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Will Fuller left yesterday’s game against the Colts early in the first quarter with a hamstring injury and did not return to action. Given Fuller’s extensive injury history in the NFL, Texans fans probably aren’t the least bit surprised by the reports today that Fuller is now “expected to miss several weeks.”
#Texans WR Will Fuller, who exited yesterday’s game early, has a rather significant hamstring pull, source said. Based on recent tests results, he’s expected to miss several weeks.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 21, 2019
Texans wide receiver Will Fuller's hamstring injury, which forced him out of Sunday's game, is regarded as serious and expected to sideline him for multiple games, according to a league source.
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) October 21, 2019
As talented as he is and as productive as he can be when he suits up, Fuller has shown time and again that he can’t stay healthy. He has never played more than fourteen (14) games in a single season, and that high water mark occurred during his rookie year (2016). In 2017, Fuller played in ten games. 2018 saw him only play seven before going down with a torn ACL. With today’s news, it remains to be seen how many of the Texans’ remaining nine games Fuller suits up for this year after appearing in the first seven thus far.
The Texans picked up the fifth-year option on Fuller’s rookie contract last spring, so it seems unlikely the team would part ways with their 2016 first round pick before the end of the 2020 season. But the latest chapter of Fuller’s injury saga certainly renews and perhaps strengthens the concerns about whether the Texans should commit to the high-dollar, multi-year contract extension it’d likely take to keep Fuller at NRG Park in 2021 and beyond.
Unlike in seasons past, the Texans are better situated to weather Fuller’s absence this year. Kenny Stills’ presence on the roster is monstrous in terms of giving Houston another capable option in the passing game, and it’d be a boon if Keke Coutee can remain healthy as well. With the always excellent DeAndre Hopkins lining up on one boundary, Deshaun Watson shouldn’t lack for targets while Fuller recuperates.