Fuller getting a grip on problem at hand
Receiver working on closing the book on drops after rookie year
Will Fuller bolted into a fly pattern, accelerating behind the secondary to haul in a deep sideline throw from Texans quarterback Tom Savage.
Arguably the fastest player on the Texans’ roster, Fuller displayed textbook pass-catching form in a recent workout as he concentrated on locking onto the spiral with his eyes while spreading his fingertips and securing the football with a strong grip.
Routine, fundamental play? Certainly. For Fuller, though, taking any opportunity lightly isn’t in his DNA.
Following a mostly promising rookie season after being drafted in the first round out of Notre Dame, Fuller is determined to change the book on him and erase the biggest knock on him as a wide receiver.
Fuller dropped five passes during the regular season on 92 targets, finishing his first NFL season with 47 receptions for 635 yards and two touchdowns. Oakland Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree led the league with nine drops, but he was targeted 145 times and caught 89 passes.
“Just catching the ball consistently,” Fuller said when asked what’s his biggest point of emphasis for personal improvement.
Frustrating moments
One of Fuller’s biggest drops last season came during a pivotal moment.
An accurate bomb from former Texans starting quarterback Brock Osweiler ricocheted off of Fuller’s forearm and cost the team a potential 45-yard touchdown pass while trailing 24-13 in the third quarter of an AFC divisional-round playoff loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots. Fuller caught just three passes for 16 yards in that game despite being targeted six times.
It was a frustrating moment for the Philadelphia native. The majority of Fuller’s drops last season occurred on longer throws. With rare 4.28 speed in the 40-yard dash, Fuller could emerge as even more of a dangerous deep threat if he can upgrade his ability to track throws and finish off plays.
“There’s no difference,” Fuller said. “Wherever the ball is coming from, you catch it with your hands and catch it with your eyes. Every pass is different, but they are all the same with what you catch the ball with. I won’t say any is harder than deep balls or short balls. I feel like they are all the same.”
The education of NFL rookie wide receivers involves plenty of trial, error and confusion. It’s a complicated position and there are a lot of adjustments to be made. It’s the growth and determination through those learning moments that coaches and executives look for. Texans coach Bill O’Brien was complimentary of Fuller for his improved knowledge of an intricate playbook.
“‘It’s a difficult position to play in our league,” Texans general manager Rick Smith said. “There’s a lot of learning. There’s a lot of physical demands on that position. The expectation and the progression from a career, there’s exponential growth expected from Year 1 to Year 2.
“It’s because, in a lot of respects, they know pro football a lot better, the rhythm of the season, the demands, everything is just different. It’s heightened. To the degree that a guy can come in and process that and play with some success as a rookie, that’s good. That next year is when you tend to see that biggest jump.”
Fuller learned a lot about the nuances of the game last season, gaining knowledge on how to sell a route, how to set up a cornerback one or two moves down the line by varying his fakes and body language.
Most importantly, he’s reacting more quickly to action on the field instead of hesitating and overthinking what to do next.
“I feel like it’s a lot different, first year to second year,” Fuller said. “Last year I was thinking a lot. Just coming in trying to learn the offense and trying to make sure I was doing everything perfect. This year I’m just a lot more relaxed.
“I’m a lot more comfortable. Last year, I was starting from ground zero. This year, I’m a lot more comfortable and I’m just going to build off what I did last year.”
Adding strength, size
Besides dropped passes, what held Fuller back from making more of an impact as a rookie were lingering knee and hamstring injuries and adjusting to grappling with bigger, stronger NFL cornerbacks.
After the season, Fuller said he planned to try to gain some weight and get up to 190 pounds while maintaining his speed. He’s still listed at 180 pounds on the Texans’ roster.
“I still have some time to still get a little stronger,” Fuller said. “We have this OTA. We still have a few more weeks here. Then we go out for a month on our own. I still have a little time to get a little stronger.”
Fuller got off to a positive start last season before his production began to decline later in the season.
Fuller caught 19 passes for 323 yards and two touchdowns through his first four NFL games.
He had a 67-yard punt return for a touchdown in a win over the Tennessee Titans and averaged 15 yards per punt return for the season.
Rookie showed flashes
Working in tandem with Pro Bowl alternate wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, Fuller became the first rookie in NFL history with 300 receiving yards and a punt return for a touchdown during the first four games of the season.
Former San Francisco 49ers running back Hugh McElhenny is the only other rookie in NFL history to produce 300 yards from scrimmage and return a punt for a touchdown, which he accomplished in 1952.
Fuller finished third in the NFL among rookie wide receivers in yardage and sixth in catches.
In three seasons at Notre Dame, Fuller caught 144 passes for 2,512 yards and 30 touchdowns as he averaged 17.4 yards per catch. Last season, Fuller averaged 13.5 yards per catch. As Fuller learns more about NFL defensive schemes, he’s hopeful his production will continue to increase.
“Knowing coverages is always important,” Fuller said. “You can’t learn too much about football.”
Fuller can always rely on his speed, one of the best attributes for an NFL player to have.
Savage smiled when asked about how difficult it is to overthrow Fuller.
“He’s a fast guy,” Savage said. “He’s a great receiver. I think he’s a really good route runner. He’s a good guy and he’s working hard at it.”