As the United States marks Independence Day, AFC South coverage points to the Houston Texans as the preseason favorite to win the division, with DraftKings listing them at +110 odds. Our four AFC South reporters — D.J. Bien-Aime, Michael DiRocco, Turron Davenport and Stephen Holder — assessed each team’s outlook as the league pauses ahead of training camps that begin at the end of the month.
Houston finished 12-5 last season and enters camp with high expectations for its defense and questions about the offense. All-Pro defensive end Will Anderson Jr. has set a Super Bowl as the team’s stated goal and took on a leadership role during OTAs. Much of the focus will be on quarterback C.J. Stroud to provide enough scoring to match what many regard as one of the league’s top defenses.
The Texans face a franchise milestone in the playoffs: they have never advanced beyond the divisional round (0-7) and remain the only NFL team to have never reached a conference championship game. Health and depth at wide receiver will be closely watched; Tank Dell’s return to 11-on-11 work would be his first since a serious knee injury in December 2024, while Nico Collins enters as the team’s top receiver and Jayden Higgins as the incumbent No. 2. Offseason additions aimed at bolstering the running game include the trade for David Montgomery, veteran signings of guard Wyatt Teller and tackle Braden Smith, and first-round pick Keylan Rutledge on the line — moves coach DeMeco Ryans hopes will create a more physical rushing attack come January.
The Jacksonville Jaguars, 13-4 a year ago, seek a feat they have not managed since the late 1990s: consecutive postseason appearances. Under first-year coach Liam Coen, Trevor Lawrence was a driving factor in the Jaguars’ division title, and the team believes he can lead another strong campaign. FPI lists Jacksonville 17th overall with a projected nine wins and the 22nd-ranked strength of schedule.
Jacksonville is banking on cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter, who missed the end of 2025 after knee surgery in October, to help the pass defense and indirectly boost the pass rush in his second year. The Jaguars recorded 32 sacks last season (27th in the league) and did little in free agency to directly address that total, instead projecting that improved coverage from Hunter as the No. 1 corner will buy defenders more time to generate pressures.
