Nico Collins vs Troy Franklin: 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. Troy Franklin (Denver Broncos) came in at 8.5 PPG over 17 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.
Nico Collins carries a 4.2-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.
Both are workload receivers with similar target shares. Nico Collins turned 120 targets into 1117 yards and 6 touchdowns, while Troy Franklin converted 104 looks into 709 yards and 6 scores. When target volume is this close, game script and defensive matchup typically decide the weekly winner.
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.
