It's about time to continue our offseason rankings for the top 25 Houston Texans for the 2026 season , counting down which players around the roster will have the biggest impact during the year ahead.
Our first four entries in the list have been players to have been in the trenches, both offensively and defensively: Keylan Rutledge, Kayden McDonald, Aireontae Ersery and Trent Brown.
But this time, we're turning our attention to the special teams side of things with kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn, who comes in right at No. 21 on our list.
While a kicker typically might not be a player that jumps out as an extremely impactful piece like someone lining up offensively or defensively, Fairbairn's importance has been notably important for the Texans since arriving as a UDFA since 2017, and especially so last season.
As the Texans' offense hit a snag at multiple times throughout the 2025 campaign, it would be Fairbairn who was a critical component in the mix, keeping Houston in games with his consistent boot.
Jan 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans place kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn (15) kicks a field goal against the Indianapolis Colts in the first half at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
61% of his makes came from 30-49 yards out, where he maintained a perfect 100% rate from that range. And for an offense that struggled to get touchdowns week after week, having a kicker as automatic as Fairbairn proved to be is an underrated, yet important piece to have within the equation.
Houston seems to agree with that sentiment as well, considering they re-signed Fairbairn on a two-year, $14 million extension this offseason for what would, at the time, make him the highest-paid kicker in the NFL, but would soon be overshadowed by Brandon Aubrey's $28 million deal.
Regardless, as long as Fairbairn can hold up his end of the bargain as he did this past season, Houston's investment will look pretty wise in the long haul.
- Has been a consistent kicker with nine years of success in Houston
- Made a career-high 44 field goals in 2025
- Didn't miss an extra point in 2025; the second time of his career
- Made only 9/13 field goals from 50+ yards in 2025
This situation actually ended up happening to the Texans last season , when Fairbairn was sidelined for two games in Weeks 10 and 11 against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans, respectively, when free agent pickup Matthew Wright would end up landing the job.
And it was in that stretch that Wright was actually perfect in his opportunities. His longest field goal attempt was only from 43 yards, but he went 4/4 in those two weeks on field goals, and a sharp 2/2 on extra points. Houston also went 2-0 in that same stretch, so that's an added bonus.
So Houston might not be totally dead in the water in the event Fairbairn does suffer an injury again this year. But the consistency and experience that the Texans veteran has presented probably make him the guy you want kicking the ball throughout a 17-game season and in high-pressure playoff moments as well.
Ranking a kicker in any top 25 rostered players list must mean that he has to be a pretty solid boot to warrant that hype. There's not many in the league that feel worthy of such a placement, but Fairbairn seems to fit that mold.
Houston's long-spanning confidence in his abilities seems to make his value clear, paired with the newly-hashed-out commitment to keep him onboard for the next three seasons. He's a huge piece to have for an offense that's still finding its groove as one of the top productive units in the league, like Houston's.
The goal for the Texans this season will obviously be to rely on Fairbairn a bit less than they did in 2025. Part of his career-high in field goal makes in 2025 showcases just how much lack of firepower this offense had to where they had to lean on him to be an actual engine to put points on the board.
However, ensuring that he can remain as consistent as he has been for the past nine years, and having an automatic three points on the board from 50 yards out, does add some relief for this coaching staff week after week, especially if this offense faces any similar challenges to last season.
So pinning Fairbairn in right outside of the top 20 impact players on Houston's roster feels like a pretty warranted placement, all things considered.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/texans/onsi as Texans K Ka'imi Fairbairn: Why the Kicker Deserves His Ranking at No. 21 .
