Houston Texans Receive Top AFC Ranking Ahead of Season

This roster ranking in the AFC comes expected after PFF released its full NFL rankings last week, with the Texans placing high on that list as well.

With a young quarterback in C.J. Stroud, who is looking to bounce back from a sophomore slump last season that saw each of his main stats tank from his rookie year, the Texans are slowly moving to be a top contender in the AFC.

All of the pieces are there to see the team make a jump to the next level. Stroud, along with veteran running back Joe Mixon, combined with one of the deepest receiver cores in the league that just added Christian Kirk, should make fans excited and opposing teams afraid. With the exception of the offensive line, that allowed Stroud to take 63 sacks, second-worst in the NFL, the Texans offensive should see major improvements this season.

The defensive side of the ball, which has been a focal point for head coach DeMeco Ryans, who is entering his third year with the team, will continue play a major roll in the success of the team. Last season, they ranked second-best with just 307.5 yards allowed per game while leading the league in opponent completion percentage (58.27%).

Headlined by defensive end Will Anderson Jr. and cornerback Dereck Stingley Jr., the Texans defense is a critical part of earning a top AFC ranking.

The team can compete with the best of them and is finally starting to be recognized as such. They have the ability to create havoc on both sides of the ball and will certainly put the league on notice this season and for years to come.