From the article
This is a sizable fall for Watt, a three-time sack king who logged back-to-back No. 2 rankings over the past two years. Watt missed three late-season games in 2025 with a partially collapsed lung due to an accident during a routine dry needling incident at the team facility. But his pass rush win rate in 14 games was 11.7%, the lowest among this year's top 10 rushers.
STACKED’s take
Fell to No. 7 from No. 2; lowest pass rush win rate (11.7%) among top 10.
Watt fell significantly to No. 7 in ESPN's rankings after back-to-back No. 2 rankings over the past two years. He missed three late-season games in 2025 with a partially collapsed lung from a dry needling accident at the team facility. His pass rush win rate in 14 games was 11.7%—the lowest among this year's top 10 rushers. Scouts say he is "definitely in decline" and that younger players have surpassed him, though he remains very good. His burst and get-off have diminished due to lower-body injuries. However, he is one of five players with 115+ sacks in their first nine seasons, and coordinator Patrick Graham's scheme change may utilize his instincts by moving him around the formation more often.
T.J. WattLB · PITPlayer page — value, ADP, projections, and every insight