The Houston Texans dropped some surprising news on Friday afternoon, listing their starting quarterback as questionable. So is C.J. Stroud playing? He was a full participant in practice on Wednesday and Thursday before logging a limited session on Friday. Let’s look at the most recent C.J. Stroud injury updates as we assess whether he will be available in Week 2.
UPDATE (9/17/23 at 10 a.m. ET): C.J. Stroud is expected to start Week 2’s Colts-Texans game, per the latest from NFL Insider Ian Rapoport.
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C.J. Stroud Injury Update: Is Houston’s Rookie Playing Sunday?
C.J. Stroud Injury Update
The injury to C.J. Stroud came out of nowhere. He apparently suffered an injury to his throwing shoulder during practice sometime this week. Details on the injury are scarce, but the limited session looks more like an attempt to get Stroud some rest than a serious issue that could keep him out of Sunday’s game — although throwing shoulder injuries are no joke.
Per Texans insider Aaron Wilson, Stroud is expected to at least try to play on Sunday. He’ll likely need to look good in pre-game warmups for the Texans to send their rookie out there against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2. Despite the concerning reports about Stroud, Houston is a 1-point home favorite.
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Is C.J. Stroud Playing for Houston in Week 2?
So is C.J. Stroud playing for Houston in Week 2? We don’t know, and we likely won’t know until right before kickoff. The Texans’ decision will likely come down to what Stroud can do in pre-game warmups. Throwing shoulder soreness would have a direct effect on Stroud’s performance, so if the issue is lingering, the Texans would be wise to keep the rookie off the field.
If Stroud can’t go, the Texans will turn to last year’s starter, Davis Mills. Mills isn’t a great quarterback, but he isn’t a huge downgrade from Stroud at this point in their careers. Whoever starts for Houston may have to work behind an offensive line without star tackle Laremy Tunsil, who is questionable after missing two practices and only logging a limited session on Thursday.
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