Photo by Maize & Blue Nation (CC BY 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons

Texans are 1-4, but Will Anderson is playing like a Defensive Player of the Year

Despite a difficult 1-4 start for Houston, defensive end Will Anderson has emerged as the clear frontrunner for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year honor. Through five games, he paces the league with 7.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss, putting him on pace for 25.5 sacks over a 17-game campaign after registering at least half a sack in every contest so far.

His most recent outing featured three sacks against Titans quarterback Cam Ward, placing him in company not seen since J.J. Watt achieved similar marks for the franchise back in 2012.

While MVP voters typically favor quarterbacks on elite squads, the market for the defensive accolade remains open to standout performers on struggling rosters, as demonstrated by Myles Garrett winning last year with the Browns. Betting markets currently list Anderson as the significant favorite at +125 odds, well ahead of competitors T.J.

Watt and Dallas Turner at +850. The strong campaign follows a massive organizational investment in the former third overall pick, which included a hefty contract extension executed this year.

Up nextNFL· 1h ago

Jaguars are first team since the merger not to allow a 40-yard rusher in first five games