For too long, the AFC South was one of the weakest divisions in the game. Conversely, the Indianapolis Colts were a perennial Super Bowl contender, with Peyton Manning winning seven of the franchise's nine divisional pennants.
Fast forward to today, and it's been a while since the Colts last ended on top of the AFC South. Daniel Jones has an opportunity to lead the team to its first pennant since 2014, the first of the post-Andrew Luck era.
Unfortunately, though, that will be way easier said than done. The Colts have a solid roster, but the AFC South isn't as soft as it used to be. To put it in context, we'll power-rank the rosters of every team in the division ahead of Week 1.
Ranking the Indianapolis Colts' roster to the rest of the AFC South before the season opener
4. Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are the only team in the division with no realistic playoff aspirations. They may have revamped the team in the offseason, and the defense might be better under Robert Saleh, but they're still years away, and they might still need to find their franchise quarterback.
Jeffery Simmons is a true superstar at defensive tackle, and their offensive line should also be better. Other than that, they desperately need Cam Ward and Carnell Tate to pan out, and the first returns aren't encouraging.
Maybe they won't be an easy win again in 2026, which obviously isn't great news for Shane Steichen and Co. Likewise, there's no way to justify losing to this team; they might be right back to a top-3 spot in the 2027 NFL Draft.
3. Indianapolis Colts
Colts fans will obviously hate this, but unfortunately, that's just the reality. However, that doesn't mean they have a weak roster; it's just that the AFC South has toughened up and could have three playoff-caliber outfits.
On paper, that team can hold its own against the best of them— they already proved it last season. Still, health is a major concern, as the depth behind the starters is suspect at most spots, especially at quarterback.
Will the pass-rush step up? Will the cornerbacks and DeForest Buckner stay healthy? They may have the best offense in the division, but their durability and depth concerns are significant enough to keep them at No. 3.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars
The jury is still out on Trevor Lawrence, and no one knows what version of him will show up on any given Sunday. That inevitably lowers the Jacksonville Jaguars' ceiling, though they have some solid playmakers and a good coach.
Brian Thomas Jr. should be highly motivated to bounce back after a disappointing 2025, and Parker Washington might be a legitimate threat as their new No. 1. Travis Hunter won't play much on offense, but he's also someone to keep an eye on.
On defense, Josh Hines-Allen is one of the most underrated pass-rushers in the game, and the aforementioned Hunter should see a big bump in his playing time at cornerback. The talent in Jacksonville is evident and concerning.
1. Houston Texans
Again, the gap between No. 3 and No. 1 isn't that wide, and there's just no way the Houston Texans' offense can hold its own against the Colts'. The defense, however, is probably the best in all of football.
DeMeco Ryans has instilled his hard-hitting and nearly psychopathic violent approach in his pupils. They don't even need to disguise coverage or run any fancy schemes; Will Anderson Jr., Danielle Hunter, Azeez Al-Shair, Derek Stingley Jr., and company will just line up and beat everyone up.
The Texans lost more playmakers on offense, so their wide receiver corps is a big question mark outside of Nico Collins. The running game shouldn't be much of a threat with the aging David Montgomery, and C.J. Stroud has yet to prove that he's more than a one-year wonder.
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