The Houston Texans head into Sunday’s Week 1 matchup with the Buffalo Bills with a short injury list, and most of the names on it are trending in the right direction.
There are four players worth watching: edge rusher Will Anderson Jr., defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, offensive tackle Trent Brown and linebacker Wade Woodaz. Of that group, Anderson, Brown and Woodaz all appear positioned to play, while McDonald is the one still carrying some uncertainty.
Anderson’s situation looks straightforward. He was not listed with an injury and is simply resting to make sure his body is ready for Sunday.
He did not practice on Thursday, and Wednesday’s report did not indicate whether he practiced, but the expectation is that he was resting then as well. Heading into the opener, Anderson should be ready to go and ready to wreak havoc as the Texans begin the 2026 season.
Brown, meanwhile, is working through a wrist injury, but the practice reports are encouraging. He was a full participant on both Wednesday and Thursday, which puts him in a strong spot to start at right tackle and help protect quarterback C.J.
Stroud. Unless the wrist becomes an issue over the next few days, Brown should be available and ready to give Houston steady play up front.
Woodaz is also tracking well after dealing with a thumb injury suffered in the preseason. He was a full participant in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, with no setbacks during the week. That is a good sign for the Texans both at linebacker and on special teams, and he looks on track to make his NFL debut on Sunday.
McDonald is the one name that still needs monitoring. He is listed with an ankle injury, was limited on Wednesday and did not practice at all on Thursday.
Right now, he is questionable for the game, and Houston will be hoping he can get on the field. It will be worth watching whether he practices Friday and how head coach DeMeco Ryans evaluates the team’s other options if McDonald can’t go against the Bills.
For now, the Texans appear to be heading into Sunday mostly healthy, with Anderson, Brown and Woodaz in good shape and McDonald still a question mark.
In Other News...
Texans May Lean On An Overlooked Weapon Against Buffalo
Ka'imi Fairbairn has quietly become one of the Texans most dependable advantages, and his 2025 season only sharpened that case. He made 44 of 48 field-goal attempts, setting franchise records for field goals and points in a season, while also showing he can finish drives from well beyond the comfortable range most teams prefer to work with. For Houston, that kind of consistency changes how an offense can operate when a possession starts to stall.
Against Buffalo, that edge could matter even more if the Texans find themselves between the decision to push for a touchdown or take the points and trust Fairbairn. His ability to connect from long distance gives Houston a little more flexibility in the middle of the field and on the fringe of scoring range, which can shape play-calling before a drive even ends. Its the sort of weapon that does not always grab the spotlight, but in a tight game it can tilt the whole calculus. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Defensive Line Depth Gets Tested Right Before The Opener
The Texans defensive line took a hit just as the regular season is about to begin, with rookie tackle Kayden McDonald going on injured reserve after suffering an ankle injury in practice. Houston is already having to plan without him for the first four games of the 2026 season, a tough break for a front that was counting on young depth to help absorb early-season snaps.
Jaden Crumedy has been added from the Packers practice squad to give Houston another body inside, and the timing underscores how thin the room has become before kickoff. McDonald is eligible to return for the Oct. 11 game against the Titans, but until then the Texans will have to make do with a reshuffled rotation and a little less margin for error up front. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Defense Faces Its Biggest Test Against A Bills Team That Remembers
The Texans defense is heading into a familiar kind of assignment against Buffalo, one that should tell a lot about where this unit really stands. Houston handled the Bills well in their last meeting, and the memory of that night still lingers on both sides as the Texans prepare for another crack at one of the AFCs most demanding offenses.
Buffalo left tackle Dion Dawkins did not sound like someone eager to relive it, which only adds to the edge around this matchup. For Houston, the bigger question is whether that past success was a one-night statement or a sign of how this defense can travel against elite quarterbacks, especially with recent NFL defensive performances offering a roadmap for how teams have tried to slow down high-powered attacks. [Read more 🡒]