For diehard fans of the National Football League, there are no shortage of underrated dates on the NFL calendar. Items like the schedule release and the beginning of OTAs probably elicit more warm, fuzzy feelings for diehards than the casuals out there. For me, a card carrying diehard, I love the NFL’s gradual release, over several weeks, of the “NFL’s Top 100 Players” rankings.
If you’re unfamiliar with it, the NFL Top 100 has been an annual ritual (admittedly, very much “made for TV”) since the 2011 offseason. The rankings are compiled from votes cast by the players themselves, so it’s completely subjective and the voting constituency is made up the players’ peers. The release this year will begin next week, on June 22, and it will take place on X (formerly known as Twitter), with the league revealing two players per day for the ensuing several weeks.
Certainly, the release of the list is more fun when the team that you root for is talented and relevant. For example, the David Culley and Lovie Smith seasons, when all you had to look forward to was “Where in the ’80s or ’90s will Laremy Tunsil be ranked?” were not fun. Things are better now!
So who makes it for the Texans this season? Which Houston Texans are viewed as one of the 100 best in the world by their peers? Let’s start by looking back at the Texans who made the list last season, and where they might finish in this season’s Top 100:
58. JOE MIXON, RB
Coming off his only healthy season for the Texans in 2024, Mixon was rated the 58th best player in the sport. A mysterious injury robbed Mixon of the entire 2025 campaign, so he obviously will not be making this year’s countdown.
2026 TOP 100 PREDICTION (Mixon): Off the list
46. WILL ANDERSON, DE
Anderson was already ascending this list before he finished runner up for Defensive Player of the Year in 2025. He has a legitimate chance to become the first Texan to finish in the top 10 since J.J. Watt finished first overall in 2011.
2026 TOP 100 PREDICTION (Anderson): 9th overall
39. C.J. STROUD, QB
This is where the poll being voted on by players gets interesting. On the one hand, Stroud has been universally respected by his peers since coming into the league in 2023. His 39th place finish last year, coming off a very uneven 2024, shows that. On the other hand, it’s really hard to forget those four picks against New England in the playoffs. Last year, 16 quarterbacks made the top 100, so if that holds to form again, I think Stroud sneaks in.
2026 TOP 100 PREDICTION (Stroud): 91st overall
32. NICO COLLINS, WR
25. DANIELLE HUNTER, DE
18. DEREK STINGLEY, CB
These three are bunched together because I think they’re all in about the same boat. They were all outstanding in 2025, and had very similar seasons to the ones they had in 2024. Thus, I think they’re each finish within four or five spots of where they were last season.
2026 TOP 100 PREDICTION (Collins): 37th overall
2026 TOP 100 PREDICTION (Hunter): 21st overall
2026 TOP 100 PREDICTION (Stingley): 14th overall
Outside of the five players above, who are other Top 100 candidates for the Texans? I think there are four:
JALEN PITRE, CB/S
Pitre has never been named to a Pro Bowl, much less been named one of the best 100 players in the game. However, he has settled in phenomenally to his role as a Swiss Army knife for the Texans, and sometimes these accolades are about moments. There was no bigger “hit” moment last season than Pitre’s pulverizing of Rashee Rice in Week 14 on national TV last year. I’m guessing his peers love Pitre, and he sneaks onto the list.
2026 TOP 100 PREDICTION (Pitre): 71st overall
KAMARI LASSITER, CB
Lassiter is another one whose game pops on television, as he’s the rare cornerback who plays like a linebacker. He loves to hit and he’s sticky in coverage, and is on his way to being as good as, maybe better than, Derek Stingley. I think he cracks the list, too.
2026 TOP 100 PREDICTION (Lassiter): 75th overall
CALEN BULLOCK, S
Bullock gets a lot of love around the league, from fellow players and execs, for his elite playmaking skills. He’s also evolved into someone who loves hitting people. He had one of the best games a safety had all last season, causing three turnovers on a Thursday night win over Buffalo. Hey, let’s have some fun and sneak Bullock onto the list, too!
2025 TOP 100 PREDICTION (Bullock): 95th overall
AZEEZ Al-SHAAIR, LB
Al-Shaair made the first Pro Bowl of his career in 2026, and he’s the heartbeat of the best defense in football. That gets him onto the radar, but I don’t think it gets him inside the velvet rope.
2025 TOP 100 PREDICTION (Bullock): 95th overall
