Even with Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud struggling for the second straight year in 2025, wide receiver Nico Collins managed a third straight 1,000-yard season in his fifth year in the NFL. Collins caught 71 of a career-high 120 targets for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns in 15 regular-season games to finish as the WR9 in half-PPR scoring. His season finished on a sour note, though, as he was unable to play in the Divisional Round loss to the New England Patriots due to a concussion that he suffered in the Wild-Card round of the playoffs. The 26-year-old pass-catcher ranked 15th among all WRs with his 120 targets, and his 12.7 half-PPR points per game were 10th in the league. Collins could see more competition for targets from young wideouts Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel in 2026, but he should still be Stroud's unquestioned top target in the passing game.
Jan 29, 2026 1:25 PM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (concussion) has officially been ruled out for his team's Divisional Round matchup against the New England Patriots, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Collins suffered a concussion during the second half of Houston's Wild Card Round win over the Pittsburgh Steelers and has been unable to clear the NFL's concussion protocol this week. His absence is a huge blow to the Texans' offense. Across 16 games during the regular season, Collins hauled in 71 receptions for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns. Without him, Houston will rely more heavily on wide receivers Christian Kirk, Jayden Higgins, and Xavier Hutchinson. Kirk emerged as one of the stars of the Texans' win over the Steelers, recording eight receptions for 144 yards and a touchdown. Houston tight end Dalton Schultz, who finished second on the team behind Collins in targets during the regular season, could also be called upon to play a larger role.
Jan 16, 2026 3:45 PM EST
Houston Texans Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins (concussion) is missing practice for the third straight day this week on Friday and remains in the league's concussion protocol, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. The expectation is that Collins will be officially ruled out for Sunday's Divisional Round game against the New England Patriots. Collins suffered a concussion in the second half of Monday's Wild-Card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers and was carted to the locker room. He never returned. Fantasy managers in playoff leagues need to avoid the 26-year-old this weekend. In his absence, the Texans will be looking for receivers Jayden Higgins, Christian Kirk (over 100 yards last week), and Xavier Hutchinson to step up in the passing game. Rookie Jaylin Noel could see more targets as well.
Jan 16, 2026 2:44 PM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (concussion) is not at the portion of practice open to the media on Thursday as he remains in the league's concussion protocol, according to Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. Collins is a "long shot" to play on Sunday against the New England Patriots in the Divisional Round, considering the steps he must still clear to be allowed to play this weekend. The 26-year-old suffered a concussion on Monday night in the Wild-Card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers and never returned. He was seen being carted off the field with a towel over his head. He has one more day to return to practice, but this late in the week, Collins' chances aren't great. It's looking like the Texans will ask rookie receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, Christian Kirk, and Xavier Hutchinson to step up on Sunday, with Collins likely unavailable.
Jan 15, 2026 1:18 PM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (concussion) was not seen during the open portion of Wednesday's practice after leaving Monday Night's Wild Card win over the Steelers with a Concussion. The Texans face the Patriots on Sunday, and if he hopes to suit up, Collins will need to clear the league's concussion protocol, which becomes complicated by his prior history of concussions. Collins suffered a concussion earlier this season and was forced to miss time in October. Despite exiting Monday's game early, Collins finished second on the team with seven targets, but was able to gather in only three catches for 21 yards on a night in which quarterback C.J. Stroud was not at his best. If Collins is unable to play on Sunday, Christian Kirk, who led the team with eight catches for 144 yards and a touchdown, will again be tasked with leading an otherwise young and inexperienced receiver room.
Jan 14, 2026 2:41 PM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins has been diagnosed with a concussion and will not return to Monday's playoff contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He exited after hitting his head on the turf on an incomplete pass during the third quarter. Collins was initially listed as questionable while being evaluated, but the team eventually downgraded him to out. He finishes the Wild Card game with seven targets, three catches, and 21 receiving yards. In addition to Collins, fellow wide receiver Justin Watson (concussion), who primarily plays on special teams, has also been ruled out. The Texans will play the final few minutes with Jaylin Noel, Jayden Higgins, Dalton Schultz, and Christian Kirk operating as C.J. Stroud's top targets. Collins is officially in concussion protocol and will have just six days to get healthy before the Texans' Divisional Round game against the Patriots, assuming Houston holds on to defeat Pittsburgh.
Jan 12, 2026 11:09 PM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (head) exited after hitting his head on the turf on an incomplete pass during the third quarter of Monday's playoff contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was quickly listed as questionable, and medical personnel carted Collins to the locker room for a concussion evaluation. At the time of his departure, the 26-year-old receiver had caught three of seven targets for 21 yards. The Texans are leaving the door open for him to return, but he'll first have to clear the NFL's concussion check. In the meantime, Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel, and Christian Kirk should command more targets from C.J. Stroud. If Collins is diagnosed with a concussion, he'd miss the remainder of today's game and would also be at risk of missing the Divisional Round in New England, should Houston advance.
