Irish in the NFL: Will Fuller returns with highlight catch

Former Notre Dame receiver Will Fuller has suffered through plenty of injuries so far in his NFL career. He returned to the field on Monday Nigh Football.

It’s been a tough road in the NFL so far for former Notre Dame and now Houston Texans wide receiver Will Fuller. Thanks to a handful of injuries, Fuller has yet to play an entire season since being drafted No. 21 overall in 2016 by the Texans.

When healthy, Fuller is one of the most explosive and dangerous wide receivers in the NFL. His rare speed puts him amongst the elite deep threats in the game. When paired with DeAndre Hopkins — arguably the best all-around wide receiver in the NFL — they form the sort of tandem that can help a team become and remain a Super Bowl contender.

We saw a glimpse of that last night on Monday Night Football. In what was probably the most exciting game of Week 1 of the 2019 NFL season, Fuller’s Texans came up short against against the New Orleans Saints. Even in losing, however, the Houston passing attack — led by quarterback Deshaun Watson — was one of the highlights of the night.

Hopkins did his thing, hauling in eight balls for 111 yards and two scores. But it was Fuller, in his first action since tearing his ACL last season, who came up with the highlight grab of the night. His long reception drew Randy Moss comparisons from the NFL’s twitter account.

Fuller was only targeted three times, catching two passes for 69 yards. And yes, the Texans lost the game. Moving forward, however, things should get better for both Fuller and his team. There’s no shame in losing on the road to the Saints. Even in doing so the Texans had the look of a squad who should be in the conversation for best team in the AFC throughout the season.

That could mean a lot of attention for Fuller, who is arguably the most exciting player on the Houston offense. If the Texans can be contenders this season, it could be mean a breakout season for the former Notre Dame star.