could be back in time Week 10 showdown against the But his chances appear slim after training on Thursday.
The second-year defensive end did not participate in practices during the public media session and was listed as a nonparticipant on the injury report. Unless there's a last-minute return on Friday, it's unlikely Anderson will continue playing as Houston unveils his new debut Jerseys.
Slight improvement for some defensive line depth. The I'll need it as Will Anderson tends not to play.
Nico Collins is of course not listed as he is on injured reserve and not scheduled to return.
– Cody Stoots (@Cody_Stoots)
Anderson, a favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year, suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter after teammate Neville Hewitt landed on him during a tackle on running back Breece Hall. He was able to work out on the sideline and attempted a comeback three times, but he only played three snaps before missing the second half.
Anderson battled a lingering ankle injury this preseason and missed two games because of that injury last season en route to winning the 2023 Defensive Rookie of the Year award. He is
Players who do not practice on the first two days of the week are usually excluded from Sunday's game. Anderson, who entered last week as the NFL's all-time leader in tackles for loss, will likely need to do some practice during Friday's walkthroughs if he wants to play.
It is not impossible for a player to miss two days of training and then return for game day. Defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi did not practice until Friday's walkthrough before the Texans' Week 7 game against the Green Bay Packers after suffering a shoulder injury.
Tight end Dalton Schultz played after being sidelined for two days with an ankle injury before the Week 2 primetime matchup against the Chicago Bears.
However, both practiced on Friday, giving them a chance to appear on the injury report as “questionable.” Friday may be the crucial day for evaluating Anderson's status.
Texans practice on Thursday. Still no WR Nico Collins or DE Will Anderson
— DJ Bien-Aime (@Djbienaime)
Without the former No. 3 overall pick, Houston will likely rely on a combination of Derek Barnett and Denico Autry as their top two pass rushers opposite Danielle Hunter.
Similar to Nico Collins, Anderson was also on his way to a career-defining season. He throttled opponents with five sacks in the final four games, leading to his first AFC Defensive Player of the Month award.
Kick-off is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. The game will be nationally televised on NBC.