Jan 12, 2026 10:41 PM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins sat out the final week of the regular season for rest purposes, but he's back and ready to go for his team's Wild Card round matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 26-year-old had his second-straight Pro Bowl campaign in 2025, recording 71 receptions for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns on 120 targets across 15 games played. Collins is the clear WR1 in Houston and should heavily feature in the Texans' offensive game plan against the Steelers. Additionally, he will face a Pittsburgh defense that had its struggles defending the pass in the regular season. Pittsburgh finished 2025 ranked 30th in the NFL in passing yards allowed (4,437) and tied for 23rd in passing touchdowns allowed (30). The Steelers also allowed 53 receptions of 20 or more yards, so Collins should have a chance to make plays down the field. Collins averaged 15.7 yards per reception in the regular season and has a career average of 15.0 yards per reception across 66 NFL games. Fantasy managers in playoff leagues should view Collins as a WR1 option in the Wild Card round.
Jan 12, 2026 10:50 AM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins has put together another excellent season as the team's top target, hauling in 71 of his 120 targets for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns in 15 games. The 26-year-old wideout rested in Week 18 with a playoff spot already locked up, and he should be ready to roll in the Wild-Card round against the Steelers. Collins has scored at least 14.2 PPR points in nine of 15 games this season and projects favorably against a Pittsburgh defense that has allowed the fourth-most catches per game (5.4) and the 12th-most receiving yards (63) to opposing WR1s this season. Fantasy managers in playoff leagues should fire up Collins with confidence on Monday night.
Jan 6, 2026 12:44 AM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (coach's decision) will not play in Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Indianapolis Colts, according to Jonathan Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. Collins isn't injured, but Houston is resting him in order to ensure that he stays healthy for the playoff run. The 26-year-old finishes his fifth regular season with 71 catches, 1,117 yards, and six touchdowns. So far, he ranks as the overall WR7 in full-PPR leagues, which is the highest mark of his career. His absence on Sunday should create more opportunities for rookie receivers Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins. Holding Collins out is an interesting move for the Texans, who could finish in any of the three Wild Card seeds and also still have a chance to clinch the No. 3 seed as the AFC South champion. Even without Collins, though, Houston is projected to defeat Indianapolis. DraftKings currently has the Texans favored by 10.5 points on the road.
Jan 4, 2026 9:47 AM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins has remained his team's clear go-to option at receiver this season, but he's only a fringe WR1 this week in a tough Saturday afternoon matchup against the Chargers. Collins has hauled in 68 of his 116 targets this season for 1,060 receiving yards and six touchdowns, and he has at least three catches in every game he has played this season. Last week against the Raiders, he had four catches for 59 scoreless yards, but he found the end zone twice in the previous week against the Cardinals. He's still C.J. Stroud's favorite target both in the open field and near the goal line, so he always brings upside, even in tough, low-scoring games like is expected this week. The Chargers have only allowed eight WR touchdowns all season, but did give up two last week to the Cowboys. Collins is the No. 9 WR in RotoBaller's Week 17 rankings, so he should be started as a top option in most formats, even with slightly tempered expectations.
Dec 26, 2025 8:52 AM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins only had four catches for 59 yards on Sunday against the Raiders, but his team did just enough to still pull out a 23-21 win to extend their winning streak to seven games. Collins was targeted a team-high nine times by C.J. Stroud and drew two key pass interference calls late while also catching a 24-yard pass at the two-minute warning that iced the game. He remains the Texans' go-to option and should be poised to bounce back with better totals next week when Houston's offense will have to be more aggressive against the Chargers.
Dec 22, 2025 6:55 AM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins had his first multi-touchdown game of the season last week, hauling in three of his four targets for 85 yards and two scores. He has at least three catches in each of his 13 games this season and has racked up 1,001 receiving yards to go with his seven total touchdowns. Collins usually gets more targets than he did last week, but the Texans played from comfortably ahead of the Cardinals. A similar game script could be loading for this week against the Raiders, but Collins still brings plenty of upside as C.J. Stroud's go-to target in every scenario. Collins is the No. 6 WR in RotoBaller's Week 16 rankings, and he can be started confidently in all formats for this matchup with the Raiders, who have allowed 16 WR touchdowns in their 14 games this season.
