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The AFC South is primed to be one of the more exciting divisions to watch for years to come. With the emergence of C.J. Stroud in 2023 and the tantalizing upside of Anthony Richardson, there will surely be fiercely competitive games between the two. For these quarterbacks to thrive, they must rely on their top passing-game options -- Michael Pittman Jr. and Nico Collins.
Both wide receivers had career years in 2023, finishing 12th and 13th at their positions in PPR fantasy formats (Collins and Pittman Jr., respectively). Expectations will be even higher entering this season.
Collins and Pittman Jr. are nearly back-to-back in NFFC ADP -- No. 23 and No. 28 overall -- and while you could feasibly draft them both if you're picking in the top half of the round, which of these players should fantasy managers call their shot on if they have to choose between the two? Let's take a look.
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Michael Pittman Jr. 2024 Fantasy Football Outlook
Michael Pittman Jr. was an excellent pick in PPR leagues last season. He's been a target hog since his second season in the league (2021), acting as an anchor in the Colts offense despite having seven (!) different quarterbacks throwing him passes in that span.
Pittman's production has been undeterred by whoever was under center, and he's in line for another season of massive volume as we look to 2024. The curl, slant, and dig accounted for a whopping 61.4% of his routes last season in Shane Steichen's offense, and he was superb on all of them. Continued success on these patterns will give Anthony Richardson a dominant underneath target.
While Pittman Jr. scored just four touchdowns in 2023, scoring opportunities should be easier to come by with the dynamic Richardson at the helm of the offense.
Nico Collins 2024 Fantasy Football Outlook
Nico Collins came out of nowhere in 2023, and it was a pleasant surprise, considering most of us got him off the waiver wire or drafted him in the late-late rounds of drafts that summer. He was always an underrated separator; he just never had the quarterback play to support him. That all changed with the drafting of C.J. Stroud.
Making it look easy 😮💨
@lbg_nico7 is the third receiver in franchise history to reach 1,200 receiving yards on the season, joining Andre Johnson and DeAndre Hopkins 🔥 pic.twitter.com/wofkG12yF8— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) January 8, 2024
Collins will have more target competition in 2024 with Tank Dell seemingly healthy and the addition of Stefon Diggs, but there's reason to believe he's still the alpha in the wide receiver room. Diggs started 2023 as hot as anyone at the WR position. Still, his overall route running took a dip in success rates, and his production suffered in the back half of the season despite being the only proven receiving weapon in the Bills offense.
On the other hand, Dell has participated in mandatory minicamp, but I expect him to be hampered at least a little in 2024 as he works his way back from a left-fibula fracture he fell victim to in Week 13 last season.
Collins presents more risk in drafts this season, but he was by far the best separator of this triple threat of wideouts last year. Standing at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, he's also the most durable frame.
Who Should I Draft in Fantasy Football?
I would snag both of these star wideouts for my fantasy squad. If we're splitting hairs, Michael Pittman Jr. should get more volume, which is a more enticing option in PPR formats, while Nico Collins and his big-play ability lend his style to non-PPR formats. Regardless, I believe both players will have fantastic seasons, and fantasy gamers can't go wrong selecting either one as the WR2 for their squads.
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