Mike Evans vs Nico Collins: Who Should You Start?
Mike Evans and Nico Collins are both viable fantasy wide receivers heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Mike Evans averaged 8.7 PPG across 8 games with the San Francisco 49ers, while Nico Collins posted 12.7 PPG in 15 appearances for the Houston Texans.
A 4.0-PPG gap gives Nico Collins 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. Nico Collins saw 120 targets in 2025, while Mike Evans drew 61. That workload gap usually translates into a higher weekly floor for Nico Collins, even in weeks where Mike Evans posts the bigger ceiling game. Consistency-minded managers lean toward target share; boom-bust managers chase the upside.
One scheduling note: Mike Evans is off Week 9 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.
