Should I Start Nico Collins in Week 3? WR Fantasy Football Rankings Analysis

Boomshakalaka! In NBA Jam (an early 1990's video game for the uncultured), when a player hits twice in a row, he's heating up. Once that third shot goes in, he's on fire.

If Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins has another strong performance in Week 3, the sideline staff will need fire extinguishers.

The 2023 season is still young, however, and Collins wasn't drafted to be a fantasy football starter. Managers may have some difficult decisions to make when debating whether Collins has earned a spot with their starters.

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Nico Collins Fantasy Football Outlook

Collins has been the go-to receiving option for quarterback C.J. Stroud through the rookie's first two NFL games. With six catches for 80 yards in Week 1 and seven catches for 146 yards and a touchdown in Week 2, Collins landed as the sixth-highest-scoring receiver entering Week 3.

The Texans have been playing from behind for seven of the eight quarters this season. Attempting to make a comeback, Stroud has thrown 91 passes for 626 yards. That's the fourth-most passing yards by a rookie QB in NFL history during that span. Game scripts should continue to benefit this Texans' passing game as the season progresses.

Nico Collins Wide Receiver Rankings Analysis

The ranking staff at RotoBaller places Nico Collins just outside the WR2 range this week. In PPR formats, the former Michigan Wolverine ranks 45th overall and 25th among wideouts for Week 3.

Chris Godwin and Michael Pittman Jr. round out the top 24 at the position this week, but Collins ranks ahead of guys like George Pickens, D.J. Moore, and Zay Flowers. If you selected running backs early in your draft, or you're dealing with injuries to your receivers (Cooper Kupp or Christian Watson), Collins may be a near lock for your lineup.

Should I Start Nico Collins In Week 3 Fantasy Football?

The Texans will likely once again find themselves in a negative game script. As of this writing, the Jaguars are an 8.5-point favorite. Baltimore and Indianapolis each scored at least 25 points against Houston. Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne Jr., Calvin Ridley, and Christian Kirk should have no issues scoring as much, if not more. Their implied point total is 26.5 points.

If the game script follows what Vegas oddsmakers are telling us, the Texans will need to pass to keep up with Jacksonville. Treat Nico Collins as a low-end WR2 in Week 3.

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