The Houston Texans have what may be the exact kind of player one would end up with by inputting preferred raw physical and athletic data in Nico Collins.
A two-time Pro Bowler, Collins has developed into one of the NFL’s premier playmakers, and he joins teammate and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair in continuing to garner recognition for what he has accomplished so far.
The scary thing for Texans opponents is that Collins can be even more impactful.
Nico Collins Draws Strong Words From Texans Rival
GettyNico Collins remained in the No. 8 spot on ESPN’s poll on the top-10 wide receivers.
Collins has posted three straight 1,000-yard seasons, and two of his three efforts have come with starting quarterback C.J. Stroud missing time. Collins is up to 289 grabs for 4,347 yards and 24 touchdowns in his career.
The two-time Pro Bowler held serve, maintaining his No. 8 spot in a poll of NFL executives, coaches, and scouts, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on July 15.
One unnamed “personnel exec” said that Collins “has the traits that you would draw up if building a receiver from scratch,” adding that he has a “combination of size, strength and speed, route running, hands and ball skills.
“Can make plays when contested and is physical after the catch.”
Fowler noted that Collins had “around 25%” of his receptions cover 20-plus yards last season, and that his 1,000-yard season streak is the longest in Texans’ history.
“Collins was also tied for second in receptions of 40 or more yards last season with five,” Fowler wrote. “Collins is a true outside receiver who stretches the field, averaging 15.0 yards per reception over his five-year career. His drop rate of 1.7% (two drops on 119 targets) ranked seventh among receivers with a minimum of 100 targets last season.”
Some voters left Collins off their ballots entirely, but some others ranked him as high as third on the annual list. Another strong campaign could give Collins a strong argument to crack the top-5 players at his position in 2027.
Nico Collins a Bargain for Texans
GettyNico Collins’ contract structure is key to assessing his value to the Houston Texans.
Using the poll as a baseline, the Texans are getting Collins for a relative steal. He is far from undervalued in Houston, though. Collins is signed through 2027, beginning a two-year, $60 million revised deal that he received in May.
His pact ranks 10th in average value, 16th in total guaranteed money, and 24th in total value, per Over The Cap. The latter is heavily weighted by the length of the deal.
That Collins’ contract ranks seventh in fully guaranteed money is the most telling point.
In addition to his impact on the field for the Texans, Collins is also a consummate professional and teammate. However, the lone knock against him is a major one, and something the Texans have navigated throughout his career: injuries.
Nico Collins’ Lone Red Flag is Significant
GettyNico Collins has yet to put together a full regular-season slate with the Houston Texans.
Collins missed two games during the regular season and a third in the playoffs in 2025, mostly due to concussions. His 15 appearances tied a career high.
If availability is the best ability, then Collins has fallen a little short so far with the Texans.
His deal sets him up for another, potentially more significant payday in 2027, if not sooner. But Collins will almost certainly need to display better durability to warrant another significant raise from the Texans or another team.
Texans Get Strong Words as $60 Million Pro Bowler Keeps Spot