'Big Target': Can Nico Collins Help Texans Jump Over Raiders in Week 7?
HOUSTON — Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins was one of seven players listed on the injury report ahead of a Week 7 match against the 1-4 Las Vegas Raiders.
Collins was dealing with an Achilles issue and a wrist injury that sidelined him for Monday's work. But after two consecutive days of going through a full practice, Collins will take the field at Allegiant Stadium alongside the rest of his teammates.
With Collins active, will the second-year wideout see an increase in his targets on Sunday?
"Nico Collins is a big target," coach Lovie Smith said. "He can catch the ball. He can jump. Starting from the L.A. [Rams] preseason game, we’ve gotten a chance to see that. He’s a tough matchup against defensive backs."
Smith has raved about Collins since training camp in August. Collins' on-field attributes as a receiver impressed Smith, and he became a standout in part due to his 6-4 stature.
Smith said Collins' height made him a match-up nightmare for the opposing team. And during the Texans' Week 5 victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Smith's vision came to fruition.
With 8:26 left in the fourth quarter, second-year quarterback Davis Mills connected with Collins for a 22-yard gain. ... a suggestion of more to come.
When examining improvements to make during the bye week, Smith said his goal for the second half of the season is to get Collins more involved within the Texans' offense.
After recording a team-best 65 yards on four catches in the Texans' 13-6 victory at TIAA Bank Field, Collins is currently leading the team in receiving yards with 272.
"As much time on tasks as we can get together is going to help both of us," Mills said. "Nico (Collins) is going to go out and make plays when he gets the ball thrown at him, so we just have to continue doing that."
Collins' play through the first five games is somewhat impressive considering he has just 27 targets. Veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks, who has 32 fewer reception yards than Collins, leads the team with 42 targets during the first quarter of the season.
The Texans will need both, and more, to try to jump from 1-3-1 on Sunday.
You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24
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