Young Houston Texans player finally gets the respect he has earned from his peers across the NFL

From NFL.com: "Collins was one of the few Texans offensive players who lived up to the massive weight of expectations last season. He surged out of the gates with three 100-yard receiving performances in his first five games. He likely would’ve made it four, too, considering he already had 78 yards on two catches at the time of his Week 5 hamstring injury.

"Although Collins wasn’t quite as prolific upon his return in Week 11 and beyond, he remained one of the league’s preeminent deep threats and C.J. Stroud’s surest bet at success -- descriptions likely to fit him again this year amid a remade WR room in Houston. Collins caught 29 passes as an isolated receiver this season for a league-leading 545 yards, 127 more than any other player. His 164 receiving yards over expected on those target s ranked second in the NFL, 2 yards behind Ja'Marr Chase."

It’s great to see Collins get his due after being snubbed from the list last year. He actually wasn't as productive in 2024 as he was in 2023 thanks to having to miss five games with a hamstring injury. However, Collins was still great for Houston when healthy, recording 68 receptions for 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns — which earned him a Pro Bowl selection.

The year prior, he caught 80 passes for 1,297 yards and eight TDs. Collins has established himself as one of the best young wide receivers in the NFL not only from a statistic standpoint, but by his sharp route running against all types of coverages. If he can stay healthy and put together the best year of his career in 2025, he could enter the discussion as an elite receiver.