No. 2: A Big Year from Will Fuller
Deshaun Watson is going to be a major focal point from opponents’ defenses this season. So is Texans No. 1 wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who should be viewed as one of the best offensive threats in the NFL entering 2018.
But for Watson and Hopkins to thrive, Houston will have to see to it Hopkins’ counterpart, fellow wideout Will Fuller, plays the perfect complementary piece this season.
Fuller has yet to have that true breakout campaign after being selected No. 21 overall in the 2016 NFL Draft. While sub-par quarterbacking and injuries (he’s currently dealing with a hamstring issue) have thwarted Fuller’s first two seasons at the pro level, year three of his NFL career needs to be one in which he can provide a substantial impact to Bill O’Brien’s offense.
| Game | Game | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Age | Tm | Pos | No. | G | GS | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Y/R | TD | Lng | R/G | Y/G | Ctch% | Fmb |
| 2016 | 22 | HOU | WR | 15 | 14 | 13 | 92 | 47 | 635 | 13.5 | 2 | 53 | 3.4 | 45.4 | 51.1% | 2 |
| 2017 | 23 | HOU | WR | 15 | 10 | 10 | 50 | 28 | 423 | 15.1 | 7 | 59 | 2.8 | 42.3 | 56.0% | 0 |
| Care | Care | 24 | 23 | 142 | 75 | 1058 | 14.1 | 9 | 59 | 3.1 | 44.1 | 2 |
Drops were a big part of Fuller’s issues last year. According to Pro Football Focus, Fuller’s three dropped passes on 31 catchable balls equated to a 9.7 drop percentage — highest among all Houston receivers with a minimum of 10 targets and ranked No. 7 among pass catchers within the AFC South in the same category.
Where Fuller won last season, however, was in both yards after the catch (his 4.0 YAC ranked second behind Houston’s Bruce Ellington) and helping his quarterback. Texans quarterbacks posted a passer rating of 102.2 when targeting Fuller, per PFF, which is a pretty good indication he can take the pressure off Hopkins if adequately involved in the offensive game plan.
If opposing defenses are forced to respect Fuller’s on-field abilities, that should free up Hopkins to be even more the dynamic threat he already is.
All good news for Houston.
