The Player
It's been an interesting offseason for 2015 third-round pick Jaelen Strong. He entered the spring as the defacto number-two option for the Texans alongside DeAndre Hopkins, but was quickly relegated back to the bench following the selections of Will Fuller and Braxton Miller in the 2016 draft.
Despite possessing elite physical attributes and being a dominant college player at Arizona State, Strong has struggled to get consistent time on the field with the starters thus far in his NFL career. As an athlete, his traits are visible and elite:
| Name | Hght | Wght | 40 yd | Vert | Broad |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donte Moncrief | 6' 2" | 221 | 4.4 | 39½" | 132" |
| Jaelen Strong | 6' 2" | 217 | 4.44 | 42" | 123" |
| Jordan Matthews | 6' 3" | 212 | 4.46 | 35½" | 120" |
| Michael Floyd | 6' 3" | 220 | 4.47 | 36" | 122" |
| Alshon Jeffery | 6' 2⅞" | 216 | 4.48 | 36½" | 122" |
| Kenny Britt | 6' 3" | 218 | 4.49 | 37" | 124" |
| Hakeem Nicks | 6' 1" | 212 | 4.51 | 36" | |
| Dez Bryant | 6' 2" | 225 | 4.52 | 38" | 133" |
With a game reminiscent of Alshon Jeffery, Strong excels at playing the ball in the air and making circus catches along the sideline. He seems to track and secure passes with ease, even if defenders are in his face. Perhaps his greatest struggle is gaining consistent separation, although his size and leaping ability help to counteract that as quarterbacks can "throw him open" due to his great catch radius. He finished his rookie season with 14 receptions for 161 yards and three touchdowns.
While he doesn't possess the suddenness and speed of Miller or Fuller respectively, if Strong can improve his route running in an effort to maximize his separation skills, he certainly has the natural talent to be a weapon in the NFL.
The Opportunity
The Texans targeted their star wideout Hopkins 192 times in 2015, demonstrating not only their faith in his ability, but also the lack of competent weapons available to play alongside him. They set out to change that with the additions of Fuller and Miller, and the team has certainly highlighted their abilities this preseason.
If everyone remains healthy, it seems unlikely that Strong could see the amount of targets needed to flourish as a fantasy asset, but players are on this watch list because of their ability to rise to the occasion if opportunity presents itself.
Strong can best replicate what Hopkins brings to this offense, with his elite catch radius and ability to play the ball in tight, contested coverage. He may not be the technician that Hopkins is at this stage in his career, but if the Texans star were to battle any injuries, I would look for Strong to see his usage spike considerably.
Miller, while an exciting prospect and athlete as a slot receiver, is still learning how to play the position after starring as a quarterback at Ohio State for most of his college career. The Texans have certainly involved him this preseason with 10 receptions in just three preseason games, but I wouldn't be surprised if his transition to the NFL during the regular season is much more gradual.
And while I expect Will Fuller to be a big weapon for this offense, at this point he is still learning how to be more than just a vertical threat. His limited catch radius (due to inconsistent hands when the ball is off target) somewhat limits how the team can use him along the sidelines, and I don't see his usage increasing significantly if Hopkins were to miss time.
While the team certainly doesn't seem high on Strong heading into his second season, he is certainly a player I'm watching due to his skill set should an opportunity present itself.