The Houston Texans are entering the 2017 NFL season with major questions at quarterback. With Tom Savage penciled in as the starter and rookie Deshaun Watson as his main contender, both players need their lead wide receivers to step up to help them prove their case. However, things just took a big hit when the No. 2 receiver for the Texans, last year’s first round NFL Draft pick Will Fuller, fell to injury in training camp.
Will Fuller’s injury
Houston Texans No. 2 receiver Will Fuller broke his collarbone in practice on Wednesday and his return is unknown at this time.
Fuller was jumping to catch a pass during a team drill and fell onto his shoulder. Fuller was immediately taken off the field and examined when the injury was diagnosed. In 2016, Fuller had 47 receptions for 635 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie. With his injury, DeAndre Hopkins will have his work cut out for him once again.
Will Fuller proved last year that his speed was perfect to compliment Hopkins but until he returns the Texans will struggle to move the ball this year.
Fuller’s possible replacements
The two biggest names that will get a chance to replace Will Fuller in the Houston Texans starting lineup are Jalen Strong and Braxton Miller. Strong has been with the team since the Texans used a third-round pick on him in 2015.
In his rookie year, he caught 14 passes for 161 yards and three touchdowns and matched his reception numbers in 2016, with 14 catches for 131 yards but no scores.
Braxton Miller was a third-round pick last season. Miller played in 10 games in his rookie season and caught 15 passes for 99 yards and one touchdown. It can’t make the Houston Texans feel secure to know that the two players that they want to step into the No.
2 role had a combined 29 receptions for 230 yards and one touchdown. Also competing for playing time is former Dallas Cowboys receiver Devin Street, whose best year was in 2015 when he caught seven passes for 114 yards and one touchdown.
The Houston Texans also signed former San Francisco 49ers receiver DeAndrew White, who has two receptions for 18 yards in his two-year NFL career.
While DeAndre Hopkins is one of the top receivers in the NFL, he needs someone opposite him to take pressure off if he wants to help either Tom Savage or Deshaun Watson step up and succeed as their starting quarterback in 2017.
There is an outside chance that the Houston Texans could look for a new receiver to step into the role opposite DeAndre Hopkins until Will Fuller returns. However, until they find the player ready for that role, things look rough for the Texans’ young quarterbacks.
