Expectations are high for DeAndre Hopkins.
The 22-year-old is now Houston's No. 1 receiver and leader of the position group heading into 2015.
"He had a really good year last year and the sky's the limit with Hop (Hopkins)," head coach Bill O'Brien said in an interview with NFL Network. "He's an excellent young player who works extremely hard and we're looking forward to putting together our whole receiving corps and he should be the leader of that."
In 2014, Hopkins led the Texans wide receivers in yards receiving (1,210) and receiving touchdowns (6). He became just the second player in franchise history to eclipse 1,000 yards in a season, doing so in his 12th game of the season. Hopkins has caught 128 passes for 2,012 yards and 8 touchdowns in his two seasons in the NFL.
Hopkins, now entering his third season, will be playing without his mentor, 12-year veteran Andre Johnson, for the first time in his NFL career.
"Andre will go down as one of the greatest receivers to play this game," O'Brien said. "Sometimes things like that happen in our league, you know. It's a different year; every year's different and DeAndre will be expected to come in here and work hard."
The Texans added to the position group during free agency with the signing of Cecil Shorts III on March 16. Shorts III led the Jaguars in receptions (176), receiving yards (2,343), and touchdowns (12) during his four years in Jacksonville.
