FIVE TAKEAWAYS FROM DAY 9 OF TEXANS TRAINING CAMP

1 Show of hands: Rookie receiver Will Fuller continues to impress with his route running and hands. Fuller, the first-round pick, is running first team opposite DeAndre Hopkins. Everyone knew he was fast. The knock on Fuller was his hands. Beginning with the rookie minicamp and continuing through Tuesday’s practice, Fuller has shown strong, quick hands. His route running has gotten consistently better. He’s put some moves on cornerbacks that has left them as if stuck in cement while he separates and makes the catch.

2 Still good: For the third consecutive practice, defensive end Devon Still drew raves from his coaches. Still has blended smoothly into the Texans’ system since the start of the offseason program. New defensive line coach Anthony Weaver has done a good job of teaching Still sound techniques. When J.J. Watt returns, don’t be surprised if Still starts on the right side. Still is smart, quick and strong. He uses his hands well, too. The coaches are eager to see what he does against San Francisco’s offensive linemen in practice and in the game.

3 Mancz gets chance: With rookie Nick Martin missing a third consecutive practice with an undisclosed injury, Greg Mancz is getting a lot of valuable repetitions. Mancz (6-4, 310) signed with the Texans last year as an undrafted rookie from Toledo. He spent most of his rookie year on injured reserve. The coaches say Mancz is so intelligent that he picked up the system fast and doesn’t make a lot of mental mistakes. He’s strong enough to take on nose tackles and quick enough to help out the guards. The key for Mancz is to stay healthy an entire season.

4 Max factor: There’s a lot of fierce competition at linebacker, including inside. This position is going to be a tough cut. Max Bullough, who had to rehab in the offseason because of a shoulder injury, has picked up the pace this week. Bullough (6-3, 245) is a smart player who understands blocking schemes and angles to the ball. He’s not afraid to take on guards. He seems more comfortable dropping into coverage this season. He’ll make the team again because he continue to perform well on special teams.

5 Fast start wanted: Coach Bill O’Brien told his assistants they have to figure out a way to start better at practice. The offense has been slow to get going, but once it does, it finishes well. O’Brien doesn’t want that to be a problem against the 49ers. As he points out, a slow start in practice is like a slow start in a game. Perhaps the main reason the offense starts slow is because there are so many new players. Only two players, receiver DeAndre Hopkins and left guard Xavier Su’a-Filo, started last season. Injuries and additions contribute to the problem.