Friday night, the Houston Texans will get their second crack at exhibition action in the NFL's first, official, preseason week. Houston travels to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in their first preseason contest, while the Texans of course were able to have the luxury of playing in the Hall of Fame Game a week ago.
For the Steelers, all eyes will be on the quarterback position. Right now, Russell Wilson is the starter, but Justin Fields has been pushing for the job in camp and there's momentum building behind the former Bear.
As for the Texans, there are a lot of sure things when it comes to their starters. For the most part, we know who is going to be lining up with the ones come the regular season. However, there's competition that's been brewing for weeks, at other positions.
In this preseason matchup with Pittsburgh, there are a few specific players who need to make sure they put their best foot forward. Who are they and why do they need to play well? Let's dive in.
Which Texans players could push for a roster spot if they perform in Preseason Week 1?
Xavier Hutchinson, WR
At this point, it appears Xavier Hutchinson might have locked himself into the final wide receiver spot on this team. Right now, Robert Woods is trending toward not making the squad, but anything can happen in the next couple of weeks when we're talking about these final spots. Hutchinson has certainly looked the part and is still only 24, and in his second year.
Cam Akers, RB
Running back is a crowded room, and Cam Akers knew that when he originally signed. The obvious guys who will make the team are Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce, and it's hard to imagine Dare Ogunbowale not making it as well. The team likes him a lot and he's very versatile. Between sixth-round pick Jawhar Jordan and Akers, they might be fighting for the same spot.
Charlie Heck, OT
With an injury to starter Tytus Howard earlier in the week, it looks like Charlie Heck will get a good amount of playing time. And, if Howard's injury lingers at all, Heck would be the next man up. He's going to need to play well in order for this offense not to miss a beat.
Solomon Byrd, DE
The rookie seventh-round pick is still way down there on the Texans' initial depth chart, which means nothing is guaranteed for a guy the team spent draft capital on. If he plays well, he'll continue to warrant the attention and potentially be able to make this team.
Jacob Phillips, LB
Depth at linebacker is a concern behind the starters, and actually both Jacob Phillips and the undrafted rookie, Max Tooley, are a couple of backers to watch in this game. Phillips is trying to secure his spot as a backup, while Tooley could impress enough to warrant one of the very last roster spots in total.