ESPN Reveals Strong Opinion of Houston Texans’ Nico Collins

The Houston Texans should want to feed Nico Collins as much as possible this season.

With Tank Dell out for the year, they will be relying on Collins alongside a pair of rookie receivers and Christian Kirk. The conclusion from the above is that Collins should be given as much as he can handle by third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud, who is primed to overcome a sophomore slump in 2024.

Collins was already a major factor for the offense last season, totaling 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns, but his numbers took a stark hit from his 2023 breakout campaign in which he went for 1,297 yards and eight touchdowns. The 26-year-old has truly shown he is among the best of the game. He was a first-time Pro Bowl receiver in 2024.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, with the help of league insiders, executes, coaches and scouts, took a look at the best receivers in the game. His list had the Texans star at No. 8. Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase came in at No. 1 with Vikings' Justin Jefferson at No. 2.

Here's part of Fowler's breakdown on Collins.

"Collins is one of three NFL receivers to produce at least three yards per route run in 2024 (minimum of 75 targets). And he averaged 85.3 receiving yards per game over the past two seasons, the fifth-best mark in the NFL," Fowler wrote.

The Texans lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs last season after annhilating the Los Angeles Chargers. With one of the best defenses in the NFL, much of the offensive load will be carried by Collins and Stroud, and the expectation is certainly that they'll be able to take on that challenge.