"The beard is gone, a casualty of the Indianapolis Colts' bye week.

"Hopefully, this will make me a little faster,'' Colts receiver Reggie Wayne said with a smile, rubbing his chin where light stubble has replaced a heavy beard. "Hopefully, this is more me.

"Since (Austin) Collie is down and Dallas (Clark) is down, I've got to bring back the ol' me.''

Wayne has been quarterback Peyton Manning's go-to receiver the past four or five seasons, and that responsibility figures to increase beginning with Monday night's meeting with the Houston Texans in Lucas Oil Stadium.

Clark, the Pro Bowl tight end, is out for the season with a displaced tendon in his right wrist. Collie is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery on his right thumb.

With those two in the lineup, Manning still directed more of his passes (65) at Wayne than anyone else, and the four-time Pro Bowl selection responded with 45 receptions and 602 yards, both team highs.

Wayne anticipates business as usual, from Manning and opposing defenses.

"My workload's still going to be the same,'' he said.

Although Clark and Collie will be missed, the cupboard is hardly bare. Anthony Gonzalez is expected to return after missing the past five games with a high sprain to his right ankle, and Pierre Garcon, who is battling a hamstring injury that has limited his practice time, should be in the starting lineup against Houston.

Wayne said he's had to battle double coverage much of the season, and that certainly won't change with Clark and Collie out of the mix. What might help free him up is moving him around in the formation rather than leaving him at his normal spot split out wide left."