Who Should I Start? Nico Collins or Zay Flowers

Wednesday, August 13, 10:38 AM

Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins has looked very impressive during team practices. On Tuesday, Collins was able to find the back of the end zone on a remarkable catch against second-year defensive back Kamari Lassiter. In 2024, Collins posted his second-straight 1,000-yard campaign as he tallied 1,006 yards on 68 receptions. He found the back of the end zone seven times. Despite missing five games due to a hamstring injury, Collins produced as an elite WR1. Through his 12 games, Collins averaged an impressive 17.5 PPR points per game with 83.8 receiving yards per game. During the offseason, Texas added two pass catchers in the draft, such as Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. They also brought in veteran Christian Kirk. With Collins slated to operate as the clear top option for C.J. Stroud once again, he is worth a selection in the first round despite his injury concerns. If he can stay on the field throughout all of 2025, he could make a push to finish as the overall WR1.

Wednesday, July 30, 3:58 PM

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (knee/leg) did not practice on Wednesday, but head coach John Harbaugh said the Pro Bowl wideout had "camp-like" stuff pop up and will get a day or a few days off. It sounds like Flowers is dealing with a minor ailment, so fantasy managers should not be concerned at this point. In his second NFL season last year, Flowers secured 74 of his 116 targets for 1,059 yards and four touchdowns. The former first-round pick out of Boston College has been excellent to start his NFL career, but high-end WR1 upside for fantasy football is likely out of reach thanks to the Ravens' dominance on the ground. Either way, he's a solid WR2/3 or flex option and has the big-play ability to produce spike weeks. His competition for targets in the wide receiver room remains weak entering 2025.