NFL Week 2 player prop: Collins gets his fill

After opening last season with a tie, Houston and Indianapolis were almost equally terrible the rest of the way, ending up separated by a single game in the AFC South basement. But their league standing resulted in top-5 draft positions, and each franchise selected a quarterback with its first pick. Barring another tie or an injury setback, either the Texans’ C.J. Stroud or the Colts’ Anthony Richardson will earn his first NFL victory today, and we’re backing a top target as our preferred prop:

The bet: Over 3½ receptions for Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (DraftKings)

Blessed with a rare combination of size (6-4) and speed (4.4 40-yard dash), Collins fits the profile of a No. 1 receiver. And he has assumed that mantle following Brandin Cooks’ offseason trade to the Cowboys.

Collins developed a rapport with Stroud in the preseason, when he caught the quarterback’s only touchdown pass, and he was frequently the first read against the Ravens a week ago. Targeted a total of 11 times, he finished the eventual 25-9 loss with six receptions for 80 yards.

As covered in last week’s recommendation of Jaguars wideout Calvin Ridley, the Colts are breaking in several young players in the secondary. By allowing Trevor Lawrence to complete 75% of his throws in the opener, their defense now ranks in the bottom 10 for passing yards on both a per-play and per-game basis.

That’s music to the ears of Collins, who needs merely the equivalent of one catch in each quarter for this bet to cash.