Can Will Fuller, Braxton Miller Find Big Roles in Texans Offense in 2016?

Last year, the Houston Texans suffered through miserable quarterback play, an injury-plagued rushing attack and a reliance on DeAndre Hopkins to carry an otherwise mediocre receiving corps.

This year, head coach Bill O’Brien and the Texans opted for an offensive skill position overhaul. They transitioned from the aging and injured Arian Foster to the underrated Lamar Miller, formerly of the Miami Dolphins. They lured quarterback Brock Osweiler from the Denver Broncos, paying him handsomely to assume command of their offense.

And on draft day, Houston added two more critical pieces. Moving up to secure Will Fuller in the first round and stealing Braxton Miller in the third, the Texans gave Hopkins the talented running mates at receiver that he’s sorely missed since Andre Johnson departed. And despite Osweiler, Fuller and Miller all being first-year players for the Texans, the present and future look bright for Houston’s offensive attack.

What Brock Osweiler Needs

Osweiler’s tremendous rise from lost cause as Peyton Manning’s developmental backup to potential starter over his mentor was both shocking and a testament to how far he’s come from his Arizona State days. Over the last four years, Osweiler has reworked his mechanics and improved his velocity control and downfield ball placement.

Within the Broncos offense, Osweiler grew as a distributor, finishing short passes with consistency and forcing defenses to stretch, similar to how Manning thrived in the scheme. And like Manning, Osweiler has grown to be a great vertical-route thrower, especially in the slot. The play below illustrates that capability and comfort, even with a handful of secondary bodies around his target.

DeAndre Hopkins will continue to get his share of targets, and he has no reason to expect a drop-off in his stature as one of the best receivers in the NFL. But on top of that, Osweiler’s vertical-passing ability and ball placement should allow Will Fuller and …

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