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Eric Christian Smith/Associated Press

Scheme: Erhardt-Perkins

Starter: DeAndre Hopkins

NFL1000 Scores: 69.7/100

NFL1000 Position Ranking: 22/155

After two very strong seasons, DeAndre Hopkins saw his numbers drop in 2016. He caught 78 passes for 954 yards and four touchdowns, perhaps due in part to very inconsistent play from the quarterback position. Hopkins remains one of the most talented young receivers in the NFL with the speed and quickness to gain separation on nearly every route in the passing tree.

Those traits make him dangerous not only in the vertical aspect of Houston's offense, but also on routes breaking off the stem, where he can sell the deep route and break back toward his quarterback. The Texans use him all over the field, aligning him as an X receiver, moving him off the line as more of a Z and even putting him in the slot at times to get favorable matchups. With improved play at QB, look for Hopkins to return to the kinds of numbers people expect him to produce.

Starter: Will Fuller V

NFL1000 Scores: 66.1/100

NFL1000 Position Ranking: 62/155

Fuller, selected in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft, was known for his speed and vertical playmaking ability coming out of Notre Dame. But an area of concern was his ability at the catch point, as he committed more than a few drops during his time in South Bend. As Fuller transitioned to the NFL, he showed signs of shoring up that aspect of his game, executing a number of impressive catches as a rookie. This was evident not only on throws down the field but also on shorter routes.

Against Jacksonville in Week 15 he caught a quick hitch route in a contested catch situation and broke the tackle, turning it into a quick 22-yard gain. Plays like this will make Fuller a strong asset for the Texans going forward. His combination of downfield speed, change-of-direction ability and improvement with his hands is a great sign for his development as a professional.

Starter: Braxton Miller

NFL1000 Scores: 62.1/100

NFL1000 Position Ranking: 111/155

Rookie Braxton Miller stepped into the Texans' Week 1 lineup, taking advantage of the injury to Jaelen Strong. He appeared in 10 games with six credited starts and caught 15 passes for 99 yards and a touchdown. His best game of the season came in Week 11 against the Raiders when he caught five passes for 25 yards and a touchdown. On the scoring play he displayed the ability to truly sell a route, as he ran a post pattern in the red zone and sold the defender on a corner route using a dino stem on the play.

For a former quarterback, Miller seems to be developing well into a WR in terms of running routes and his ability to contribute as a blocker. Miller was placed on injured reserve in December with a shoulder sprain but should be healthy for training camp.

Backup: Jaelen Strong

NFL1000 Scores: 61.6/100

NFL1000 Position Ranking: 114/155

Strong, selected in the third round of the 2015 NFL draft, suffered an ankle injury in Week 8 and was placed on injured reserve. That ended what was another slow start, which has been a trend through two NFL seasons. He caught 14 passes for 161 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie, and at the time of his injury he had 14 receptions for 131 yards. At his best, he is a physical receiver with the ability to use his strength to beat the press and to beat defenders at the catch point. But one drawback to his style of play is that he can struggle with drops at times. He should be ready for training camp but might struggle to break the starting lineup given the talent the Texans have at this position.

Backup: Keith Mumphery

NFL1000 Scores: 60.7/100

NFL1000 Position Ranking: 125/155

Mumphery saw an increased workload for the Texans down the stretch as Miller battled injuries. He was used primarily out of the slot and was effective at finding space against zone coverage, whether on deep curl routes or working toward the outside on out routes. Mumphery is also above-average as a blocker for a wide receiver and can contribute to the Texans offense in the running game with some blocks on the edge in zone or power designs. With Strong and Miller both expected to be healthy in 2017, Mumphery may find himself contributing more on special teams in the year to come.

Team Need: 3/10

Potential Draft Fits: Curtis Samuel (Ohio State), Josh Reynolds (Texas A&M), Isaiah Ford (Virginia Tech), ArDarius Stewart (Alabama), Taywan Taylor (Western Kentucky)