How many Houston Texansplayers are among the league's elite?
In ESPN’s most recent projections of the top 100 players in the NFL this season, five Houston Texans
players made the list. Four of them were on defense: defensive ends Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter, as well as cornerbacks Derek Stingley and Kamari Lassiter. Houston’s one player on offense who made the list was wide receiver Nico Collins.Among the top quarter, All-Pro defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (No.15) and All-Pro defensive end Derek Stingley Jr. (No. 21) made it inside the top 25. After that, there was a slight drop-off, but five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter came in clutch at No. 39 following his second out-of-this-world campaign.
Collins, a three-time Pro Bowler
and among the league's best vertical threats, came in at No. 44. Even though quarterback C.J. Stroud did not have the best season last year, Collins was able to record over 1,000 receiving yards for the third straight year after being targeted a career-high 120 times. He is clearly the No. 1 receiver on the team, although there is some depth behind him with Xavier Hutchinson and Kayshon Boutte, who the Texans recently traded for.
“As a 6-foot-4 wideout who is shifty with a massive catch radius, Collins is talented enough to be in top-five receiver talks," ESPN's D.J. Bien-Amie wrote. "And with the recent news of No. 2 wideout Jayden Higgins missing the entire season with a torn ACL, Texans offensive coordinator Nick Caley might end up relying on Collins more than ever."
Signature stat: Since the Texans drafted quarterback C.J. Stroud in 2023, Collins' 2.91 yards per route run are second in the NFL behind the Rams' Puka Nacua (3.32).
Bien-Amie expects higher-quality production from Collins this season as the team's top weapon with a projected stat line of 87 receptions, 1,203 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns. That's along with a rushing total of two carries for 12 yards.
To read the full list of where every Texans player lands, click here.
The Texans open the regular season on Sunday at Reliant Stadium against the Buffalo Bills.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans Pro Bowl WR Nico Collins among Top 50 players by ESPN for 2026 season
