Top 100 Players of 2026, Nos. 20-12: Texans' Will Anderson Jr. on rise after All-Pro year

The "NFL Top 100" -- voted on by the players themselves -- reveal is underway on X and NFL+! Two players will be revealed at 10 a.m. ET and 11 a.m. daily Monday through Friday from June 22-Aug. 21, before one Top 10 player is unveiled each weekday beginning at 10 a.m. ET on Monday, Aug. 24 through Friday, Sept. 4.

In the aftermath of a contract kerfuffle, Cook showed he was worth every penny of his 2025 extension. A season after leading the NFL in rushing touchdowns, Cook won the league rushing crown, becoming just the second Buffalo back to do so. Robin to Josh Allen's Batman, Cook averaged an NFL-best 95.4 yards per game as he roared to his third straight Pro Bowl selection. During the regular season, the Bills were 8-1 when Cook topped 100 yards, one of many indicators of just how important he is to Buffalo's success.

NFL Pro Insight for Cook: Cook led the NFL with 1,621 rushing yards and +358 rushing yards over expected this season. The Bills back also led the NFL with 519 yards before contact.

2025 stats: 17 games | 84 rec | 1,048 rec yards | 12.5 ypr | 2 rec TD

Just how good Jefferson is might be best illustrated by how “bad” his 2025 season was. In his sixth NFL season, Jefferson struggled with 1,048 receiving yards -- the lowest season total of his incredible career. He’s been a 1,000-yard receiver every year of his career. In Week 18, Jefferson recorded 101 yards in a win over the rival Packers to hit 8,480 yards, surpassing Randy Moss for the most in NFL history through a player’s first six seasons. He also recorded 84 catches despite playing with three starting quarterbacks and struggling to form chemistry with J.J. McCarthy. Nevertheless, Jefferson’s overall talent is undeniable and his status as one of the elite wide receivers in the game is clearly still in place in the eyes of his NFL comrades.

NFL Pro Insight for Jefferson: Jefferson and McCarthy hooked up on just 14 of 34 downfield passes (41.2% catch rate) for 259 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Jefferson had tallied a 61.2% catch rate on downfield targets before the season, nearly 20 percent higher than his 2025 campaign with McCarthy.

2025 stats: 14 games | 62.7 pct | 3,587 pass yds | 7.1 ypa | 22 pass TD | 11 INT | 422 rush yds | 5 TD

Statistically speaking, Mahomes had his worst season since becoming the Chiefs starter in 2018, which has translated to his lowest ranking amid his eighth season on the list. However, the equity he's amassed within the NFL is evident as he lands in the top 20. Before he was sidelined with a torn ACL, Mahomes had already rushed for career bests in yards, touchdowns and yards per game (30.1). He also eclipsed 3,500 passing yards for an incredible eighth consecutive year and though his six QB wins were his lowest, it's notable the Chiefs were 0-3 when he didn't start, including losses to a pair of three-win squads.

NFL Pro Insight for Mahomes: Despite missing three games, Mahomes led the Chiefs with 18 runs of 10-plus yards and a 56.3% rush success rate (minimum 10 carries).

In six seasons, Taylor has become an all-time Colt, with his 69 rushing touchdowns tops in team history (which includes luminaries such as Edgerrin James, Lenny Moore, Marshall Faulk and Alan Ameche). He's got a chance to surpass James as the team's all-time leading rusher in 2026, too. But 2025 was another stellar season for the three-time Pro Bowler. He led the NFL in rushing scores and first-down runs (84) for the second time in his career and was in sync with quarterback Daniel Jones as he posted career highs in receptions and receiving yards. When he's healthy, Taylor remains one of the elite RBs in the league -- his shiny new extension is another example of that. Stunningly, this is just Taylor's second Top 100 appearance, with the three-time Pro Bowler back after first making it in 2022.

NFL Pro Insight for Taylor: Through the Colts’ 8-2 start, Taylor led the NFL with 4.7 yards after contact per carry and had a forced missed tackle rate of 35.4% in that same span.

