The AFC South might have the most question marks when it comes to all four QB-RB-WR trios, but there’s at least some intrigue between the groups. The rankings are closer in this division than people would think. The Jacksonville Jaguars won the division last season, but based on standings over the years, you never have a firm grasp of what the AFC South will be year in and year out, and this year is no different.
Best QB-RB-WR Trios in the AFC South
1. C.J. Stroud-David Montgomery-Nico Collins (Houston Texans)
The driving force of this Houston Texans team is the defense. It’s loaded with the likes of Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter up front along with Derek Stingley Jr. on the back end. Now it’s time for the offense to hold up their end of the bargain, which they failed to do last season. With C.J. Stroud looking to get paid, David Montgomery on a mission and Nico Collins being himself, the Texans offense has a chance to complement the defense really well.
Of course, it all starts with Stroud, who is entering his fourth season. As mentioned, he’s looking for a nice payday, but some fans are wary, as Stroud hasn’t performed the same since his rookie season. You could say he’s been disappointing over that time both in the regular season and the playoffs.
One positive is that he has Collins to throw to, who has transformed into one of the best wide receivers in the league. He’s a true playmaker with the ball in his hands no matter the situation. Montgomery is the new leader in the backfield, having spent the last couple of seasons splitting carries in Detroit. He tallied over 700 yards in each season while scoring 12 and eight touchdowns apiece. While he isn’t a notable name, Montgomery has been capable of carrying the load if needed.
If Stroud can improve, it’ll go a long way toward this QB-RB-WR trio climbing up the NFL ranks. With the uncertainty hanging over the rest of the AFC South, this trio is number one in the division.
2. Trevor Lawrence-Bhayshul Tuten-Brian Thomas Jr. (Jacksonville Jaguars)
There is a very thin margin between the second and third best QB-RB-WR trio in the AFC South, but the Jaguars take the second spot with Trevor Lawrence–Bhayshul Tuten–Brian Thomas Jr.
Lawrence was an MVP finalist last season, placing fifth in voting. Despite that, the jury is still out on who he actually is as a quarterback. One minute, the flashes of great play are there and the next, they aren’t. Even still, Lawrence might be the best quarterback in the AFC South, which helps their ranking. What doesn’t help with their ranking is the fact that Thomas Jr. took a huge step back in production last season, and Tuten is completely unproven in the backfield as he enters his first year as a starter.
This could be a promising trio if the Lawrence and Thomas Jr. connection can click, but the unknown of Tuten holds them back in these rankings.
3. Daniel Jones-Jonathan Taylor-Alec Pierce (Indianapolis Colts)
The rankings in the AFC South are a little bit of the 2A and 2B situation, as the Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts are neck and neck when it comes to who has the better trio.
Jonathon Taylor is doing a lot of the heavy lifting for the Colts, and his numbers from last season back that up. There were real MVP conversations centered around Taylor for a stretch last season until the team started to collapse as a whole. As for the other two positions, Daniel Jones was playing some of the best football of his career before he tore his Achilles. How he performs coming off the injury is a huge question mark heading into the season.
Another huge question mark is Alec Pierce and how he handles the No. 1 wide receiver role after being the deep threat on the team. He will also be going into the season after having offseason cleanup surgery on his ankle. With the question marks, it’s hard to gauge what Colts teams we’ll be getting in 2026.
4. Cam Ward-Tony Pollard-Carnell Tate (Tennessee Titans)
The Tennessee Titans drafted Carnell Tate with the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and he has A LOT of promise attached to him. That being said, can Cam Ward make a big leap in his sophomore season? He didn’t make a good impression in his first year, but the situation around him was also a complete disaster. Now he has a receiver like Tate, who comes out of the Ohio State wide receiver factory.
Ward didn’t show much to be excited about last season, and while Tony Pollard had been a solid back, coming off his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard season, he’s 29. While the dynamic of this trio is interesting, especially the connection between Ward and Tate, the Titans have a long way to go to make a jump in these rankings.
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