Fairbairn (15) has been one fo the few bright spots for the Texans in 2026. Credit: Jack Gorman
If you’re trying to place what that tingly feeling is going down your spine, and where exactly that extra pep in your step has come from on a Monday morning, I can tell you, devoted Houstonian — it’s because the 2026 Houston Texans did not play football this weekend, and thus, they couldn’t crush your soul once again.
Indeed, the bye week is now in the books for this season’s Texans, and hopefully they come back refreshed and rejuvenated, and maybe ready to go on a run in the second half of the season like they did in 2025. We’ll find out soon enough, as they travel to Los Angeles this weekend to face the woeful Los Angeles Chargers.
For now, let’s keep the Monday tradition alive. Even with no actual Texans game, I think it’s appropriate to do a “Four Winners, Four Losers” article. Let’s make this one an overarching look back at these first seven games, shall we? Here we go:
WINNERS
4. Foster Moreau
I was reading an ESPN article earlier this week, in which the questions was “Which was each team’s best offseason pickup this far?” The writer of the article selected Moreau. This was very conflicting for me. First, I think the writer, D.J. Bien-Aime, was correct, as Foster has been a nice acquisition, particularly in the red zone and off the field. However, in an offseason where they signed or traded for several offensive linemen, a starting running back, and a starting safety, not to mention a full draft class of rookies, it’s telling that the best pickup was a backup tight end. Good for Moreau, probably bad for GM Nick Caserio.
3. Ka’imi Fairbairn
This team has had very few consistent performers this season in any phase of football — offense, defense, special teams. Fairbairn has been outstanding. He’s made all but one of his field goals, and the one miss came from a 58 yard attempt that fell just short in Week 2. He’s been virtually automatic from anywhere on the field, and he hasn’t missed a field goal of under 45 yards since what feels like the Clinton Administration. The only negative I can attach to Fairbairn is that his kickoffs for touchbacks late in the loss to the Colts were costly, as they conceded the 35 yard line as the Colts’ starting field position on the game winning drive.
2. Will Anderson, Jr.
Through seven weeks, Anderson was still leading the NFL in sacks with 7.5, despite having been shut out in Weeks 6 and 7. Of course, even when he’s not bringing the quarterback to the ground, Anderson is impacting the opposition’s run game and he still gets pressure on the quarterback, even without sacking him. Anderson has developed into the vocal leader of the defense, and he deserves every penny of his record-setting contract extension. Currently, he remains the favorite for the Defensive Player of the Year award, although the bye week will probably allow T.J. Watt or a couple others to close that gap.
1. C.J. Stroud
Putting the team’s 2-5 record aside, for C.J. Stroud as an individual player, the 2026 season probably couldn’t be going much better. His offseason work was lauded throughout the spring and summer by Caserio and head coach DeMeco Ryans. Stroud’s training camp backed up the stories we’d heard about his preparation throughout the spring. This season, Stroud has been the team’s best offensive player, most notably protecting the football better than almost any QB in the league. Stroud lost two fumbles in the opener, and threw a pick in London versus the Jags, and that’s it for turnovers. For a quarterback whose low moment was throwing four picks in one half of the elimination game in New England, this is major progress. Stroud likely gets a contract this offseason that will either set the market or come close.
LOSERS
4. Frank Ross
Special teams, which for many years, even some of the leanest years of Texans football, had been something upon which the team could hang its hat, have been atrocious in 2026. Other than the actual kicking specialists (Fairbairn and punter Kai Kroeger), Ross’ units have been a depressing representation of what 2026 Texans football has been. They’ve killed themselves with silly penalties, undisciplined coverage, and poor tackling. I tried to keep this article a “players only” version of “winners and losers,” but in this case, I’m just going to pin it on the coach responsible for the entire operation. Sorry, Frank.
3. Cole Popovich
Well, I guess while I’m impugning one assistant coach for the performance of his entire unit, I may as well throw offensive line coach Cole Popovich in here, too. There was a ton of turnover in that group this offseason (as there was the year before, as well), with this year’s revolving door designed to bring in toughness and physicality, with the end result hopefully being a terrifying power running game. Alas, this team still cannot run the football, and the two big signings Caserio made in free agency along the offensive line, Braden Smith and Wyatt Teller, aren’t even starting. Again, there are too many player names to list from this offensive line room, so Popovich is taking the hickey here.
2. Reed Blankenship
As otherworldly as the Texans’ defense was in 2025, the one Achilles heel they had was the revolving door of safeties playing next to free safety Calen Bullock. That position was a big reason the Texans gave up so many explosive plays in 2025. To fix this issue, Caserio signed Blankenship to a three year, $24 million deal to shore up the communication on the back end, and prevent the defense from being so leaky with big plays. Fast forward, and the Texans now give up even MORE explosive plays, and Blankenship has been one of the worst safeties in the league when targeted by opposing quarterbacks. This signing has not worked.
1. Kamari Lassiter
The only player in the Texans’ secondary with a worse passer rating allowed than Blankenship is Lassiter, which is possibly the biggest disappointment with this team, aside from their 2-5 record. Lassiter, who made the Pro Bowl in his second season, appeared to be on the verge of becoming the next “$30 million per year” player on this team, but instead he is costing himself millions and millions of dollars by allowing explosive plays and making far fewer game changing (in a good way) plays. Both Lassiter and Derek Stingley are still looking for their first interceptions of the season after combining for eight last season.
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