Top 10 Houston Texans Players Going Into the 2025-26 Season

Houston had high expectations in 2024 and honestly fell short of where they wanted to be at the end of the day. A combination of injuries and bad offensive line play were the main factors behind their disappointing season.

On the bright side, however, Houston benefits from playing in a weak AFC South Division, so there aren't really any big threats to steal the division. I'd say as long as they're healthy, they'll win the division by default.

I still don't think they're quite good enough to be Super Bowl contenders at this point in time, but they are not far off at all.

The Top Ten

C.J. Stroud

I still think C.J. Stroud is a great quarterback who can easily return to being elite in 2025. Stroud had an outstanding rookie season in 2023, throwing for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions with a quarterback rating of 100.8. He made the Pro Bowl and was the Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Last season, C.J. unfortunately wasn't quite as good statistically. Call it a sophomore slump if you will, but to be fair, there were other factors at play such as a poor offensive line, poor coaching style, and losing a primary target in Tank Dell. Stefon Diggs doesn't help either. Even in a down 2024 season, he still finished in the top 20 in passing touchdowns and top 15 in passing yards. I expect Stroud to have a bounce-back season in 2025.
Will Anderson Jr

Will Anderson has been excellent so far in the NFL. He's been amongst the top 20 edge rushers in the league. He was named Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023 and set the Texans franchise record for most sacks by a rookie.
He has great speed and athleticism and is a true disruptive force. PFF gave him an 85.1 overall grade, ranking 10th overall in the league amongst edge rushers. He missed a few games in 2024 but still had 11.0 sacks total. He's a true rising star that can become one of the best edge rushers in the league.
Nico Collins

Nico Collins has become the main go-to guy for C.J. Stroud, especially after Tank Dell went down. He's carrying most of the workload. He's got great size and speed and is an excellent route runner who is both effective and efficient after the catch, having high YAC numbers. PFF gave him a 91.6 grade, which ranked second in the NFL in 2024.
It's clear he has strong chemistry with C.J. Stroud. He missed a few games and still had 1,000+ yards and 7 touchdowns and made the Pro Bowl. Nico has the potential to be considered a top 10 receiver league-wide in 2025.
Derek Stingley Jr.

Derek Stingley is a very good cornerback who was named an All-Pro and a Pro Bowler in 2024. His coverage abilities are nothing short of stellar. He had one of the lowest allowed completion percentages in 2024 with just 45% amongst all corners in the league.
On top of that, he's a true ball hawk with 5 interceptions in the last 2 seasons. He's a true top talent at cornerback in the league and should continue to be elite for years to come.
Joe Mixon

Joseph Tyler Mixon (born July 24, 1996) is an American professional football running back who is currently a free agent. Mixon played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners, where he earned first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2016. He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 2017... read more

Joe Mixon has been a solid, steady, and reliable running back for years. Even if he isn't the most efficient or explosive running back, he's a consistent contributor on offense and is a true dual threat in both passing and rushing situations.
A true dynamic workhorse running back, finishing with 1,000+ yards and 9+ touchdowns in 3 of the last 4 seasons, he led the Texans in rushing yards and finished top 15 league-wide in rushing touchdowns and rushing yards in 2024. Mixon should continue to be an integral part of the Texans offense for a while to come.
Danielle Hunter

Danielle Hunter (born October 29, 1994) is a Jamaican-American professional football defensive end for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the LSU Tigers and was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Hunter was... read more

Danielle Hunter has been a disruptive pass-rushing force for years. He typically generates high volumes of sacks. According to PFF, he was 7th in pressures and had the 13th highest grade at 82.7 in 2024.
He's been a disruptive force for years and should be a vital part of the Texans defense for a while. While I don't think he's on a Hall of Fame trajectory, I don't think he's terribly far off from it.
Dalton Schultz

Dalton Schultz is generally considered a consistently reliable tight end. Not necessarily the flashiest name, but he can contribute. He's a starting-caliber tight end who is honestly underrated in my opinion.
Arguably the best tight end in Texans franchise history. He's an outstanding pass catcher, and it helps that he has good chemistry with C.J. Stroud.
Christian Kirk

Christian Kirk is a decent enough wide receiver. He's a starting-caliber receiver, not necessarily a top-tier wide receiver, but he's an experienced veteran who can thrive as a wide receiver 2.
The Texans need someone who can fill in as a wide receiver 2 with Stefon Diggs and Robert Woods gone and Tank Dell's 2025 season in serious jeopardy. Kirk is a steady, reliable veteran talent who should at least be serviceable for the Texans offense.
Jayden Higgins

The Texans are banking on Jayden Higgins being a key component of their offense. While I initially questioned the pick, I do think that it's a fair pick considering the status of Tank Dell. Turns out he may or may not be back for 2025 due to the rehabilitation process.
Higgins is a promising prospect with great size, speed, and route running abilities. He could potentially be a good red zone option. Curious to see the way he plays in the Texans offense this season.
Ka’imi Fairbairn

Fairbairn is generally a good kicker. He was 36/42 on field goals for an 85% accuracy rate. He was 34/36 on extra points for a 94% accuracy rating.
His numbers are slightly down, but he's still generally reliable and has the ability to make long-range field goals.