Receiver Will Fuller going down with a hamstring injury that could sideline the Houston Texans wideout for multiple games is bad news the team as well as his fantasy owners.
The former 2016 first-round pick from Notre Dame was starting to find his groove with quarterback Deshaun Watson as he tallied 34 catches for 450 yards and three touchdowns through seven starts. Though he seemed to battle a case of the dropsies in Week 6 at the Kansas City Chiefs, Fuller’s career game of 14 catches for 217 yards and three touchdowns in Houston’s 53-32 win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 5 was a signal that Fuller was back.
But just as constant as Fuller’s deep threat abilities with Watson are also his health issues with his hamstring injury being the latest. It will make the fourth consecutive year Fuller has missed games due to injury.
Where do the Texans go from here? Where do Fuller’s fantasy owners go from here?
According to Pat Yasinskas of Touchdown Wire, the natural alternative is to plug in receiver Kenny Stills, who the Texans traded for on Aug. 31 as part of the Laremy Tunsil deal with the Miami Dolphins.
Stills missed two games with a hamstring injury before returning last week and posting four catches for 105 yards against Indianapolis. That was his best game since joining the Texans in a preseason trade with Miami. Those numbers could increase this week against Oakland, because Will Fuller is dealing with a hamstring injury. If Fuller is out, Stills will get more looks from quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Stills has shown some proficiency to catch deep balls, chunk play passes from Watson. He could be a more reliable substitute in the Texans’ passing game with Fuller out than receiver Demaryius Thomas was in 2018 when the Texans traded with the Denver Broncos to obtain him at the trade deadline.
The Texans host the Oakland Raiders Sunday at 3:25 p.m. CT at NRG Stadium and seek to improve to 5-3 before heading to London to face the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Raiders will look to stop Stills and the rest of the Texans’ aerial attack as they hope to avoid falling below .500 with their record currently 3-4.
