Fantasy Football WR1 Battle: Picking Between A.J. Brown And Nico Collins
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As the fantasy football season approaches, players will be forced to make tough comparisons for potential draftees. At wide receiver, A.J. Brown and Nico Collins are both expected to make massive impacts for their respective teams. Both star receivers turned into 1,000-yard campaigns in 2025, and will look to carry that momentum into the 2026 NFL season.
On one hand, Brown is set to suit up in a new situation after being traded to the New England Patriots earlier this offseason. In New England, Brown will suit up as Drake Maye’s premier target in a passing offense that ranked fourth in the NFL a season ago.
On the other end, the Houston Texans’ passing attack is looking for a rebound performance after a modest No. 14 finish in 2025. Collins sustained solid volume, though his ceiling was limited due to injuries within the offense, paired with lackluster offensive line play that hampered star quarterback CJ Stroud.
Both currently rank among the top-25 in real-time ADP projections, but who makes the better case to be drafted first in fantasy? Let’s compare the two and their respective fantasy outlooks for the 2026 season:
A.J Brown Or Nico Collins?
I’ll start by stating that I believe both Brown and Collins will live up to their ADP projections this year. Both will command WR1 volume and should likely each eclipse 110 targets, respectively, laying a strong foundation for production throughout the year. The pair have each dealt with nagging injuries over the past year, but managed 15 games in 2025.
Despite slight dips in production over the past two years, Brown was a fantasy force in each of his four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. He mustered 1,000 yards in each of those seasons, earning two All-Pro nods in that time.
Collins has shared similar consistency. He’s posted at least 1,000 yards for three consecutive seasons, though his heights of production have yet to match that of Brown in an offense that has suffered far greater inconsistency.
The Verdict
Making a decision off ceiling and consistency, I’m going to pick Brown for those two aspects. Brown has posted 5,000 receiving yards over the last four seasons, suiting up in at least 15 games in three of those four seasons. With a fresh start in New England during the peak of his career, I’m confident he’ll return to his 2022 form with yet another All-Pro-caliber campaign. None of this is to say Collins won’t manage such production, but it’s hard to ignore the ceiling Brown presents for the 2026 campaign.
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Ethen Hutton is a MLB, WNBA, College, and Fantasy contributor at On SI. Previously, he's covered the NBA, WNBA and NFL for Sportskeeda. Hutton is also a passionate fantasy football player and an immense music lover.