3 Nico Collins replacements in fantasy football amid IR stint (including JuJu Smith-Schuster!)
The Nico Collings update Houston Texans were waiting on finally arrived on Wednesday and it’s not great.
The electric wideout who leads the team with 567 yards and three touchdowns receiving has been placed on injured reserve due to a hamstring injury and will miss at least the next four games.
It’s a brutal blow for fantasy managers, too. Collins had been one of the most sure-handed wideouts in the league and a top point producer in fantasy, especially in PPR leagues. His 32 receptions are third-most in the NFL.
Replacing that kind of production won’t be easy by any means, but there are a few options out there worth taking a closer look at. We’ve got three that come to mind right away.
Houston Texans WR Xavier Hutchinson
(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Next man up?
Hutchinson is listed right behind Collins on the Texans’ depth chart, and while no one is expecting him to put up anywhere near similar numbers, he’s there for a reason. The 6’3″, 210 pound Iowa State product is a huge presence when he’s on the field, despite seeing limited action so far. He’s hauled in three of five targets for 34 yards and had no trouble stepping in against the Bills when Collins left the game. It remains to be seen how the Texans use him going forward, but Houston gave him a decent amount of preseason snaps before deciding to put him on the depth chart behind Collins.
Los Angeles Rams WR Tutu Atwell
Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
Atwell won’t help you in Week 6 since the Rams are on a bye, but he’s already proven himself a solid backup option despite zero touchdown catches on the year.
The 25-year-old has seen his share of targets increase in each game this season and hauled in six of 10 targets last week against the Packers for 58 yards.
Kansas City Chiefs WR Juju Smith-Schuster
Denny Medley-Imagn
Like Atwell, Smith-Schuster is on a bye this week, but he’ll still be one of Kansas City’s top wideouts by default when the team returns in Week 8. The season-ending injury to Rashee Rice has left the Chiefs in desperate need for reliable pass-catchers not named Travis Kelce and we saw Smith Schuster step into that role against the Saints with seven catches for 130 yards.
Go grab him.