Nico Collins remains a legit No. 1 threat in the NFL despite the Houston Texans‘ slow offensive start. Do the numbers back that up, according to Pro Football Focus?
PFF’s Lauren Gray compiled the rankings through five weeks of the NFL season to pinpoint which pass-catchers have been among the league’s best. Heading into Houston’s Week 7 showdown against the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football, Collins barely cracks the top 30, appearing in at No. 27.
“Collins caught four passes for 52 yards in the Texans‘ blowout win over the Ravens,” Gray wrote. “He created space across the middle for a 24-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage. He later caught a 10-yard touchdown in the second quarter to extend Houston’s lead to 13. Collins finished the day with a 149.6 passer rating when targeted. He now has three touchdown catches in his past four games.
“Collins’ 2025 stat line includes 22 catches for 312 yards, as well as 10 first downs and nine explosive gains. Three of his five targets in Week 5 came from between the numbers, where he’s been targeted 16 times through the first five games. Collins has caught 13 of those passes for 153 yards and six first downs, earning himself a 72.7 PFF receiving grade.”
It might seem crazy to see a receiver like Collins barely cracking the top 30, but a slow start for the offense in general this season likely has been the biggest factor. Teams have been triggering on Collins’ 6-foot-4 frame and ability to win over single-man coverage, thus leading to more double coverages and forced passes downfield by C.J. Stroud.
He has shown himself to be back to his playmaker self the last two weeks, mostly in the win over Baltimore at M&T Bank Stadium. Coming off the bye week, it will be interesting to see how he responds to Stroud’s tempo and consistency as a playmaker.
The Texans hit the road for a showdown at Lumen Field on ABC next Monday, Oct. 20.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans: Where does Pro Bowler Nico Collins fall on PFF’s WR rankings?
