Start A.J. Brown or Nico Collins? Week 7

Our Week 7 call

Start Nico Collins over A.J. Brown in Week 7.

Market-based projections have Nico Collins at 18.8 points and A.J. Brown at 15.3, a gap of 3.5. No player market is posted for Nico Collins this week yet, so his 18.8 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 4, 5 and 6 (24.7, 16.4 and 15.4); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. Drafters take Nico Collins at ADP 21 and A.J. Brown at 17.

What the market projects

No Week 7 player market is posted for Nico Collins yet. His market-based projections were 24.7, 16.4 and 15.4 points in Weeks 4, 5 and 6, an average of 18.8, which stands in until his Week 7 market posts.

The market-based projection for Nico Collins is 0.6 touchdowns (8 market sources).

Player markets imply 15.3 fantasy points for A.J. Brown, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market-based projection for A.J. Brown is 69 receiving yards, 5-6 receptions and 0-1 touchdowns (12, 9 and 12 market sources).

That puts Nico Collins 3.5 points ahead of A.J. Brown on these projections.

Week 7 matchups

Nico Collins and HOU host NYG on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

NYG allowed 31.1 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 6 games, the 14th fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 132 yards and 1.2 touchdowns a game against NYG.

A.J. Brown and NE visit CHI on Thursday at 8:15 PM ET.

CHI allowed 31.5 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 6 games, the 15th fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 160 yards and a touchdown a game against CHI.

By points allowed to the position, A.J. Brown has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Nico Collins is not on the injury report.

A.J. Brown is listed as questionable with a ankle injury.

Usage before Week 7

Through Week 6, Nico Collins played 71 percent of HOU snaps, drew 23 percent of the targets, earned 31 percent of the air yards and had 16 percent of the red zone chances.

Nico Collins, Week 1 against BUF: 57 of 79 snaps, 1 carry for 7 yards, 10 targets and 7 catches for 75 yards, 1 touchdown.

Nico Collins, Week 4 against DAL: 38 of 55 snaps, 8 targets and 7 catches for 118 yards, 2 touchdowns.

Nico Collins, Week 5 against TEN: 47 of 66 snaps, 7 targets and 5 catches for 56 yards.

Nico Collins, Week 6 against JAX: 46 of 63 snaps, 1 carry for 5 yards, 5 targets and 3 catches for 74 yards.

Through Week 6, A.J. Brown played 60 percent of NE snaps, drew 23 percent of the targets, earned 24 percent of the air yards and had 19 percent of the red zone chances.

A.J. Brown, Week 1 against SEA: 31 of 71 snaps, 4 targets and 3 catches for 26 yards.

A.J. Brown, Week 6 against NYJ: 52 of 68 snaps, 10 targets and 3 catches for 27 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Nico Collins played 15 games for HOU and scored 226.2 PPR points, 15.1 a game, finishing WR8.

He caught 71 of 120 targets for 1117 yards and 6 touchdowns, with 16 red zone targets and 793 air yards.

He was on the field for 77 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, A.J. Brown played 15 games for PHI and scored 220.3 PPR points, 14.7 a game, finishing WR11.

He caught 78 of 121 targets for 1003 yards and 7 touchdowns, with 12 red zone targets and 735 air yards.

He was on the field for 91 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

A.J. Brown, Week 17 of 2025 against BUF: 48 of 54 snaps, 7 targets and 5 catches for 68 yards, 11.8 PPR points.

Their other Week 7 calls

• Start Amon-Ra St. Brown over Nico Collins.
• Start CeeDee Lamb over Nico Collins.
• Start Nico Collins over Chris Olave.
• Start A.J. Brown over Carnell Tate.
• Start CeeDee Lamb over A.J. Brown.
• Start A.J. Brown over Chris Olave.