Start Nico Collins or Zay Flowers? Week 1

Our Week 1 call

Start Zay Flowers over Nico Collins in Week 1.

Nico Collins is priced by the books at 2.8 projected points and Zay Flowers is not priced at all, so we are leaning on where drafters take them. Drafters take Zay Flowers at ADP 25 and Nico Collins at 19.

What the books imply

Player prop markets imply 2.8 fantasy points for Nico Collins, with 33 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

No sportsbook posted a player market for Zay Flowers in Week 1.

Week 1 matchups

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

BUF allowed 40.0 fantasy points to WRs in its one game this season, the 8th most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 193 yards and a touchdown against BUF.

Zay Flowers and BAL visit IND.

IND allowed 37.9 fantasy points to WRs in its one game this season, the 9th most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 229 yards and a touchdown against IND.

By points allowed to the position, Nico Collins has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Nico Collins was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Zay Flowers was not on the injury report when the call was made.

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.

Nico Collins, Week 17 of 2025 against LAC: 44 of 65 snaps, 4 targets and 3 catches for 57 yards, 8.7 PPR points.

Nico Collins, Week 16 of 2025 against LV: 52 of 65 snaps, 9 targets and 4 catches for 59 yards, 9.9 PPR points.

Nico Collins, Week 15 of 2025 against ARI: 49 of 67 snaps, 4 targets and 3 catches for 85 yards, 2 touchdowns, 23.5 PPR points.

In 2025, Zay Flowers played 17 games for BAL and scored 243.3 PPR points, 14.3 a game, finishing WR7.

He caught 86 of 118 targets for 1211 yards and 5 touchdowns, with 10 red zone targets and 753 air yards.

He was on the field for 86 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Zay Flowers, Week 18 of 2025 against PIT: 6 targets and 4 catches for 138 yards, 2 touchdowns, 29.8 PPR points.

Zay Flowers, Week 17 of 2025 against GB: 52 of 76 snaps, 5 targets and 4 catches for 30 yards, 1 touchdown, 13.0 PPR points.

Zay Flowers, Week 16 of 2025 against NE: 49 of 55 snaps, 1 carry for 18 yards, 7 targets and 7 catches for 84 yards, 1 touchdown, 21.2 PPR points.

How Week 1 went

Zay Flowers scored 26.0 PPR points and Nico Collins scored 21.2.

The call was right: Zay Flowers outscored Nico Collins by 4.8.

Zay Flowers, Week 1 against IND: 20 of 68 snaps, 6 targets and 5 catches for 150 yards, 1 touchdown, 26.0 PPR points.

Zay Flowers finished as the week's WR7 in PPR scoring.

Nico Collins finished 18.4 points above the 2.8 the props implied.

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, 21.2 PPR points.

Nico Collins finished as the week's WR8 in PPR scoring.

Their other Week 1 calls

• Start A.J. Brown over Nico Collins.
• Start Chris Olave over Nico Collins.
• Start Drake London over Nico Collins.
• Start Chris Olave over Zay Flowers.
• Start DeVonta Smith over Zay Flowers.
• Start Garrett Wilson over Zay Flowers.