Pro Football Focus snubbed Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt in their recent top 50 players in the NFL rankings. Watt came in as the 14th-best player in the league.
Watt was behind Myles Garrett, Nick Bosa, and Micah Parsons among edge rushers. Overall, Watt was ranked as the seventh-best defensive player in the NFL. Chris Jones, Fred Warner, and Dexter Lawrence also were ranked ahead of him.
In PFF’s annual position rankings for edge rushers, the polarizing analytics outlet ranked Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett as the No. 1 edge rusher in the NFL. T.J. Watt came in at No. 4, behind Nick Bosa and Micah Parsons. In PFF’s top 50 players in the NFL list, Garrett was ranked No. 2, behind only Patrick Mahomes.
“Some players generate more pressure than T.J. Watt or beat their blocker with greater frequency, but nobody has a better knack for making a big play at the right time. Watt led the league in sacks despite ranking 25th in pass-rush win rate, and we have enough evidence by now to see it is a repeatable skill. On top of the sacks, Watt also notched four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, an interception and a defensive touchdown. There may not be a better playmaker on the defensive side of the ball,” Sam Monson of PFF wrote.
In CBS Sports’ recent installment of the top 20 players at each position in the NFL, Watt was tabbed as the league’s best edge rusher. Watt edged out Garrett.
“Myles Garrett has technically been steadier over the last half decade, if only because an injury limited Watt to 10 games in 2022. In every other way, though, No. 90 on the Steelers has been the standard-setter for edge rushing, and it’s not even particularly close,” Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports wrote. “Clearing 13 sacks in each of his last five healthy seasons, with close to 30 forced fumbles and 200 quarterback hits in his vaunted career, the six-time Pro Bowler is the heart of Pittsburgh’s old-school program, pairing elite get-off with jarring physicality. If he’s on the field, Watt is easily the most feared player at his position.”
Watt has led the NFL in sacks in 2020, 2021 and 2023. In 2021, he tied the all-time single-season sack record, drawing even with Michael Strahan’s mark of 22.5. He is the first player to win the NFL sack title three times since it became an official stat. Deacon Jones of the Los Angeles Rams unofficially led the league in sacks five times the 1960s.
DraftKings Sportsbook listed Watt and Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons as co-favorites to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year this season.
Watt and Parsons are both at +550 to win DPOY. Watt won the award in 2021, while Parsons has never accomplished the feat, but has finished either second or third in the voting in each of his three NFL seasons.San Francisco 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa and Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby have the second-best odds, both at +700. Last year’s winner, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, follows at +800.