NFL Futures: 2022 AFC South Betting Preview, Computer Picks and Analysis

The Tennessee Titans have been the kings of the AFC South over the last two years, but Jonathan Taylor and the Indianapolis Colts are coming for them now that Matt Ryan is under center. Frank Reich's team is the betting favorite to win this division and a popular sleeper to win Super Bowl 57 in the NFL betting community.  

With rebuilding teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans in the division, this is likely a two-horse race to come out on top. We'll dive into that in our AFC South betting preview, picks and analysis, so make sure you keep reading to find out who we're backing in this division. And if you're a new customer, you might want to grab this DraftKings offer to bet $5 on the NFL and get $200 free ➡️ here ⬅️. Free bets are perfect for betting on futures, as you can cash in big without having to risk anything. 

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AFC South Betting Preview, Picks and Analysis

Indianapolis Colts

NFL Week 1 2022: Colts vs. Texans

The Colts felt they were a quarterback upgrade away from contention last year, so the team decided to move on from Carson Wentz and bring in Matt Ryan. The four-time Pro Bowler and 2016 NFL MVP might not be the player he once was, but he is capable of being a huge asset under center in an offense that is built around Jonathan Taylor and an explosive running game. Taylor was the best running back in football last season, and Ryan will thrive in play action as long as everybody stays healthy. 

Six more weeks until Jonathan Taylor runs wild. #Colts pic.twitter.com/A4crYjzL4D

— Indy Source (@SourceIndiana) July 30, 2022

Indianapolis also has a rock-solid defense, which is led by linebacker Shaquille Leonard (the artist formerly known as Darius) and defensive lineman DeForest Buckner. With the two of them making plays all over the field, Indianapolis was a tough team to score on last year. But when you add cornerback Stephon Gilmore into the mix, you see the potential for a devastating defense.  

All in all, the Colts are a sneaky Super Bowl contender this year. The team just needs Ryan to dial it back a few years and focus on getting the ball into the hands of Indianapolis' playmakers. Keep an eye on Michael Pittman, who is primed for a breakout season.

Verdict: Indianapolis is easily the most talented team of this bunch, and this is one of the most well-coached groups in the entire league. Our predictive analytics machine DimersBOT gives the Colts a 48.7% chance of winning the AFC South, so this is definitely our pick to win the division.

Tennessee Titans

NFL Week 1 2022: Giants vs. Titans

The Titans' Derrick Henry would definitely have something to say to anybody who claims Taylor is the best running back in the league, as he rushed for 2,027 yards with 17 touchdowns two years ago and then racked up 937 yards and 10 scores on the ground in only eight games last year.

As long as Henry is spearheading a run-first attack, Tennessee should move the chains regularly. But the team better hope that Ryan Tannehill's postseason collapse last year isn't a sign of things to come. Tennessee needed him to make some plays in its loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, but he just couldn't get the job done. Now, the Titans have to be lacking trust in their signal caller — which is why they brought in Malik Willis in the draft. 

Defensively, the Titans were tied for fifth in the league in scoring defense last year, and the team should once again be very good on that side of the ball. With a good defense and a great running game, the Titans do have a very high floor. However, their ceiling is lower than usual after having moved A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles. Rookie Treylon Burks was supposed to immediately fill Brown's shoes, but the reports out of training camp have been less than ideal. 

Verdict: The Titans were really exposed in the postseason last year, when Tannehill just wasn't able to get the job done. Losing Brown is only going to make things tougher. Tennessee should be due for some regression this year and DimersBOT has the Titans as a 36.9% chance to win the AFC South.  

Jacksonville Jaguars

NFL Week 1 2022: Jaguars vs. Commanders

Last season was an absolute disaster for the Jaguars, who spent more time trying to keep Urban Meyer out of bars than they did in the film room. Doug Pederson should be a breath of fresh air for the entire organization. Even if he has his faults as a head coach, he delivered a Super Bowl ring to Philadelphia and can undoubtedly make a mark just by being an adult in the room.

Pederson has also done some nice work with quarterbacks in the past, which should be huge as the team tries to get Trevor Lawrence back on track. Lawrence didn't have many weapons at his disposal last year, but he should be aided by the return of Travis Etienne, a phenomenal pass catcher out of the backfield, and the signing of Christian Kirk, who immediately becomes the team's top wideout after playing second fiddle with the Arizona Cardinals. This offense might not look great right away, but the hope for Jacksonville is that it can make some strides heading into next year. 

On defense, it'll be more of the same for the Jaguars. This group won't be daunting in the short term, but they have some playmakers and it'll be on defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell to help some of the younger players develop good habits. 

Verdict: The Jaguars will likely look like a much better team in 2022, but that doesn't mean they'll win a lot of games. The talent just isn't there in Jacksonville, but being competitive would be a step in the right direction, with DimersBOT giving the Jaguars just an 11.4% chance of winning the AFC South. 

Houston Texans

NFL Week 1 2022: Colts vs. Texans

There aren't a lot of positives for the Texans outside of the fact that Davis Mills played well as a rookie last season. Houston will now have a full year to decide whether or not the 2021 third-round draft pick can be its quarterback of the future, and he'll have a nice weapon in Brandin Cooks to help him look a bit better. But this is going to be a team that really struggles to score points, as there just isn't a whole lot of talent on the roster. 

Houston will also have a hard time on the defensive side of the ball as it continues to try and add playmakers. Fortunately, the team did do a lot to help in that department in the 2022 NFL Draft, where the Texans added cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. with the third-overall pick, safety Jalen Pitre with the 37th-overall selection and linebacker Christian Harris with the 75th pick. All three figure to be key pieces of this rebuild and head coach Lovie Smith is a good guy to be tasked with getting them ready. 

Still, this is the worst team in football, on paper. It'd be a win for Houston if the group can just keep games close.  

Verdict: This is going to be a long rebuild in Houston, so it isn't even worth throwing a dart at these astronomical odds. ›There probably isn't a team in the league that is worse than the Texans this year, with DimersBOT giving them just a 3% chance of winning the AFC South.

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