NFL Evaluator Says Will Anderson Jr. Could Have a 15-Sack Season

The Houston Texans enter the 2026 with a defense that already set the standard. They went 12-5 in 2025 and reached the AFC Divisional Round. Their defense finished No. 1 in the NFL in total yards allowed at 277.24 per game and No. 2 in scoring defense at 17.4 points per game. Houston also forced 29 turnovers, good for third in the league. That production gives DeMeco Ryans a defense that does not need a major overhaul entering 2026. Will Anderson Jr. produced 12 sacks, 20 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles in 2025. His sack total has increased every season: 7 as a rookie, 11 in 2024 and 12 last season. Following the trend, an NFL personnel evaluator said, 'He can have the type of 15-sack season that will define him, especially with Danielle Hunter on the other side,' per ESPN. Hunter has already proven he can win one-on-one matchups, while Anderson's speed and power make him difficult to leave isolated. Houston also brought back Jadeveon Clowney, adding another experienced pass rusher to the rotation. The defense's 2025 numbers were not built around one player. That is why Anderson can chase 15 sacks without having to carry the entire unit. The Texans' Offense Still Has to Keep up Houston's defense can keep games close, but the offense has to provide enough points to turn those close games into wins. C.J. Stroud completed 64.5% of his passes during the regular season before a rougher postseason performance featuring 462 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions across two games. The four-interception performance against New England ultimately ended Houston's season in a 28-16 Divisional Round loss. The Texans ranked 29th in efficiency on first-down runs, despite having the seventh-highest first-down rush rate. Houston responded by acquiring David Montgomery from Detroit and adding more offensive-line help. The goal is not simply to run more. It is to make the offense less dependent on Stroud creating something when the structure of the play breaks down. Nico Collins gives the offense a much higher ceiling, and ESPN placed him No. 44 overall in the 2026 player rankings. Houston's defense already gives the team a massive margin for error. The offense simply cannot repeatedly waste that advantage with stalled drives, poor red-zone execution or turnovers. Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved This story was originally published September 8, 2026 at 11:20 AM.