Will

Anderson Jr.

Anderson carried no game status after being cleared off the injury report with a hand, so this is a bit of a surprise inactive. (It shouldn’t be, the Texans have nothing to play for, but he’s the only major Texans player that is inactive.) Mason, Okudah, Autry, and Fatukasi were declared out on Friday. Christian Harris (ankle) does not play off a questionable tag.

Anderson missed two games with the ankle issue but returned to practice on Wednesday. He is good to go for Week 12. Anderson has 7.5 sacks and 11 TFLs this year despite the pair of missed games. His return makes Houston an even worse matchup for Will Levis this week.

Anderson has been out since Week 9 with the ankle issue. This was his first practice since suffering the injury, giving him a good shot to suit up on Sunday. Anderson is the biggest play-maker on the defensive side of the ball for Houston. He has 7.5 sacks and 11 TFLs this year.

Anderson had already been ruled out but his presence along the defensive front will be missed against the Cowboys. Wide receiver Nico Collins makes his return to the lineup following a five-game absence and finds himself in an outstanding spot against the porous Dallas secondary.

Anderson missed Week 10 with the ankle issue and has yet to return to practice. He was ruled out over the weekend. The reigning DPOY has 7.5 sacks and 11 TFLs this year. The loss of Anderson is a notable blow to Houston’s defense, though we don’t expect it to turn things around for the Cooper Rush-led Cowboys this week.

Anderson was entirely unable to practice this week and never had a shot to play. His presence would have been felt, facing a Lions offensive line missing LT Taylor Decker (shoulder) but the Texans will have to make due without him.

Anderson went down with the ankle injury early in Houston’s Week 9 loss to the Jets. He played a handful of snaps after being listed as questionable to return but was clearly ailing. With 7.5 sacks and a league-high 11 TFLs, Anderson is the cornerstone of Houston’s defense. Losing him would be a devastating blow as the Texans prepare to take on the Lions this week. His practice status will be monitored closely.

Anderson picked up the injury early, and while he was able to return in the first half, he clearly wasn’t 100 percent. The 23-year-old is one of the best young pass-rushers in football, and this would be a significant loss for the Texans.

Anderson was dealing with what the team initially called a soft-tissue injury back on August 7. We haven’t seen much from him since, but we now know the injury is related to his ankle. While he hasn’t practiced in weeks, Ryans appears optimistic about Anderson’s availability for Week 1. Anderson totaled 45 tackles, 10 TFLs, and seven sacks as a rookie and is expected to take a big leap forward in his second season as a pro.

Anderson established himself as an elite edge defender in year one, taking home 2023 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. His 16.4 percent pass-rush win rate and 16.2 percent quarterback pressure rate rank top 12 positionally (min. 420 pass-rushing snaps) and he led the Texans run defense with 12 tackles for loss or no gain. The weight gain should make it more difficult for blockers to displace him and the Texans notably lost two of their top three run-defense tacklers in free agency. Anderson’s transformation a positive offseason development in this regard.