Nico Collins vs Terry McLaurin: Who Should You Start?
Two wide receivers who will land on plenty of the same rosters in 2026. Nico Collins (Houston Texans) finished the 2025 season averaging 12.7 fantasy points per game in 15 games. Terry McLaurin (Washington Commanders) came in at 9.5 PPG over 10 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.
Nico Collins carries a 3.2-point PPG advantage from the 2025 season. That baseline matters, but it is one input among several. Matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and injury reports move the needle week to week, which is why the best answer changes depending on when you are asking.
Target volume is the story here. Nico Collins saw 120 targets in 2025, while Terry McLaurin drew 60. That workload gap usually translates into a higher weekly floor for Nico Collins, even in weeks where Terry McLaurin posts the bigger ceiling game. Consistency-minded managers lean toward target share; boom-bust managers chase the upside.
One thing to note: both players share a Week 14 bye. That means you need a backup plan at wide receiver for that week, especially if one of these two is your starter.
