Who Should I Start? Rico Dowdle or Nico Collins


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
10.7 48.6 0.3 2.0 14.5 0.1

Rico Dowdle News

Rico Dowdle Splits First-Team Work in Preseason Debut

Friday, August 21, 10:02 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rico Dowdle turned five carries into 18 rushing yards and caught his lone target for two yards in a 17-0 preseason loss to the New York Jets. While teammate Jaylen Warren took the field first with the starters, Dowdle ultimately played 10 snaps to Warren's nine and finished with one additional touch. The seventh-year pro handled the entirety of Pittsburgh's second drive before splitting work with Warren on the third possession. Dowdle is unlikely to command a workhorse role as long as Warren stays healthy, but he should still see plenty of opportunities both on the ground and through the air as a reliable pass-catching option for quarterback Aaron Rodgers. He profiles as a fantasy RB3 with upside if the Steelers' offense takes a step forward under new head coach Mike McCarthy.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
15.8 1.0 0.0 5.3 79.8 0.4

Nico Collins News

Nico Collins' Target Outlook Cools After Monday's Trade

Monday, August 24, 11:09 AM

Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins got a little more competition Monday, which matters after Jayden Higgins' season-ending ACL tear had opened the door to a huge target load. Houston is reportedly acquiring Kayshon Boutte from New England for safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round pick. Boutte caught 33 passes for 551 yards and six touchdowns last season, and he gives C.J. Stroud another outside target who can win downfield. The Texans had already signed Zay Jones and Sterling Shepard after Higgins went down. None of those moves knocks Collins off the top line. He has topped 1,000 yards three years in a row and finished 2025 with 71 catches for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns. It does change the volume math a bit. Collins looked set to absorb a huge share of the passing game once Higgins was lost, and Houston has now spent several days adding veteran help plus Boutte. RotoBaller has Collins 23rd overall in its latest PPR rankings. He's still a WR1, just with a little less room for the monster target spike fantasy managers could have pictured last week.


Rico Dowdle vs. Nico Collins

Still trying to decide between Dowdle and Collins? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Rico Dowdle is projected to score 10.7 points this week while Nico Collins is projected to score 15.8 points.