Texans' J.J. Watt, DeAndre Hopkins to Begin Training Camp on PUP List

The Houston Texans will reportedly be without two of the best players in the league at the start of training camp.

On Sunday, Field Yates of ESPN reported the AFC South team placed defensive end J.J. Watt and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins on the active/physically unable to perform list to begin training camp.

Fortunately for the Texans, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported both playmakers should be back in the near future and are merely "dealing with minor injuries this offseason."

Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk noted "Watt had his knee cleaned up in January but showed no signs of a major problem," while John McClain of the Houston Chronicle reported in June that Hopkins dealt with a foot injury during the 2018 regular season and suffered a shoulder injury in a playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

"Last year was tough, not just physically but mentally," Hopkins said during an appearance at the Tri-Star Show at NRG Arena (h/t McClain). "It's the most banged up I've ever been playing football."

Both are critical to Houston's success on the field and arguably the best players in the NFL at their respective positions.

Watt is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, five-time Pro Bowler and five-time First Team All-Pro who played all 16 games in 2018 with 16 sacks and a league-leading seven forced fumbles.

Hopkins is a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time First Team All-Pro who also played all 16 games last season and tallied 115 catches for 1,572 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Houston will surely need them both healthy during the 2019 campaign to repeat as AFC South champions.