The Houston Texans took wide receiver Keke Coutee from Texas Tech with the fourth pick in the 2018 NFL draft. While the former Lufkin Panther may have only played just even games for the AFC South champions, including one playoff contest, Pro Football Focus was able to easily identify where the shifty wideout helped his team the most.
The 5-11, 180-pound receiver caught 28 passes for 287 yards and a touchdown on 41 targets. In his Week 4 debut, he produced a NFL record 11 catches for 109 yards, the catches being the most for a rookie’s first game. Coutee was instrumental in the Texans’ winning a 37-34 overtime decision at the Indianapolis Colt and sparking a nine-game winning streak that saved the season despite a 0-3 start.
Coach Bill O’Brien acknowledged the only thing standing in Coutee’s way is his health. A chronic hamstring issue obliterated his training camp and preseason reps and limited him to six regular season games.
“He’s a dynamic player, but he only played a certain amount of games,” O’Brien told reporters on Jan. 6. “He’s a great guy. He knows what he needs to do, but we’ve got to keep him healthy.”
Coutee may play an even more pivotal role for the Texans in 2019 as they released wideout Demaryius Thomas and Will Fuller continues to recover from a torn ACL.
