Who Should I Start? Stefon Diggs or Nico Collins

Friday, January 23, 8:47 PM

New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs will be faced with a challenging matchup against the hosting Denver Broncos and star cornerback Patrick Surtain II in the AFC Championship this Sunday. Diggs has had modest production in two playoff games this year, catching six of 11 targets for 56 yards, but he did manage to find the end zone in last weekend's Divisional Round victory over a tough Houston Texans defense. During 17 regular-season games, Diggs ranked 26th among WRs with 102 targets and 29th in half-PPR points per game (9.9). The 32-year-old relied on efficiency (11.9 yards per catch and 68.7% catch rate) over volume in his first year in New England. Diggs scored just four times during the regular season, and he'll be facing a lockdown Denver defense that allowed a season-low four TD catches to receivers in 2025.

Friday, January 16, 3:45 PM

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.