Dec 20, 2025 8:38 AM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins recorded three receptions (four targets) for 85 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 40-20 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Collins got the scoring started early for the Texans, hauling in a 57-yard touchdown on the second play from scrimmage. The star wideout joins a crew of legendary wide receivers with three or more seasons recording at least 1,000 receiving yards with the Texans, alongside DeAndre Hopkins and Andre Johnson. The 26-year-old was quiet for most of the game after his long touchdown, but he later connected with quarterback C.J. Stroud for a four-yard touchdown with just over three minutes remaining in the game. Collins has been one of the best wide receivers in fantasy football over the second half of the season and will look to stay hot next week against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Dec 15, 2025 12:36 AM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins remains the clear go-to option in the Texans' passing game, and he's in a great spot this week at home against the Arizona Cardinals. Collins hauled in four receptions on eight targets for 121 yards in last Sunday's 20-10 win over the Chiefs, and he now has 75+receiving yards in five of his last six games. Collins is up to 916 receiving yards for the season and can get to 1,000 with a good showing this week against the Cardinals, who have allowed four wide receiver touchdowns in the last two weeks and nine on the season, while giving up 146.8 yards per week to the position. Collins is the No. 7 WR in RotoBaller's Week 15 rankings, making him a top starting option in just about all formats in this matchup this week, as he continues to be C.J. Stroud's go-to option as the Texans make their playoff push.
Dec 12, 2025 10:20 PM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins posted four receptions for 121 yards on eight targets during Sunday night's 20-10 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Even in a tough matchup, Collins continued his strong stretch of production in recent weeks, clearing 100 yards for the third time this season. The star wideout has gone over 90 receiving yards in four of the past five games after a somewhat slow start to the season. The 26-year-old is the clear alpha of the Texans' passing attack and remains a top-10 wide receiver in fantasy football. Collins will profile as a high-end option again in Week 15 against an Arizona Cardinals defense that just allowed Rams wideout Puka Nacua to rack up 167 yards and two touchdowns in Week 14.
Dec 8, 2025 12:24 AM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins should continue to get plenty of targets as his team faces an important matchup in Week 14 against the Chiefs, as both teams try to stay in the playoff race heading into the final few weeks of the regular season. Collins has drawn at least 10 targets in five of his last six games and is up to 95 targets in 11 games this season. He has converted those looks into 57 catches for 795 yards and four touchdowns on the year, and last week, he finished with five catches for 98 yards against the Colts, while adding the first rushing touchdown of his career. Collins is one of the top options in the Texans' passing game, which has been effectively high-volume in the past few weeks. He remains a top-10 option with good upside even in a tough matchup against the Chiefs, who have been a slightly below-average matchup for receivers this season. In RotoBaller's Week 14 rankings, Collins is the No. 8 wide receiver, making him still a top receiver in most leagues and a strong start in almost all formats this week.
Dec 6, 2025 7:06 AM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins bounced back from his quiet game in Week 12 with a monster showing in his team's Week 13 win over the Indianapolis Colts. The 26-year-old hauled in five catches for 98 yards on 10 targets and also recorded a seven-yard rushing touchdown. Collins has now hauled in 57 catches for 795 yards and four touchdowns on 95 targets across 11 games this season. Dating back to Week 7, Collins has earned double-digit targets in five out of his last six games played. He clearly has the full trust of Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, who returned in Week 13 after missing two games with a concussion. Houston has also played much better football overall in the second half of the season, as they have now won four consecutive games. Collins profiles as a must-start fantasy wide receiver heading into a critical Week 14 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Nov 30, 2025 9:30 PM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins had a very quiet week last week against the Bills, catching three passes for 55 yards in his team's big upset victory. He only had three targets, which was a sharp drop-off after double-digit targets in each of his previous four games. This week, he'll get starting QB C.J. Stroud back from a concussion, which raises his ceiling and gives the entire offense more upside than with Davis Mills. Collins has totaled 52 catches for just under 700 yards in 10 games, and he'll look to take advantage of a favorable matchup against the Colts, who rank in the top 10 this season in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers. Collins has a very high ceiling, but Stroud could be a little rusty after three weeks off, so there are also some risk factors to consider. He's the No. 11 WR in RotoBaller's rankings for this week, making him a starter in almost all formats, even though he isn't quite a top-10 option at the position after last week's down game and with Stroud ramping back up.
Nov 28, 2025 9:17 PM EST
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins was only targeted three times on Thursday Night, catching all three passes but finishing with only 55 yards. He was not targeted at all in the second half. Despite his down game, Collins' team was still able to pull out a huge win over the Bills, 23-19, to remain right in the middle of the playoff hunt in the AFC. The Texans have won three straight under Davis Mills, but they'll hope to get C.J. Stroud (concussion) back for next week's huge divisional road game against the Colts. If Stroud returns, Collins will have a higher ceiling, but he has gotten so much volume in the rest of his games this season that he should be poised for a bounce-back performance next week, regardless of who is under center.
Nov 21, 2025 7:06 AM EST
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