5. Deshaun Watson, quarterback (Texans)
Seeing Deshaun Watson back under center as the starting quarterback for the Houston Texans in a regular-season game is something that not only Texans fans are excited to see, but fans of the NFL in general are wanting to see as well. Watson was having a Rookie of the Year-type of season before he was injured in practice, tearing his ACL and not only ending his season, but the Texans’ season, too.
All of the injuries and misfortunes are in the past, and the Texans are back and ready to regain their spot as the best team in the AFC South. To do that, Watson will have to be at the top of his game, including Week 1 against the New England Patriots.
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Last season in their meeting with the Patriots, Watson was 22-of-33 for 301 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He averaged 9.1 yards per attempt and was sacked twice in their Week 3 meeting.
Watson must have impressed many because he was featured on one of the four Sports Illustrated covers for their 2018 NFL Preview issue, giving the Texans national coverage before they even open the season. Watson still has a lot to prove at the highest level of pro football, as he’s played in just seven games with six starts. In those games, he completed 61.8 percent of his passes for 1,699 yards with 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Watson finished his season being sacked 19 times and had a QB rating of 103.0.
Having a 3-3 record as a starting quarterback, Watson doesn’t have an easy task as he makes his regular-season return with the Patriots being on the opposite side of the field, but Watson is a must-watch player this weekend.