Toro Times
Fansided

Texans vs. Patriots: 5 players to watch

By Stephen Forsha

HOUSTON, TX - AUGUST 30: J.J. Watt #99 of the Houston Texans watches players warm up before the preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys at NRG Stadium on August 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX - AUGUST 30: J.J. Watt #99 of the Houston Texans watches players warm up before the preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys at NRG Stadium on August 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 6
Next
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – FEBRUARY 04: Chris Hogan #15 of the New England Patriots runs with the ball after a reception, chased by Rodney McLeod #23 and Corey Graham #24 of the Philadelphia Eagles, during the first quarter in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – FEBRUARY 04: Chris Hogan #15 of the New England Patriots runs with the ball after a reception, chased by Rodney McLeod #23 and Corey Graham #24 of the Philadelphia Eagles, during the first quarter in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

1. Chris Hogan, wide receiver (Patriots)

Is Chris Hogan the next great New England Patriots wide receiver? He and Phillip Dorsett are listed at the top two wide receivers on the depth charts provided by OurLads.com. There is also Cordarrelle Patterson on their roster, so any of these players could be the one to watch in Week 1.

Taking a closer look at Hogan, having Tom Brady as his starting quarterback and Bill Belichick as his head coach makes a big difference in how good he can become. Hogan has played the past two seasons with the Patriots and before that played three seasons with the Buffalo Bills. Last season, Hogan had 34 receptions for 439 yards and five touchdowns. In 2016, he caught 38 passes for 680 yards and four touchdowns.

Those numbers seems to bring a pattern as Hogan could be primed to have a huge season as the No. 1 receiver for the Patriots, and since the ’14 season when he played for Buffalo, Hogan has had no season with under 34 receptions, with a career-high 41 receptions in Buffalo back in that ’14 season.

Next. Texans Daily Roundup: Joe Webb returns. dark

Hogan is in the final season of his contract, as he’ll be an unrestricted free agent in ’19. He’s playing with a lot to prove to the Patriots in how much he believes he is worth, and for Hogan, he is also playing to prove to the rest of the NFL he’s worthy of a solid contract offer. Plus, he’s working with Brady, and that alone will make him a player to watch this weekend as Brady has made a career of taking wide receivers to a higher level.

Home/Houston Texans News