Jaxon Smith-Njigba vs Nico Collins: Who Should You Start?
Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Nico Collins are both viable fantasy wide receivers heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Jaxon Smith-Njigba averaged 17.7 PPG across 17 games with the Seattle Seahawks, while Nico Collins posted 12.7 PPG in 15 appearances for the Houston Texans.
A 5.0-PPG gap gives Jaxon Smith-Njigba the edge on paper, but paper does not account for Thursday night matchups, weather games, or a star defender returning from injury. The real question is not who was better in 2025, but who is the better start this specific week.
Target volume is the story here. Jaxon Smith-Njigba saw 163 targets in 2025, while Nico Collins drew 120. That workload gap usually translates into a higher weekly floor for Jaxon Smith-Njigba, even in weeks where Nico Collins posts the bigger ceiling game. Consistency-minded managers lean toward target share; boom-bust managers chase the upside.
One scheduling note: Jaxon Smith-Njigba is off Week 10 and Nico Collins Week 14. If these two are on your roster, you will need a fill-in wide receiver for both weeks. DraftCall flags bye conflicts so you can plan ahead rather than panic on waivers.
