Who Is The Texans No. 1 WR? Fantasy Football Outlook

Robert Woods is currently listed as one of the starting wide receivers on the Houston Texans' depth chart, but if he finishes as the top fantasy option this season, things have gone horribly wrong for the team's passing game. He was brought in as a veteran to support the run game, owning PFF's second-highest run-blocking grade among wide receivers in 2022, behind the Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Fantasy players are targeting Nico Collins and John Metchie III as the favorites to be the leading man in Houston. Third-round rookie Tank Dell is also in the mix.

Who will finish as the WR1 in fantasy football for the Texans this season? The answer may depend on what format you play.

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Can Nico Collins Emerge as the Top Option?

Nico Collins enters his third season in 2023, playing ten games last season in his sophomore campaign. After returning from an October groin injury, Collins strung together an admirable four-game stretch. In those games (three of which were played with Brandin Cooks), Collins averaged a healthy nine targets per game and finished as a WR2 twice. Albeit a small sample size, that projects for 153 targets across an entire 17-game season.

Collins has just three dropped passes on 127 career targets. Combining great hands and a 6-foot-4 frame is typically a recipe for success in the red zone. Collins could shine in non-PPR formats, where deep balls and touchdowns pay off more.

Can John Metchie Rebound From a Missed Rookie Season?

The last time we saw John Metchie play in a football game was the 2021 SEC Championship game for Alabama. He tore his ACL in the second quarter. The Texans still took the chance on him in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. As he was preparing for his rookie year, Metchie was diagnosed with leukemia and missed the entire season.

Now healthy, Metchie is turning heads in training camp with his agility and route running.

Metchie's shiftiness could offer a nice return for managers who draft him in PPR leagues. In his junior season for the Crimson Tide, Metchie averaged more than seven receptions per game. If both Robert Woods and Nico Collins take snaps on the outside, that leaves the slot open for Metchie.

The Houston Texans lead the league in vacated targets from the 2022 season, both at the wide receiver position (227) and overall (374). As the adage goes, somebody has to catch passes.

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