CHICAGO -- Texans tight end
Owen Daniels
will not play against the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football.
Daniels, who has a back injury, was declared inactive 90 minutes before kickoff. He did not practice on Wednesday and Thursday and was “very limited” in practice on Friday, according to Texans coach Gary Kubiak.
Third-year tight end
Garrett Graham
will start in Daniels’ absence. Starting fullback
James Casey
will play more significantly more reps at tight end as well. Graham has 10 catches for 122 yards and a touchdown. Casey has 21 catches for 211 yards and a touchdown.
Daniels is off to the best start of his career, with 37 catches for 478 yards and five touchdowns through eight games. He grew up 30 miles west of Chicago in Naperville, Ill., and said during the week that he was excited about playing at Soldier Field for the first time.
Texans nose tackle
Shaun Cody
is inactive with a ribs injury. Third-year pro
Earl Mitchell
will make his first-career start in his place. Running back
Ben Tate
is inactive with a hamstring injury, leaving
Justin Forsett
as the backup to
Arian Foster
for the second consecutive game.
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