HOUSTON -- During the offseason, excited rookie Jameis Winston said he was looking forward to playing J.J. Watt.

Well, now's his chance. Coming a little closer to the day he'll get to face Watt, Winston's reined in his thoughts a bit.

"Man, it's an honor, man," Winston said. "He's the best defensive player in the league, probably the best player. It's an honor."

Watt smiled when told of Winston's response.

"Smart rookie," said Watt, a man who draws motivation from opponents' slights. "Saying the right thing."

Winston will be the third consecutive former No. 1 overall pick the Texans face this season. Alex Smith of the Kansas City Chiefs was the 49ers' No. 1 overall pick in 2005. The Panthers selected Cam Newton No. 1 overall in 2011. Winston, of course, was this year's No. 1 overall pick.

"You want to get there," Watt said. "You want to rattle him. You want to lay some hits on him. You want to get him off the spot. You want to get him feeling your presence early in the game. There’s a reason they were picked highly. They’re successful. They’re good. They’re supposed to be ready to handle the situation, so you have to also give them their credit. It’s not like they’re just bums back there. They were drafted high for a reason. You have to go out there and do your best to make them uncomfortable."