Tag: receiver

Titans coach Mike Vrabel says Bill O’Brien fell in love with Texans WR Will Fuller during the draft process

Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel says Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien fell in love with Will Fuller during the 2016 NFL draft process.

Houston Texans wide receiver Will Fuller is questionable to play against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday with a hamstring injury.

However, Titans coach Mike Vrabel won’t need him to play to understand his skill set. Previously, Fuller and the Titans coach spent two years together in the Texans organization; the wideout a 2016 first-round pick, the coach a former linebackers coach turned defensive coordinator.

“Just a dynamic speed player, vertical threat, but he can run,” said Vrabel on Fuller on a conference call on Wednesday.

Vrabel remembers the Texans’ thoughts on Fuller when he was coming into the 2016 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame. Houston’s coach Bill O’Brien fell in love with the speedy wide receiver, not just because of his speed, however.

“I remember when we were evaluating him and Billy (O’Brien) fell in love with this guy in the draft process,” said Vrabel. “He said he could run the entire route tree, but he’s also one of the faster players in the draft. So, he’s not just a fast player that can take the top off of it, he can run the entire route tree in the offense.”

As Vrabel notes, Fuller is not a one-trick pony. Fuller has developed as a route runner since his rookie campaign. No longer drop prone, Fuller’s hands have also improved in the past four seasons.

Since the Texans made Fuller the No. 21 overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft, the Notre Dame product has tallied 149 receptions for 2,159 yards and 16 touchdowns. In 2019, he has 42 receptions for 598 yards and three touchdowns.

Fuller has no issue being a productive wide receiver when he hits the field. The Texans offense is a different monster when he plays. The problem: he can’t stay on the field consistency. In four years of play, he has never played a full season. He has missed four games in 2019 for the hamstring injury.

Nonetheless, O’Brien’s evaluation and lauding of him on tape is accurate as Fuller has demonstrated he can be a game changer.

Texans-Titans Thursday injury report: WR Will Fuller limited

The Houston Texans released their Thursday injury report ahead of their Week 15 matchup with the Tennessee Titans, and WR Will Fuller was limited.

The Houston Texans released their Thursday injury report ahead of their Week 15 encounter with the Tennessee Titans Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CT at Nissan Stadium.

There was no change from Wednesday’s injury report in that all of the players on the report were limited participants in practice, including receiver Will Fuller.

Limited participation
OT Chris Clark Hip
CB Gareon Conley Hip
WR Will Fuller Hamstring
RB Taiwan Jones Hamstring
OLB Brennan Scarlett Achilles/Shoulder
DE Carlos Watkins Hamstring

For the Titans, while they had complete participation from their 53-man roster, they also had some good news in that some limited players from Wednesday were upgraded to full participation for Thursday’s practice.

No participation
LB Daren Bates Shoulder
RB Derrick Henry Hamstring
WR Adam Humphries Ankle
CB Adoree Jackson Foot
Limited participation

DT Jurrell Casey (Knee)

Full participation
C Ben Jones Thumb
CB LeShaun Sims Ankle
S Kenny Vaccaro Concussion

 

Titans coach Mike Vrabel compares Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins to a pass rusher

Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel doesn’t just see a wide receiver in Houston Texans’ DeAndre Hopkins. He sees a pass-rusher.

It takes a pass rusher to know one.

A former NFL linebacker who collected 57.0 career sacks from 1997-2010, Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel knows his fair share about pass rushing and sees some of the same traits in Houston Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

Vrabel — who coached linebackers in Houston from 2014-16 before taking the defensive coordinator job for a year — sees a skill set in Hopkins comparable to those trying to take down quarterback Deshaun Watson. Hopkins’ physicality, leverage play and hand movements are similar to that of a pass rusher.

“He does a great job with his hands, putting them on defenders’ arms and catching the wrist,” Vrabel told reporters Wednesday. “I mean, he’s almost like a pass rusher in that regard.”

Hopkins’ handwork makes him a tough matchup for cornerbacks. In a sense, he boxes with them when they get close to the line of scrimmage. His pass rush-like skill set makes for a nearly unguardable force.

A two-time All-Pro, Hopkins is putting up another season that warrants consideration to make the first-team for a third time. The former 2013 first-round pick has 93 receptions for 1,023 yards and seven touchdowns, and his receptions are the second-most in the league.

Hopkins has historically shredded the Titans with his pass rushing-like skill set. In 12 games against them, he has 77 receptions for 1,194 yards and seven touchdowns.

On Sunday, he’ll look to build on those numbers and sack Tennessee’s endeavor to take first place in the AFC South.

Texans-Broncos inactives: Will Fuller out again

The Houston Texans announced their inactives ahead of their Week 14 tilt with the Denver Broncos, and receiver Will Fuller was one of them.

The Houston Texans announced their inactives ahead of their Week 14 encounter with the Denver Broncos Sunday at noon CT at NRG Stadium.

