The Houston Texans‘ offense has surprised everyone this season. With rookie C.J. Stroud at the helm, he has turned several players into successful fantasy football options. Tank Dell was an incredible surprise, but Nico Collins’s consistency has undoubtedly helped many fantasy managers win multiple weeks and make it into the playoffs.
Collins is currently WR18 on the year and had over 1,000 yards receiving on 12 games played. He is having a breakout season in Houston this year — in the last two seasons, he did not finish with more than 500 receiving yards, and he has already doubled that.
However, the Texans might have to do without Collins this week, as he is battling injury. Will Collins play today?
Is Nico Collins Going To Play Week 16?
Editor’s note: Collins is active for Week 16.
When fantasy managers think of alpha WR, the name Nico Collins does not spring to mind. But the combination of his talent, Stroud’s success, and the solid coaching of DeMeco Ryans has led to Collins’ great year. However, in Week 14, Collins exited the game against the Jets with a calf injury. He only played 5% of snaps in that game.
Collins missed Week 15 due to the injury, but the Texans were able to pull out the win in a close one against the Titans.
He spoke to the media this week about his injury.
“It feels good, man; get back to it, pick up where I left off with the guys. Just looking forward to this week; it’s going to be a great game, man. Continue to be myself, attack this rehab so I can feel better, and continue to ball out.”
He was asked if he plans to play on Sunday and if he will be his classic explosive self, Collins replied, ‘Oh yeah, oh yeah. Oh yeah, I got to (be explosive). That’s the only way you can play, especially with that defense. It’s going to be a man’s game. You’ve got to be explosive. They’ve got a solid secondary.”
Collins is not nervous about catching passes from backup QB Case Keenum either. “Case is a legend, man,” Collins said.
MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
“Case has been around the game a minute. He knows exactly what he’s doing. We’re building that chemistry. We know it’s going to be a different quarterback back there. We’ve got time to build that timing and not miss a beat. I feel like the ball will keep rolling. We’ve got no other choice. The train can’t stop.”
Collins is WR24 in PFN’s Consensus Rankings this week.
Potential Fantasy Options If Nico Collins Is Out Includes Noah Brown and Dalton Schultz
If Collins has to miss another game, the Texans will look towards Noah Brown again, as well as TE Dalton Schultz. Last week, Brown stepped up in the absence of Collins, going for 82 yards and one touchdown.
Schultz also returned from two weeks battling injury to make a solid contribution to the offense with 58 yards receiving.
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