The Houston Texans triumphed over the Miami Dolphins on Thursday Night Football, but it came at a cost. Wide receiver Will Fuller reportedly suffered a torn ACL midway through the contest, ending his season. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport first had the news.
The #Texans won big last night but it may have come at a cost: Source said the fear is WR Will Fuller suffered a season-ending knee injury. He’ll have an MRI today, but the initial diagnosis predicted bad news. Fuller had 124 yards receiving and a TD vs the #Dolphins.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 26, 2018
Will Fuller Suffers Torn ACL, Lost For Season
Fuller’s injury could not have come at a worse time for the Houston Texans. After a 0-3 start to the season, Houston won each of their last five games, and Fuller was a big reason why. In Thursday’s 42-23 win, Fuller recorded five receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown. During his abbreviated season, Fuller compiled 32 receptions for 503 yards and four touchdowns.
Unfortunately for Fuller, this is not his first battle with injuries. Back in 2017, Fuller played in just 10 games, missing the opening portion of the season with a collarbone injury. While the team has not released a timetable for Fuller’s injury, NFL players usually need nine months to a year to return to game action. This timeframe would have him ready to play just around the time the NFL season kicks off.
Fuller initially entered the league as a first-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. Fuller was the second receiver taken in the draft, behind Baylor’s Corey Clement. Fuller had a strong rookie year, recording 47 receptions for 635 yards and two touchdowns while playing in 14 games. He also added 196 yards and a touchdown in the return game.
Fuller’s 2017 was something of a mixed bag. While he finished the year with just 28 receptions for 423 yards, he also recorded seven touchdowns. Additionally, he was dominant when sharing the field with quarterback Deshaun Watson. In four games together, Fuller recorded 13 receptions for 279 yards and seven touchdowns. When extrapolated over a 16-game sample, Fuller was on pace for 52 receptions for 1,116 yards and 28 touchdowns. The past two seasons showed this is a fantastic duo, but for the second straight year, this magic has been interrupted by an ACL injury.
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