Texans finally have depth in receivers room — but there’s a problem

The Houston Texans have their deepest receiver group in years — but it’s also a depth chart riddled with injury risks and health concerns.

Although the Houston Texans lost their top offensive weapon this summer when they shipped DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals, you can easily make the argument that this is still the deepest, most talented receivers room the franchise has ever had from top-to-bottom.

In years past, the Texans were always top-heavy at wide receiver. Before it was Hop, it was AJ — Andre Johnson.

Entering the 2020 season, however, Houston is set to trot out a starting receiver rotation that includes the likes of Will Fuller, Brandin Cooks, Kenny Stills, Randall Cobb, Keke Coutee, and DeAndre Carter. From 1-6, that’s one of the better-looking wideout depth charts in the NFL today … at least on paper.

There is a major ‘but’ here, though.

Yes, the Texans have their deepest platoon of playmakers ever, but they all come with significant baggage in the injury risk department.

The Texans have a ton of injury asterisks attached to their 2020 playmakers

Whether he’s WR1 or WR2, Fuller has yet to play a full 16-game season in his NFL career (and this will be his fifth year as a pro). Cooks has suffered five known concussions in his six-year career — including two within one month last year. Stills missed three total games last year due to separate sprains to his knee and hamstring.

Cobb hasn’t played a full 16-game season since he was a Green Bay Packer back in 2015. Coutee hasn’t played a full 16-game season ever, though he’s only been in the league two years. Carter has mostly been healthy as a pro, but he’s largely functioned as a kick returner and special teamer over the course of his NFL career (spent with six different teams now).

Make no mistake: if this starting sixsome can stay healthy and contribute in meaningful ways all year long, the Houston Texans might not miss DeAndre Hopkins as much as many people think they will.

That’s a really big if, though.