The Facts: During the offseason, Howard had PRK eye surgery and says he now has 20/20 vision. The clarity should help him as a receiver and he expects a larger role in the passing game this season. His practice reps are about the same as they were late last season, but there have been more opportunities in check-down situations. "There's still room to improve," Howard said Tuesday, "but I definitely feel like I've made a big step up from last year."
Diehards Line:
Though he was targeted 50 times last season, Howard had only 29 receptions for 298 yards and one touchdown. On the ground, Howard was a force, rushing for 1,313yards on 252 carries to finish as the NFL's second-leading rusher behind the Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott with 1,631 yards. Still, Howard only scored six rushing touchdowns, far less than Elliott's 15. None of Howard's touchdowns were from outside the red zone except his 21-yard reception for a score. His longest rushing touchdown was 9 yards. With only 10 runs going for at least 20 yards, Howard averaged 5.2 yards per carry. More catches would be great for all involved.