Fanduel
Log In
The Duel

Wide Receivers the Texans Must Target to Replace DeAndre Hopkins

By Max Staley

DeAndre Hopkins was traded to the Arizona Cardinals.
DeAndre Hopkins was traded to the Arizona Cardinals. / Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
facebooktwitterreddit

In a stunning move, the Houston Texans shipped All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals. Hopkins will obviously leave a massive hole at WR in his wake.

The team's only proven talents at the position are Kenny Stills and Will Fuller. With Fuller never having played a full 16-game season in his four-year NFL career, and Stills not exactly profiling as a legitimate WR1, Houston will need to add some more pass-catchers to stave off any regression. With that in mind, here are three wideouts Houston should target this offseason.

1. Chase Claypool

Chase Claypool had an incredible performance at the 2020 NFL Combine.
Chase Claypool had an incredible performance at the 2020 NFL Combine. / Joe Robbins/Getty Images

The Texans are not going to have an easy time replacing DeAndre Hopkins, so they might as well swing for the fences. Chase Claypool is coming off a remarkably productive senior season that saw him rack up 1,037 receiving yards and 13 TDs. He more than backed that up at the NFL Combine, running the 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds and posting a 40.5-inch vertical jump despite weighing 238 pounds. He's got WR1 upside, and he should be available in the second round of the NFL Draft.

2. Breshad Perriman

Breshad Perriman could be a good target for the Texans.
Breshad Perriman could be a good target for the Texans. / Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Once viewed as a bust, Breshad Perriman really came on down the stretch last season. He stepped up while Mike Evans and Chris Godwin dealt with injuries, averaging 101.2 receiving yards per game with 5 TDs over the final five games of the year. There's a risk that he could be a flash in the pan, but the big-bodied wideout would be a solid gamble for a WR-needy Texans ream.

3. Emmanuel Sanders

Emmanuel Sanders could be a solid addition for the Texans.
Emmanuel Sanders could be a solid addition for the Texans. / Michael Zagaris/Getty Images

While Claypool and Perriman are higher-ceiling options, Emmanuel Sanders could provide a reliable, veteran presence to a WR group that sorely needs it. He's not as explosive as he once was, but he still racked up a combined 869 receiving yards on 66 receptions last season. With Stills and Fuller best suited as deep threats, Sanders could be an excellent addition thanks to his ability on short or intermediate routes.

Join FanDuel Sportsbook Today. New users get a risk-free bet up to $500. Join Now.

Max Staley is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Max Staley also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username mstaley1212. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.