2025 stats: 16 games | 125 rec | 1,412 rec yards | 11.3 ypr | 8 rec TD

A statistical marvel once more despite the Bengals’ travails in a 6-11 season, Chase is a given when discussing the best wide receivers in the game. He led the AFC in receptions and receiving yards again despite playing much of the season without quarterback Joe Burrow. The definition of a go-to receiver, Chase led the league (for the second year in a row) with 185 targets, eclipsing 1,400 yards for the third time in his five seasons -- which have each ended with him putting up north of 1,000 yards. Since entering the league in 2021, Chase has simply been a force, going to the Pro Bowl each season and has now posted three straight 100-catch campaigns with the last two seeing him combine for an eye-popping 252 receptions.

NFL Pro Insight for Chase: Chase led the AFC (third overall) with 626 routes run, led the NFL with 185 targets and faced double coverage on 37 routes, more than any other receiver, also leading the league with a 5.9% double coverage rate (minimum 50 routes).

2025 stats: *17 games | 307 att | 1,595 rush yds | 5.2 ypc | 16 rush TD | 15 rec | 150 rec yds *

No matter his age, no matter the wear and tear, the Henry freight train keeps going full speed ahead, blowing through stops and defenders. Shaking free of some early fumble problems and a disappointing Ravens season overall, Henry rumbled to his second straight 1,500-plus-yard-rushing season and the fifth of his career. His age-31 campaign also saw him record 16 rushing scores for a second straight year, a mark he’s hit four times in his career. He’s found the end zone at least 10 times for eight years running. Despite finishing 27 yards short of his third career rushing title last season, King Henry was not a Pro Bowler. Fortunately, NFL players saw fit to vote him into the Top 100 for the eighth time -- all consecutively -- and as a top-20 talent for the fifth time.

NFL Pro Insight for Henry: Henry ran wild in Week 17 against the Packers, garnering season highs with 36 carries, 216 rushing yards, four touchdowns and nine missed tackles forced. He was a straight-ahead force with 165 yards coming out of the I-formation, the most for any player in a game in the Next Gen Stats era (since 2016). The performance came in the unofficial fantasy championship week, to boot.

2025 stats: 17 games | 67 tackles | 22 tfl | 16.5 sacks | 3 FF

A member of the Top 100 roster for three straight years from 2022-24, Burns has returned with his highest ranking ever -- by a huge margin. Checking in at No. 54 in 2023 for his previous top billing, Burns is now a top-15 talent in the eyes of his fellow NFLers after leading the Giants in sacks and setting a new career high. He also posted career highs in passes defensed (seven), forced fumbles (three), tackles for loss (22) and QB hits (31). If you can make it in New York, they say you can make it anywhere. In his seventh NFL season and his second with the Giants, Burns earned his third Pro Bowl selection and had his finest season yet.

NFL Pro Insight for Burns: Burns had four turnovers caused by pressure, which was tied for fifth in the league.

2025 stats: 17 games | 126 rec | 1,239 rec yards | 9.8 ypr | 11 rec TD

Amid a trying season for Arizona, McBride continued his ascent with one of the finest seasons for a tight end in league history. With his second straight 1,000-yard season, McBride went to his second consecutive Pro Bowl Games and was an All-Pro. He was a receptions monster with his 126 setting a new single-season record for both tight ends and the Cardinals franchise, and falling just three short of the league lead. The first TE to record consecutive 100-catch campaigns, McBride’s catches, yards and touchdowns were each career bests, as he’s emerged as the NFL’s top pass-catching tight end and skyrocketed 42 spots up the Top 100.

NFL Pro Insight for McBride: McBride saw 161 targets, 52 more than any other tight end, and his 119 receptions broke the record Zach Ertz set in 2017 for most by a tight end in a single season (117).

On a tenacious Texans defense that has talent at every level, Anderson has become the face of Houston's swarming bunch -- and rightfully so. Having become the highest-paid pass rusher in the league (based on APY), Anderson has emerged as arguably the top young edge in the league. An All-Pro for the first time ahead of his age-25 season, Anderson is a two-time Pro Bowler and was the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year runner-up. In each of his seasons so far, his sack numbers have increased. He brings it in the big spots, too. Anderson had a 27.7% pressure rate on third down -- the only player to exceed 24% on at least 75 third-down pass rushes. Anderson generated a league-leading 23 of his third-down pressures in under 2.5 seconds. Already a star defender, Anderson's future is blindingly bright -- and so is Houston's because of him.

NFL Pro Insight for Anderson: Anderson’s 48 QB pressures on third down were the most by any player in at least the last eight seasons.

Coverage from Nfl Dot Com News · by Grant Gordon · Aug 21, 2026 · read original