When you complete the first few rounds of your fantasy football drafts, you must ensure you have studs in your lineups. Two wide receivers who can help elevate your fantasy teams are Deebo Samuel and Nico Collins. They have similar ADPs, with Samuel going off the board at No. 27 overall and Collins going 29th.
Both players are surrounded by immense talent in their respective organizations, and we wonder what their slice of the pie will be. With both being in stellar offenses, which one helps bolster our roster the most? Let us break down Collins’ and Samuel’s fantasy outlooks to help you navigate this choice in your drafts.
2024 Fantasy Outlook for Nico Collins
Last season, Collins emerged onto the scene to help elevate the Houston Texans from a basement dweller to a contending team. He received 109 targets and produced 80 receptions, 1,297 yards, and eight touchdowns.
Collins’ near 1,300 yards were eighth-best in the NFL and catapulted him into the limelight last season. Those yards were no small feat through bubble screens and other gadget plays; TruMedia ranked Collins sixth best in the NFL for yards per reception with a 16.2 average.
Collins didn’t stop there in his dominance. He totaled 549 yards after the catch, leading him to a ninth overall ranking.
Collins became the trusted target for his young superstar quarterback, C.J. Stroud, as they connected for the league’s 15th-highest total of receptions that went for first downs with 53 overall.
The Texans added Stefon Diggs and Joe Mixon to the mix this offseason, which will eat into his totals, but Collins showed when you target him, good things will happen.
2024 Fantasy Outlook for Deebo Samuel
We’ve heard Samuel being called a Swiss Army Knife, and the nickname fits perfectly. He’s done it all for the San Francisco 49ers, even on a team crowded with above-average talent.
Last year, Samuel was targeted 89 times and recorded 60 receptions, totaling 892 yards and seven touchdowns. His seven touchdowns resulted in a top-20 finish.
Samuel’s bread and butter is his ability to create yards after the catch. Last year, he ranked 10th best with an average of 8.8 yards.
And let’s not forget the ace in Samuel’s sleeve — his rushing ability. In 2023, Samuel received 37 rushing attempts and recorded 6.1 yards per rush, the highest in the league. He also added five rushing touchdowns to his total, the 24th-most rushing touchdowns in the NFL.
Who Should I Draft in 2024?
The answer is to draft Samuel for fantasy football in 2024. Although both players are talented, only Samuel can produce for your fantasy team in multiple ways.
Drafting him is like drafting 1.5 players in that draft position and having the ultimate fantasy football cheat code. Keep an eye on the Brandon Aiyuk trade situation. If Aiyuk does leave town, Samuel should go screaming up the ranking boards.
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