

Cooks has quietly developed into one of the NFL's most reliable wideouts. He entered 2019 with four consecutive seasons of at least 1,000 yards across stints with the New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams, and he recorded 29 touchdowns over that span.

Although he only posted 42 catches with the Rams in 2019, he bounced back with 81 receptions for the Texans last year. He's compiled 80 grabs for 945 yards and five scores in 14 games so far in 2021.

The 28-year-old Oregon State product missed six games during his rookie year in 2014 with a broken thumb. He played in 72 straight regular-season games before suffering a concussion in Week 8 of the 2019 season in L.A. He sat out one game last year with a neck injury.

Chris Conley and Nico Collins figure to see a few extra targets as the top options in the passing game. Chris Moore and Phillip Dorsett are the other options for increased playing time.

Cooks has been one of the few standouts on a rebuilding Houston roster, and the passing game can be expected to struggle in his absence with rookie quarterback Davis Mills under center.