Can Phillip Dorsett Help Texans Fill Void Amid Nico Collins Injury?

Veteran wide receiver Phillip Dorsett is coming off his most productive game of the season.

Amid the Houston Texans' Week 7 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, Dorsett caught a pair of balls for 45 yards, while the latter resulted in a 25-yard touchdown from quarterback Davis Mills.

Dorsett's contributions came at a vital time for coach Lovie Smith, given that the Texans will be without second-year wideout Nico Collins due to a groin injury.

"He made some big plays in our last game, and that warrants more time and targets," Smith said. "Phillip has great speed and can do a lot for us. It was good to see him make a few good plays. We need him."

Smith says he sees Dorsett's role changing with Collins out. It's an opportunity Dorsett has been waiting for since he joined the Texans last December. 

In the two games Dorsett played before going down with an ankle injury last season, he played a prominent role in helping the Texans average 35.5 points in a win against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Chargers.

Dorsett's role has diminished during his second season with the Texans. But Sunday's match against the 4-2 Tennessee Titans could be the start of Dorsett reclaiming his importance within the franchise.

"The big thing is speed and just consistency," Mills said. "He’s going to be in the right spot at the right time, knows defenses well, knows what he needs to do versus different looks to end up in the same spot based on what we need from the concept. We can trust him in doing that, and he’s going to have the speed to get there."

Since joining the Texans, Dorsett has appeared in eight games while recording 167 yards on nine catches and one touchdown.