Houston Texans: Deshaun Watson, mid-season grades, report card
Wide Receivers
Are the wide receivers the strongest part of the Houston Texans offense? The Texans have a top wide receiver in DeAndre Hopkins, as he’s third in the NFL with 894 yards receiving in nine games and first in the AFC. Hopkins is also third in the league with 63 receptions and seven touchdowns, as he’s tied for third in the league there, too.
There is also Will Fuller, who really was a standout before his ACL injury a couple weeks ago on Thursday Night Football. Before being injured, Fuller had 32 receptions for 503 yards and four touchdowns. In the seven games he played, Fuller was targeted 45 times, and in his first game of the season, he caught five passes for 124 yards and one touchdown. In what were his final two games of the season, Fuller had games of 101 yards and one touchdown and 113 yards and one touchdown.
The Texans will miss Fuller for sure, but if they do make the playoffs, Fuller is a big reason they’ll be able to have a chance to achieve that feat.
Now there is the rookie Keke Coutee, along with newly acquired veteran Demaryius Thomas, who the Texans gained via a trade with the Denver Broncos before Week 9 when Fuller went down with the ACL injury.
Overall, the wide receivers have been a great asset to the offense, and even more than that, they’ve made the overall play of Watson that much stronger. When Coutee is able to play at full strength as he keeps battling hamstring issues, and with the likes of Pro Bowl talent in Hopkins and Thomas, the Texans have a very formidable wide receiver depth chart that can be put up with many in the NFL.