Nico Collins has established himself as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL over the past two years.
A third-round pick by the Houston Texans in the 2021 NFL Draft, Collins broke out in 2023 with 80 receptions for 1,297 yards and eight touchdowns. He followed that up with 68 catches for 1,006 yards and seven TDs in 2024, earning a Pro Bowl selection.
Collins' explosiveness has made him one of the toughest WRs in the league for defenders to cover. A new rankings list from the folks at Pro Football Focus solidify that sentiment, as they identified the top WRs against both man and zone coverage from the 2024 season. Collins earned a top 5 grade in each category.
Collins' man coverage grade: 92.0 (No. 3 overall)
From PFF: "Collins recorded the second-best PFF receiving grade against man-coverage looks in 2023 (92.1), averaging 6.7 yards after the catch and leading the league in yards per route run (4.43). That production continued in 2024, as he earned a near-identical 92.0 PFF receiving grade and again averaged 6.7 yards after the catch. Collins secured 19 of 29 single-coverage targets for 345 yards and a touchdown. He gained 17 first downs and ranked first in yards per route run (4.01) despite missing five games."
Collins' zone coverage grade: 90.5 (No. 2 overall)
From PFF: "Like Nacua, Collins recorded 90.0-plus PFF receiving grades against man and zone coverage in 2024, making them the only two receivers to accomplish the feat. Collins caught 50 zone targets for 726 yards (ninth most) and a touchdown. He gained 252 yards after the catch, averaged 5.0 additional yards per reception and ranked fourth in yards per route run (2.75). He also secured nine of 12 contested targets, forced seven missed tackles and gained 32 first downs against zone."
In 2025 Collins will look to stay healthy and play in every game, something he hasn't been able to do throughout his first four years in the NFL. If he can, he should be able to put up the best numbers of his career. With the additions of Christian Kirk and Jaylin Noel, Collins could get open against defenders even more.
