Everyone talks about team-level play, but what would happen if fans only looked at trifectas?
Let’s just say those who make fictional lists were to only take the top three players for a team and rank rosters based on the highest-graded players. Go a step further and say those same people make lists simply looking either the offensive or defensive side of the football.
Where would the Houston Texans’ trifecta rank among the top defenses in the league? To no one’s surprise, pretty high.
Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano recently dropped his best defensive triplets for the 2026 NFL season entering June. To no one’s surprise, the Texans had ample names to select from the No. 1 unit, but Manzano went with All-Pro defensive end Will Anderson Jr., Pro Bowl linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair and All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.
Since the ruling stated that it had to be one player from each position level, that handcuffed Houston to landing in the No. 2 spot, trailing only the Los Angeles Rams and their recently acquired prized jewel of the offeseason Myles Garrett.
“The Texans managed to win 12 games last season despite starting 0–3 and having an inconsistent offense because the defense played lights-out for most of the year,” Manzano wrote. “Anderson is viewed by many as the second-best edge rusher in the league, behind only Garrett. Anderson is actually making more money than Garrett after signing a three-year, $150 million deal. Perhaps this is the year Anderson puts it all together and claims the Defensive Player of the Year award. Stingley, who got his massive extension last year, has continued to play at an elite level and has been named a first-team All-Pro in back-to-back seasons.”
The Texans feature two All-Pros on the list, something only one other team could qualify for. That wou-ld happen to be the Rams, who also traded a 2026 first-round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for world class defensive back Trent McDuffie.
“This new-look trio hasn’t played a game together yet, but it shouldn’t be difficult to plug in Garrett, perhaps the best player in the league, regardless of position,” Manzano wrote. “The challenge here may be getting L.A.’s new stars to play collectively and not just flex their muscles individually, and that’s where Sean McVay and his coaches come in as the right staff to maximize this star-studded roster.”
The Texans might have the better cornerback, but Garrett could be the lone defender teams would covet over Anderson entering the season. He’s a two-time Defensive Player of the Year and a five-time first-team All-Pro. Anderson, who earned his first All-Pro nod last season, could end up following a simlar trajectory, but it’s reasonable to say that Garrett remains the face of defensive play until further notice.
To read Manzano’s full list and see where the rest of the AFC contenders triplets rank, click here.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Sports Illustrated not sold on Texans having the NFL’s top defensive triplets for 2026
Reporting by Cole Thompson, Texans Wire / Texans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cole Thompson, Texans Wire | USA TODAY Network
