The Houston Texans are about as talented as any team in the NFL right now heading into the 2024 season. That’s a pretty dramatic turnaround from a franchise that looked like the worst in the AFC only a year and a half ago. They’ve done it by an incredible hot-streak from general manager Nick Caserio, who seems to be pressing all the right buttons since hiring DeMecoy Ryans as head coach last January. Since then they’ve also acquired a lot of excellent players, forming the core of a young dark-horse Super Bowl contender.
Dallas Robinson at Pro Football Network had four Houston players that made his top 100 current NFL players list. Here’s who they are and where they ranked.
87. WR Stefon Diggs
A newcomer to the Texans via a trade with the Bills, Diggs is a four-time Pro Bowl receiver who led the league and catches and receiving yards one year when he was at his best. One of the gam’es most-consistent producers, Diggs has posted at least 1,100 yards and six touchdown catches five years running.
71. DE Danielle Hunter
Another new face in the building is Hunter, who signed with the Texans a few days after Jonathan Greenard signed with the Vikings. That comes out to an upgrade in our book, as Hunter is one of the league’s most-disruptive edge defenders. Also a four-time Pro Bowler, Hutner posted a career-high 16.5 sacks and 23 tackles for a loss last year.
40. LT Laremy Tunsil
In Tunsil the Texans have yet another four-time Pro Bowler, who is also the highest-paid left tackle in the NFL right now in yearly salary. Pro Football Focus had Tunsil graded out at 75.5 overall last season and 84.9 in pass blocking. That was the fourth-highest mark in the league at his position.
35. QB C.J. Stroud
Last but not least, Houston’s most-precious gemstone is second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud. As a rookie he led the league in touchdown-to-interception ratio and passing yards, and wound up making the Pro Bowl. PFF had Stroud graded out as the 13th-best QB in the league last year, but he’s consistently been getting top-10 rankings this offseason.
Anything can happen once the games begin, but on paper this should be one of the toughest teams in the league this year. They kick off the season on the road against the Colts Week 1.
