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On Monday afternoon, Houston Texans wide receiver Will Fuller was suspended for violating the NFL’s performance enhancing drug policy. Fuller immediately took to Instagram to explain the suspension, writing,
The six-game suspension is a serious blow to both the fifth-year wide receiver and the Texans. Just on Thanksgiving, as the Texans seemingly put their season back together with a 41-25 win over the Detroit Lions to improve to 4-7, Fuller led the way with six catches for 171 yards and two touchdowns.
For No. 15, the Notre Dame product was in the midst of a career-season and contract year. The previous four years in Houston had shown both incredible speed and talent, but had been marred by an inability to stay on the field and somewhat inconsistent hands. Suddenly, with Deandre Hopkins traded to the Arizona Cardinals at the start of free agency, it appeared as if Fuller had emerged as the Texans’ new alpha 11 games into the 2020 campaign.
Following Houston’s massive 41-25 victory over the Lions, Fuller had started 11 of 11 possible games and gathered 53 receptions on 75 targets for 879 yards and 8 touchdowns. With five games to go those totals represented career-highs in targets, receptions, yardage and touchdowns.
The suspension will certainly hinder Fuller’s value on the open market this upcoming offseason as he chases a pay-day whether it be from Houston or somewhere else. Teams may question the validity of the physical phenomenon that had emerged as Deshaun Watson’s No. 1 target. Before 2020, Fuller hadn’t played in more than 11 games since his rookie season with quarterback Brock Osweiler. Additionally, the six-game suspension will carry into the 2021 season, assuming Houston misses the playoffs.
For the Texans, losing their No. 1 receiver will serve them no favors as they chase an unlikely wild-card birth. Winners of their last two contests and sitting at 4-7, some fans had begun to wonder whether the team could sneak their way towards a playoff berth, especially if an 8-seed is introduced due to cancellations (Looking at you, Baltimore.)
Despite Watson having a career season, the loss of Fuller will be a huge hurdle for the Texans’ offense, which already struggles to run the football. Loss of their top vertical threat could be devastating in their efforts to beat divisional rivals such as the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans
Realistically, in the long-term, this may aid Houston if the speedster’s value is lowered on the open-market and the team is able to resign the homegrown product at a friendlier cost towards an already complicated salary cap situation. For now, however, it certainly feels as if, even when the Texans win in 2020, they stay losers.