T.J. Watt paces rushers with 10.5% sack rate

Smith second at 8.8%, Highsmith third at 7.9%

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Sep 231 min read

Highest sack rate this season (pass rush snaps/sacks) T.J. Watt 10.5% Za'Darius Smith

What happened: The table ranks edge rushers by sacks per pass-rush snap early in the 2026 season. Za'Darius Smith sits second at 8.8%, with Alex Highsmith third at 7.9% ahead of Kwity Paye at 7.0% and Cedric Johnson at 6.7%.

Why it matters: Sack rate isolates finishing from volume and flags rushers winning snaps outright. The early gap forces offenses to slide protection and get the ball out faster against the leaders.

By the numbers: T.J. Watt 10.5%; Za'Darius Smith 8.8%; Alex Highsmith 7.9%; Kwity Paye 7.0%; Cedric Johnson 6.7% per pass-rush snap.

What to watch: Watch whether the order holds as pass-rush snap totals grow over the next slate of games.

Sources

@PFF Sep 22, 8:10 PM ET

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T.J. Watt paces rushers with 10.5% sack rate

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