Where Does ESPN Analytics Rank Houston Texans Receivers Nico Collins and Tank Dell?

Houston Texans receivers Nico Collins and Nathaniel "Tank" Dell have impressed this season. Where do they rank in ESPN Analytics' receiver ratings?

Houston Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud’s supporting cast has been a mixed bag through the first half of the season.

Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik has done a great job opening up the middle of the field and putting the passing offense in a position to win. The offensive line play could be better, but given the unfathomable amount of injuries Houston has sustained, expectations were quickly tempered.

The run game hasn’t taken much pressure off Stroud … at all. Running backs Dameon Pierce and Devin Singletary have combined to net the Texans the 29th-best rushing offense by success rate.

However, a receiving corps that was a massive question mark heading into the year has blossomed. Robert Woods has been a steady veteran presence, but Nico Collins and Tank Dell have exceeded expectations.

Stroud and Collins celebrate a big play / USA Today Sports

Dell -- a rookie Stroud vouched for after being taken two rounds earlier -- missed Week 6 with a concussion, but has turned 19 catches into 324 yards. He’s a big-play threat from anywhere on the field. Collins’ explosion into a certified No. 1 receiver has given Stroud a clear favorite option in the early going. He has four 80+ yard performances this season, including two with over 140 yards to his name.

Just how good have these receivers been? ESPN Analytics recently released its receiver metrics for the 2023 season. Players are given a score for getting open, creating yards after the catch, and making plays at the catch point, all combined for an overall rating.

To say Houston’s top two targets surpassed expectations would be an understatement.

Dell and Collins rank fourth and fifth, respectively, among all receivers by overall score.

Both share an overall score of 76. They fall behind only Philadelphia Eagles receiver A.J. Brown, San Francisco 49ers star Brandon Aiyuk, and Chicago Bears ball magnet D.J. Moore.

Houston’s duo have won in different ways. The bulk of Dell’s score is derived from the “open” category (90), followed by a catch score of 54 and an after-the-catch score of 47. Collins, on the other hand, is more well-rounded. His score breaks down as 59 in the open category, 68 catching, and 75 after the catch.

Woods, for reference, ranks 52nd in football with a score of 48.

Collins being so good with the ball in his hands may be a surprise considering how he was used early in his career. He’s got the frame of a downfield ball winner but has proven this year to be viable over the middle of the field, too. Slowik has diversified his route profile and thus increased the number of opportunities to get him the football.

In just six games, he’s set career highs in yards (547) and touchdowns (three). Slowik deserves credit for that ascendence.

Houston will look to continue the momentum in the passing game against a lackluster Carolina Panthers defense in Week 8.