Three-time defensive player of the year J.J. Watt recently underwent back surgery, and is no lock to be ready for the start of the season. Initially it was said he could miss 6-8 weeks, but that was quickly revised to up to 10 weeks. If so, he could miss up to a month of the regular season.
Watt underwent sports hernia surgery earlier in the offseason, and now this to repair a herniated disc. Houston's first game is September 11, just over seven weeks away. It's iffy whether he'll be available, and even if he is, it will probably take a while for him to get up to speed.
A year ago Houston finished as the 12th-ranked fantasy defense (1 point for sacks, 2 for turnovers, 6 for defensive and special teams touchdowns). A lot of that was due to ranking 5th in sacks and 11 in fumble recoveries, which Watt himself has quite a bit to do with.
Watt was either 1st or 2nd in sacks in each of the last two seasons; his 38 over that span is nearly 10 more than any other player (Justin Houston ranks 2nd with 29.5). His absence, if it plays out that way, will leave a big hole in Houston's defense for as much time he misses.
The top sack seasons (everyone with at least 7.0) over the last two years are shown below.
TOP SACK SEASONS, 2014-2015 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Pos | Player | Sacks |
2014 | OLB | Justin Houston, K.C. | 22.0 |
2014 | DE | J.J. Watt, Hou. | 20.5 |
2015 | DE | J.J. Watt, Hou. | 17.5 |
2014 | OLB | Elvis Dumervil, Balt. | 17.0 |
2015 | DE | Khalil Mack, Oak. | 15.0 |
2014 | DE | Mario Williams, Buff. | 14.5 |
2015 | DE | Ezekiel Ansah, Det. | 14.5 |
2014 | OLB | Connor Barwin, Phil. | 14.5 |
2014 | OLB | Von Miller, Den. | 14.0 |
2014 | OLB | Ryan Kerrigan, Wash. | 13.5 |
2015 | DE | Carlos Dunlap, Cin. | 13.5 |
2014 | DE | Jason Pierre-Paul, NYG | 12.5 |
2015 | DE | Chandler Jones, N.E. | 12.5 |
2015 | OLB | Whitney Mercilus, Hou. | 12.0 |
2014 | OLB | Terrell Suggs, Balt. | 12.0 |
2015 | DE | Muhammad Wilkerson, NYJ | 12.0 |
2014 | DE | Everson Griffen, Minn. | 12.0 |
2014 | DE | Cameron Wake, Mia. | 11.5 |
2015 | OLB | Von Miller, Den. | 11.0 |
2014 | OLB | Paul Kruger, Clev. | 11.0 |
2015 | DT | Kawann Short, Car. | 11.0 |
2015 | DT | Geno Atkins, Cin. | 11.0 |
2014 | OLB | Clay Matthews, G.B. | 11.0 |
2015 | DT | Aaron Donald, St.L. | 11.0 |
2014 | DE | Robert Quinn, St.L. | 10.5 |
2015 | OLB | Melvin Ingram, S.D. | 10.5 |
2015 | OLB | Julius Peppers, G.B. | 10.5 |
2015 | DE | Everson Griffen, Minn. | 10.5 |
2014 | DE | Willie Young, Chi. | 10.0 |
2015 | DE | Michael Bennett, Sea. | 10.0 |
2014 | DT | Marcell Dareus, Buff. | 10.0 |
2014 | OLB | Junior Galette, N.O. | 10.0 |
2014 | DE | Jerry Hughes, Buff. | 10.0 |
2014 | DE | DeMarcus Ware, Den. | 10.0 |
2015 | DE | Cameron Jordan, N.O. | 10.0 |
2015 | OLB | Ryan Kerrigan, Wash. | 9.5 |
2015 | DE | Robert Ayers, NYG | 9.5 |
2015 | DE | Fletcher Cox, Phil. | 9.5 |
2014 | DE | Vinny Curry, Phil. | 9.0 |
2015 | DE | Cliff Avril, Sea. | 9.0 |
2014 | DT | Aaron Donald, St.L. | 9.0 |
2014 | DT | Sen'Derrick Marks, Jac. | 8.5 |
2014 | DT | Ndamukong Suh, Det. | 8.5 |
2015 | DT | Gerald McCoy, T.B. | 8.5 |
2014 | DT | Gerald McCoy, T.B. | 8.5 |
2014 | DE | Charles Johnson, Car. | 8.5 |
2014 | DE | Sheldon Richardson, NYJ | 8.0 |
2014 | DE | Rob Ninkovich, N.E. | 8.0 |
2015 | DE | Preston Smith, Wash. | 8.0 |
2015 | OLB | Lamarr Houston, Chi. | 8.0 |
2015 | DE | Jabaal Sheard, N.E. | 8.0 |
2015 | LB | Dwight Freeney, Ariz. | 8.0 |
2015 | DE | Demarcus Lawrence, Dall. | 8.0 |
2014 | DE | Chris Clemons, Jac. | 8.0 |
2014 | DE | Carlos Dunlap, Cin. | 8.0 |
2014 | OLB | Alex Okafor, Ariz. | 8.0 |
2014 | LB | Pernell McPhee, Balt. | 7.5 |
2015 | DE | Olivier Vernon, Mia. | 7.5 |
2015 | OLB | Justin Houston, K.C. | 7.5 |
2014 | OLB | Jason Worilds, Pitt. | 7.5 |
2014 | DE | Ezekiel Ansah, Det. | 7.5 |
2015 | OLB | DeMarcus Ware, Den. | 7.5 |
2014 | DE | Cameron Jordan, N.O. | 7.5 |
2014 | DE | Cameron Heyward, Pitt. | 7.5 |
2015 | OLB | Robert Mathis, Ind. | 7.0 |
2014 | DE | Michael Bennett, Sea. | 7.0 |
2015 | DE | Kendall Langford, Ind. | 7.0 |
2015 | DE | Jurrell Casey, Tenn. | 7.0 |
2014 | OLB | Julius Peppers, G.B. | 7.0 |
2014 | DT | Johnathan Hankins, NYG | 7.0 |
2015 | DE | Jacquies Smith, T.B. | 7.0 |
2015 | DE | Devin Taylor, Det. | 7.0 |
2015 | OLB | Connor Barwin, Phil. | 7.0 |
2015 | DE | Cameron Wake, Mia. | 7.0 |
2015 | DE | Cameron Heyward, Pitt. | 7.0 |
2014 | DE | Calais Campbell, Ariz. | 7.0 |
2015 | OLB | Brian Orakpo, Tenn. | 7.0 |
--Andy Richardson