Nico Collins Fantasy Football Wild Card Preview: Rankings, Projections & Matchup

Nico Collins enters Wild Card Weekend as a top fantasy wide receiver option thanks to elite usage, strong production, and a favorable matchup vs. the Steelers’ secondary.

Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (12) celebrates his touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth quarter at NRG Stadium. | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Nico Collins lived up to his preseason draft wide receiver ranking (WR7) by finishing eighth in wide receiver scoring (227.20 fantasy points over 15 games) in PPR formats. He wasn’t as explosive as in the previous two seasons, highlighted by him gaining over 100 yards in three contests (8/104/1, 7/136, and 4/121). Collins also had three other starts with over 20.00 fantasy points (9/92/1, 5/98 with a seven-yard rushing touchdown, and 3/85/2).

He set a career high in targets (120) while gaining over 1,000 receiving yards for the third consecutive season (71/1,117/6). Collins had six games with double-digit targets (11, 10, 11, 15, 10, and 10) but had five chances or fewer in five matchups. His catch rate (59.2%) was lower than his previous two seasons (73.4% and 68.7%).

The Pittsburgh Steelers ranked 28th vs. wide receivers (208/2,777/17 on 341 targets). They allowed 13.4 yards per catch, with a better rating in catch rate (61.0%). Here’s a list of wide receivers who had the most success vs. Pittsburgh:

• Garrett Wilson (7/95/1)
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba (8/103)
• Jordan Addison (4/114)
• Justin Jefferson (10/126)
• Ja’Marr Chase (16/161/1)
• Tee Higgins (6/96/1)
• Josh Downs (6/57/1)
• Alec Pierce (6/115)
• Michael Pittman (9/115)
• Ladd McConkey (4/107/1)
• DJ Moore (5/64/2)
• Zay Flowers (8/124)
• Zay Flowers (4/138/2)

The Steelers’ wide receiver defense was better over the last six weeks, except covering Zay Flowers (12/262/2)

• BUF (5/32/1 on 10 targets)
• BAL (10/147 on 15 targets)
• MIA (3/36 on six targets)
• DET (17/238/2 on 30 targets)
• CLE (9/116 on 10 targets)
• BAL (6/184/3 on 10 targets)

Collins is my third-highest-ranked wide receiver for the first week of the playoffs. I have him catching six passes for 93 yards with a 75% chance of scoring a touchdown. In 2023, at home against the Steelers, Collins had an impact game (7/168/2 on nine targets). 

Here’s a look at the wide receiver success over the past five weeks:

• KC (10/173 on 20 targets)
• ARI (5/105/2 on seven targets)
• LV (9/117 on 19 targets)
• LAC (12/221/2 on 20 targets)
• IND (9/117/1 on 17 targets)

The Texans’ wide receivers have gained over 200 yards in five of their last 11 matchups. They have 212 catches for 2,688 yards and 18 touchdowns on 346 targets in 2025. Their wideouts gain 12.7 yards per catch with some weakness in their catch rate (61.3%).