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Will Anderson Jr.
EDGE · HOU

Will Anderson Jr.

Position EDGE
Team HOU
Bye Week —
PPR Rank —

Will Anderson Jr.

NFL defensive end. Position: EDGE. Team: HOU.

Quick Facts

  • Position: Edge Rusher / Defensive End (EDGE)
  • Team: HOU (Houston Texans)
  • Age: 24 years old
  • Experience: 4 seasons in NFL (since 2023)
  • Contract: 3-year, $150M extension (highest-paid non-QB in NFL history)

2026 Outlook

Will Anderson Jr. is the centerpiece of Houston's elite defense after a dominant 2025 campaign. He earned First-Team All-Pro and Defensive Player of the Year runner-up honors with 12 sacks, 54 tackles, and a Next Gen Stats era-record 48 third-down pressures. PFF graded him 92.4 overall (2nd among edge rushers). At just 24, Anderson signed a historic $150M deal making him the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history, though some argue he should have won DPoY outright given his production. Entering 2026, Anderson believes the Texans have "Super Bowl-caliber players all over the field" and stated the team's OTAs were the best cohesion he's experienced in his four seasons. (per Will Anderson says Texans 'most definitely' have title aspirations)

The Texans are building around Anderson with complementary pieces: Reed Blankenship joins as a pro-ready safety to address red-zone weakness (2025: 55.3% TD rate, 13th in league), and LB depth (Marte Mapu, Wade Woodaz, Aiden Fisher) offsets E.J. Speed's potential season-ending quad injury. All six 2025 Pro Bowlers return alongside Danielle Hunter, giving Anderson the deepest roster he's had in his four seasons. Ryans stated "Offenses are going to struggle" against the 2026 unit—confidence that Anderson's elite production can be sustained or expanded. (per How Texans' defense plans to be as good, if not better than 2025 unit)

DPOY favorite heading into Week 5 (Oct 7): Anderson is now the DPOY favorite at +288 consensus odds to win the 2026-27 award. He became the favorite after Myles Garrett underwent knee surgery with no return timeline. TJ Watt is a distant second at +725. The Texans' elite defense continues to support Anderson's candidacy for back-to-back DPOY consideration. (per 2026-27 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Odds Tracker).

Defensive Player of the Year prediction (Stadium Rant, July 6): Selected as DPOY prediction at +750 odds (over Myles Garrett). The analysis notes Anderson is "coming off a career year in sacks (12), tackles (54 combined, 35 solo), and tackles for loss (20)." While Garrett (now on the LA Rams) may win a Super Bowl, Anderson's position as Texans centerpiece on "the best defense in the NFL" (2025: 277.2 yards allowed per game), combined with recent addition of DT Kayden McDonald to "give Anderson more opportunities off the edge," positions him to "establish himself as a new boogeyman for QBs" in 2026 (per 2026-27 NFL Honors Predictions: Early Picks For MVP, Coach of the Year & Every Major Award)

Week 1 test vs. Bills: Anderson and Hunter form a dominant pairing that has already pressured Josh Allen once before. In that matchup, they limited Allen to 253 passing yards and forced two interceptions—a pattern that repeats in Week 1 when the Texans face Buffalo in what Anderson calls an "AFC Championship matchup" (per Will Anderson on Texans' season opener vs. Bills: 'This is an AFC Championship matchup').

October 7 — Midseason defensive restructuring: With the Texans struggling at 0-4 and allowing 27.3 points per game, head coach DeMeco Ryans reassigned defensive play-calling duties from coordinator Matt Burke to himself. Anderson vocally supported the move, noting Ryans' tendency to both hold players accountable and extend grace: "DeMeco is going to call you out. What you need to do, the grace part, he gives grace, but will also hold people accountable... DeMeco is going to get us going." The defensive star expressed confidence in Ryans' ability to improve communication and execution entering the crucial Week 5 matchup vs Tennessee (per DeMeco Ryans Changing Defensive Play Calls After Texans Drop To 0-4 - AOL.com).

Role / Depth Chart

Starter at edge rusher. Paired with Danielle Hunter and veteran Jadeveon Clowney in one of the league's most formidable pass-rush trios. Clowney signed in August after recording 8.5 sacks with Dallas in 2025, adding elite edge depth that will amplify Anderson's opportunities and draw game-planning focus.

Injury Status

Healthy.

Recent News

Open Questions

  • Will Anderson finally claim DPoY honors in 2026 after runner-up finish?

Sources

What the Experts Are Saying

The Fantasy HeadlinersWeek 6 QB START/SIT Every Match Up Analysis 🚨 MUST-Play or Bench Players (2026 Fantasy Football)
Mayo Media NetworkNFL Week 1 Precap: Storylines That Change EVERYTHING | Picks, Longshots & WNF/TNF Breakdown