It’s safe to say the AFC South is full of incredible players.
Arguably the most entertaining division last season, the Titans, Jaguars, Texans, and Colts have a new star waiting to shine. Regardless of whether they make playoffs or not, each team has plenty of fantasy draft stock.
Tennessee Titans: Carnell Tate, Wide Receiver
Is Carnell Tate the future of the Titans?
Fresh out of Ohio State, Tate is arguably the top wide receiver coming out of the 2026 NFL Draft. Yahoo fantasy analyst Justin Boone predicts Tate will likely be a low-end WR2, and it’s not hard to see why. What Tate lacks in speed he clearly makes up for in explosive, off-the-ball ability. That is the type of receiver that Cam Ward has desperately needed.
Even with the addition of Wan’Dale Robinson, the Titans needed more depth. Who better to fill that position than Tate, who amassed 875 receiving yards and nine touchdowns?
Despite being a rookie, Tate offers exactly what fantasy managers need: a clear WR1 paired with a second-year quarterback hungry for success.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Bhayshul Tuten, Running Back
After shocking the NFL world by shipping off Travis Etienne Jr., the Jaguars called an audible.
Bhayshul Tuten, a second-year back out of Virginia Tech, is changing the Jaguars’ future. Tuten operated in a limited role as a rookie but made the most of his touches, amassing seven total touchdowns his rookie year as well as 307 yards on the ground.
While not the most groundbreaking stats, Tuten has every opportunity to become the Jaguars’ go-to man. Even in sharing the backfield with Chris Rodriguez Jr., Tuten has an element that sets him up to do some heavy lifting.
At 5-foot-9, 206 pounds, Tuten will explode out of the backfield behind Liam Coen’s masterful offense. He’s also great between the tackles and should rack up short-yardage touchdowns.
Tuten has the means to be a flex, or a strong RB2, with the potential of winning RB1.
Houston Texans: David Montgomery, Running Back
David Montgomery finally gets his chance.
It is fair for fantasy managers to be doubtful of the Texans offense after C.J. Stroud‘s abysmal playoff performance. However, Houston fans have a new light at the end of the tunnel, and a shining one at that.
If ever there was a Mr. Consistent in fantasy football, it’s David Montgomery. He has ranked top-28 in fantasy running backs in each of his seven NFL seasons, per Fantasy Data.
But for the first time in his career, the 29-year-old running back will be leading his team in carries. If that isn’t already exciting enough, Woody Marks clearly performs better as a catching back.
With a killer defense and a clear position as RB1, Montgomery is a top 20 contender, if not higher.
Indianapolis Colts: Jonathan Taylor, Running Back
Even after slowing down in the second half of 2025, Taylor finished with an incredible 362.3 fantasy points, averaging 21.7 per game with 18 touchdowns. The 27-year-old running back barely missed his 2021 season of 373.1, showing he’s got plenty left to give.
If that isn’t enough to convince managers to draft Taylor, the Colts re-signed Daniel Jones. Jones played a large part in Taylor’s success prior to his Achilles injury in Week 14. A star quarterback feeding the primary running back is enough to excite any fantasy manager.
Despite changes on the right side of the offensive line, the left side is as strong as ever, boosting Taylor’s efficiency. It’s a hard argument to make to say Taylor won’t be a top-five running back this season, maybe even top two.
While the AFC South may not be lifting the Lombardi Trophy this year, a few shining stars may very well win your fantasy league.
Leave a comment