Where do the Houston Texans rank among contenders going into the 2026 NFL season?
According to Pro Football Talk, they're the team to beat.
Mike Florio released his preseason power rankings entering Week 2 of games starting on Thursday. Naturally, in the No. 1 spot, the longtime analyst put the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, mainly because of the return of the quarterback, coach and star defensive player.
At the No. 2 spot, Florio the Los Angeles Rams, a team going all-in on 2026 with the return of MVP quarterback Matthew Stafford and the arrival of two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett. Many would assume that the Rams should be No. 1 after also signing Jaylen Watson and trading for Trent McDuffie in free agency.
At No. 3, Florio has the Texans, making them the top team in the AFC and a legit Super Bowl contender for the future. Defensively, Florio is buying into Houston as a Super Bowl contender.
Offensively, there's questions.
"The defense earned them this spot. It’s up to the offense to hold it," Florio wrote.
Here's the top 10 teams going into the 2026 season, per Florio.
- Seattle Seahawks
- Los Angeles Rams
- Houston Texans
- Denver Broncos
- Buffalo Bills
- Chicago Bears
- New England Patriots
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Baltimore Ravens
To read the full list, click here.
The Texans open the regular season against the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 13.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans viewed as top team in AFC, per Pro Football Talk