Will Anderson
Jr.

Will Anderson headlined throughout his 2023 NFL Playoffs Rookie of the Year campaign, and he didn't disappoint. The Houston Texans' pass rusher proved his mettle when it mattered the most, notching post rookie-best 11 sacks in the third-round playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on Jan. 20, 2024. Anderson's 11 sacks in his first 6 career postseason games is the most by a rookie since 1982.

One of the nastiest pass-rushers in the league, Anderson is an anchor for a tough defensive front in Houston. The 2023 Defensive Rookie of the Year further elevated his game with a top-tier sophomore effort. He increased his sack total (11.0), forced a fumble and notched 16 tackles for loss in '24.

Will made bowl headlines throughout his 2023 NFL defensive Rookie of the Year campaign, and the young gun battled from there in 2024 the first defensive player chosen in the 2023 NFL Draft, Anderson Jr. was the third overall selection and the Patriots (8B) near the time limit in 4-21 win over Cleveland.

Anderson took another step toward a dominant reputation with his award-winning effort in Week 6 in 2024. Matched up against the Patriots, the pass-rusher spent all afternoon in the backfield, collecting 3 sacks, eight tackles and four tackles for loss to earn AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Anderson had quite a day in Week 6 of 2024. The ferocious DE hammered the Patriots with 3.0 sacks, eight tackles (four TFL) and a pass defensed in Houston's win. That made him the 12th player ever to reach all those totals in a game — and made him an easy choice for AFC Defensive Player of the Week.

Anderson is an agent of chaos on Houston's defensive front. Even when he's not rushing the passer, he wreaks havoc. The powerful edge rusher twisted with defensive tackle Khali Davis and cracked down on an offensive guard, freeing up his teammate for a critical sack in Week 9 vs. Tampa Bay in 2023.

The Texans shocked everyone when they traded up to take Anderson with the third pick of the 2023 NFL Draft — including him. "It was actually a really big surprise to me," he said. "The Texans were my first visit. It just felt right. … When I got that call, I don't even know how to explain it, but it was a blessing."

Tabbed as the face of Houston's defense in the 2023 NFL Draft, Anderson won over Texans fans with his relentless pressure in 2023. He won over the coaching staff with his relentless work ethic. "You have to drag him off the field," coach DeMeco Ryans told the Houston Chronicle. "He's not coming off."

Anderson and the upstart Texans tallied their 11th win of the 2023 season with a 45-14 clobbering of Cleveland in a wild-card game on Jan. 13, 2024. The rookie captain collected a sack in the most lopsided postseason victory in team history, eclipsing a 31-10 win over the Bengals in the 2011 season.

Anderson made his presence felt by producing sacks on consecutive plays in the second quarter of a match vs. the Titans in Week 17 of 2023. "Back-to-back sacks at any level of football is crazy," said Texans teammate Sheldon Rankins. "I know he loved every moment of it. I loved watching it."