Receiver Will Fuller (hamstring) was one of the first inactives. He had been limited throughout practice all week.

Houston also declared RB Taiwan Jones (hamstring), DE Carlos Watkins (hamstring), CB Cornell Armstrong, S Mike Adams, WR Steven Mitchell, and NT Eddie Vanderdoes inactive for the game.

Denver declared WR Juwann Winfree, CB Shakial Taylor, C Patrick Morris, OLB Malik Reed, G Ron Leary, OT Calvin Anderson, and DL Jonathan Harris inactive for the game.

Report: Texans WR Will Fuller out versus the Broncos

The Houston Texans will be without receiver Will Fuller as they take on the Denver Broncos in Week 14.

The Houston Texans will be without one of their key pieces in the passing game as they take on the Denver Broncos Sunday at noon CT at NRG Stadium.

According to a report from the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson, receiver Will Fuller will miss the game due to a hamstring injury that has been plaguing him since Week 7 versus the the Indianapolis Colts. Fuller had been listed as questionable and he also was limited throughout the week in practice.

With Fuller unable to go, the Texans will see more from wideout Kenny Stills. With Stills’ role elevated to de facto No. 2 opposite of DeAndre Hopkins, that should mean that second-year receiver Keke Coutee should see a little more playing time.

Deshaun Watson says teams have to respect Texans WR Will Fuller’s speed

Houston Texans receiver Will Fuller’s speed is an integral part to the passing game, and quarterback Deshaun Watson says opponents have to respect it.

Last year, the Houston Texans had a better record than they do now, 9-3 to 8-4. However, the Texans feel like they are trending in a more optimistic direction compared to a year ago.

Part of the reason is receiver Will Fuller is available and productive. The former 2016 first-round pick has started in every one of nine games with 598 receiving yards and three touchdowns collected on 42 catches.

Having Fuller in the fold gives the Texans a speed element they were missing a season ago.

“You have to respect it,” Watson told reporters Wednesday. “You have to respect everything that Will is capable of doing, especially speed, because that’s one of his best traits.”

Fuller’s speed isn’t just an asset in the passing game. In the run game, having a speedster such as Fuller on the outside backs off the cornerbacks and safeties to where they can’t cheat closer to the line of scrimmage, thus opening up opportunities for running back Carlos Hyde.

“If a safety is supposed to run fit and be in that gap, instead of gaining three yards, the running back’s gaining seven, and those four extra yards are big,” Watson explained. “Especially with this day and age of football where defensive front are very, very stout in the run game. It really open up a lot of different things.”

The Texans will need Fuller’s speed throughout Houston’s final four contests, which kicks off Sunday at noon CT versus the Denver Broncos at NRG Stadium. Fuller will be going against a familiar face in defensive back Kareem Jackson, who used to play for the Texans for nine seasons until the club allowed him to walk after his contract expired in the offseason. Jackson for sure will be one of the Broncos defensive backs who will know to respect Fuller’s speed.

Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins leads AFC Pro Bowl voting for receivers

Houston Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins leads Pro Bowl voting in the AFC among wideouts.

Houston Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins is receiving the recognition he deserves.

To start Week 13, the NFL released updated Pro Bowl voting, and the two-time All-Pro is the top vote-getter among AFC receivers.

On the season, Hopkins is second in the NFL with 81 receptions and 11th in the league with 839 receiving yards. The former 2013 first-round pick is tied for the seventh-most receiving touchdowns in the NFL with six.

Quarterback Deshaun Watson is not leading the AFC in votes at his position. The Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson owns that top spot with 361,096 votes. To illustrate how tough quarterback will be on the AFC roster, Kansas City Chiefs field general Patrick Mahomes is the second-highest vote-getter overall with 286,205.

The San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers, and Minnesota Vikings are the top-5 teams with Pro Bowl votes.

Houston will take on the New England Patriots on Sunday Night Football at NRG Stadium in Week 13. If Hopkins is able to have a great game against cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who is playing arguably the best football at his position this year, then it should help Hopkins keep his top spot among Pro Bowl voters.

3 Studs and 2 Duds from Seahawks’ defeat of Eagles Week 12

A look at who stood out and who didn’t in the Seattle Seahawks sloppy win over the Philadelphia Eagles Week 12.

There are no style points in the NFL, and the Seattle Seahawks are certainly grateful for that. On Sunday the Seahawks tied a franchise record with their sixth road win of the year, remaining unbeaten away from Seattle, with a sloppy 17-9 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Not only did the Seahawks continue their winning ways on the road, they also continued their 30-year win streak in Philadelphia. The Seahawks have not lost in the City of Brotherly Love since September of 1989.

It was an ugly affair in the cold, windy Sunday afternoon, but the Seahawks walked away with an important victory to stay on pace with the rest of the NFC and keep their hopes of a division title comfortably alive. As a result, here are 3 Studs and 2 Duds from Sunday’s game.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6