A breakdown of the 2016 Houston Texans draft class and its progress at the midpoint of the season.
Will Fuller, WR, first round: Fuller started his season with a bang with two games of more than 100 receiving yards. His production has decreased since then, but he is still a threat opposite Pro Bowl receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Fuller has had a few drops -- something he also dealt with at Notre Dame -- but receivers coach Sean Ryan said it's something he has addressed with Fuller and that, with more practice, he hopes it will be less of an issue in the second half of the season. In seven games, Fuller has 25 catches for 372 yards and two touchdowns.
Nick Martin, C, second round: Martin won the starting-center spot pretty early in training camp, but suffered a high ankle sprain in the Texans’ joint practice against the Saints and had to have surgery. He was put on injured reserve before the regular season began. Former undrafted rookie Greg Mancz has played in Martin’s place, but when Martin returns, he will likely win that starting spot back.
Braxton Miller, WR, third round: At the midpoint of the season, Miller has mostly been playing in the slot for the Texans, making eight catches for 52 yards in six games. He missed two games with a hamstring injury. Ryan said he wants Miller to focus on playing faster in the second half of the season.
“Just play fast,” Ryan said. “Even if you’re not sure, cut it loose, let’s go. That’s what we saw on tape from him. He’s an athletic guy.
"So we just need to see it. We need him to process things a bit quicker, which is coming with experience and practice.”
Part of that inexperience comes because this is really only Miller’s second season playing receiver at a high level. Miller played quarterback for Ohio State before converting to receiver before his senior season.
Tyler Ervin, RB, fourth round: Ervin has not played much at running back, and has just three yards on one carry this season, with 18 more on three catches. Part of that is because he is playing behind Lamar Miller and Alfred Blue, who have gotten most of the carries for Houston thus far. Running-backs coach Charles London said Ervin is “doing a great job,” and that he has a specific role on the team, which is returning the ball. London said he hopes to continue to get Ervin involved on offense, but that he is pleased with his progress on special teams.
KJ Dillon, S, fifth round: Dillion spent most of the first half of the season playing behind a deep group at safety. He did play in the Texans’ comeback victory over the Indianapolis Colts, but tore his ACL and was put on injured reserve. In five games, he had five combined tackles.
D.J. Reader, DT, fifth round: Reader has played in all eight of the Texans' games, with nine combined tackles. He saw the field in Sunday’s victory over the Lions after veteran Vince Wilfork left the game with a groin injury. He played on 46 percent of Houston's defensive snaps. Head coach Bill O’Brien said he has been very impressed how Reader has improved and what he has done during practice; it's allowed Reader to get more playing time.
“I think he gives us a solid guy inside in the run,” O’Brien said. He’s hard to move, and I think that he adds some inside pass rush that really helped us [against the Lions].”
Added defensive line coach Anthony Weaver: “I typically don’t like rookies. They’re hard to win with. I love D.J. Reader.
“He’s a guy that comes to work with the same mindset every day. Happy, loves ball, just puts his hard hat on and gets better. I think you’ve seen the results of that on the football field. He’s earning the right to get more snaps and that’s a credit to him.”