NicoCollins

News: 1 hour agoCollins' enhanced production over the last two weeks is partially due to deploying him more often in the slot, Sam Warren of the Houston Chronicle reports. He's accumulated 16 catches on 25 targets for 228 yards and a touchdown during a two-game winning streak.

Spin: Collins has been a key factor in the Texans getting to .500 for the season. A coaching decision to scheme him open appears to have worked. During the two-game streak, he's been targeted seven times from the slot, more than he had in his first seven games combined, and those targets have led to success. Collins caught a pivotal fourth-quarter pass for 22 yards in the Week 10 win over Jacksonville and had three catches for 31 yards from the slot, including a touchdown, in Week 11's win over Tennessee. Collins and the Texans will be challenged to repeat that success this week in Thursday's night game against the Bills, who rank second in the NFL with 169.7 passing yards allowed per game.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Collins is entering his fifth NFL season having established himself as one of the league's top receivers over the last two years. After breaking out with an 80-1,297-8 receiving line in 15 games in 2023, Collins posted a 68-1,006-7 line in 12 games last season. He was a top-10 fantasy WR on a per-game basis in both seasons. The missed games are a concern (he's missed at least two games in all four seasons), but he offsets that with elite play (top 3 in YPRR two years in a row). With Stefon Diggs gone and Tank Dell uncertain to play in 2025, Collins is ticketed for massive usage as C.J. Stroud's clear No. 1 target. He's a solid WR1 option in fantasy.