Versatility, health may determine receiving corps
The subject was the Texans’ wide receivers and the competition at a position vital to what coach Bill O’Brien wants to achieve on offense this season.
With one game left in the preseason — Thursday night against the Dallas Cowboys at NRG Stadium — O’Brien and general manager Brian Gaine are still evaluating players as they get closer to reducing the roster from 90 to 53 on Friday.
They have to decide how many receivers they want to keep and who they are. Contributions on special teams weigh heavily on decisions made for reserves who make the team.
Because injuries took a toll on receivers last season, the Texans may have to keep six: DeAndre Hopkins, Will Fuller, Keke Coutee, Bruce Ellington, Braxton Miller and Sammie Coates Jr.
Two undrafted free agents — Jester Weah and Vyncint Smith — have made positive impressions.
Could one play his way onto the roster against the Cowboys? More likely, one or both are heading to the practice squad.
“With receivers, it’s always about two things,” O’Brien said. “It’s getting open and catching the ball. I think if they can just keep improving on those things — knowledge of assignments, being able to make plays with the ball in their hand — we’ll see how it all plays out.
“It’s a very competitive position.”
O’Brien didn’t need to say it, but health has to influence decisions he and Gaine make at receiver.
In 2017, the top four receivers — Hopkins (one), Fuller (six), Ellington (four) and Miller (two) — combined to miss 13 games.
Fuller has a slight hamstring injury that kept him out of Saturday’s 21-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, but he is expected to play in the Sept. 9 opener at New England.
Coutee missed more than two weeks with a hamstring injury before returning to practice last week. He was kept out of Saturday’s game and might not play against Dallas.
As usual, O’Brien would not discuss the injuries, reminding the media that injury reports don’t have to be filed until the week of the New England game.
O’Brien would rather get a splinter in his finger than disclose anything about injuries.
Asked about an update on Fuller, the coach said, “Will’s doing good. It’s day-to-day. We’ll see.”
Asked about Coutee making his debut against the Cowboys, he said, “I don’t know yet. We’ll probably make that decision before the game.”
Meaning after watching Coutee in warmups. Barring a setback, he should play against the Patriots.
“We’re just trying to make sure he’s ready to go,” O’Brien said. “You never want to put a guy into a game that might not be full speed.”
Quarterback Deshaun Watson needs his receivers to stay healthy. Hopkins has missed one game in five seasons. Watson knows he can count on Hopkins, but injury issues could affect the others.
Keep in mind that in the four games Watson played with Hopkins and Fuller, the Texans averaged 40.5 points. If you think that average was inflated by the 57-14 blowout of Tennessee, it should be pointed out they averaged 35 in the other three games Watson played with Hopkins and Fuller.
Fuller could help the passing game become even more dangerous if he can avoid the injuries that have dogged him.
In Fuller’s four games with Watson, he caught 13 passes, including seven touchdowns that averaged 28 yards. That kind of breathtaking deep speed opens up the rest of the field for the other receivers, especially Hopkins, and causes opposing defensive coordinators a lot of sleepless nights before they play the Texans.
But Fuller and the other receivers have to get on the field and stay on the field to support Hopkins and Watson. If they do, the Texans can have the NFL’s most prolific passing game.