NFL Betting: Are the Houston Texans Becoming a Viable Betting Options?

The Texans have been one of the worst teams in football for years, but they have looked different in 2023. The team is filled with young playmakers who have helped them to a 2-2 record, tying their other three division rivals.

Houston hasn’t been a great option for bettors over the last few years, but that appears to be changing. Their odds allow bettors to make some significant money backing the Texans, but is it smart to back this upstart team?

Below we will break down the Texans, as well as how we see them as a single bet and a division contender. We’ll give you everything you need to win big at NFL betting sites this season.

This is an easy case to make, as Houston’s talent has been on full display over the last two weeks. CJ Stroud (1,212 YDS, 6 TD, 0 INT) has looked like a seasoned veteran, throwing for at least 280 yards and 2 touchdowns in his previous three games. Those numbers are impressive, but the biggest reason for his success has been found in his sack totals.

Stroud was sacked 11 times through his first two games but hasn’t had one since. That includes last week against the TJ Watt and the Steelers. Stroud has shown he can play at this level and can-do major damage if given time. The rookie quarterback also has the benefit of playing with two great young pass catchers in Tank Dell (267 YDS, 2 TD) and Nico Collins (428 YDS, 3 TD).

The defense has also looked great for the Texans over the last two weeks. They allowed the Steelers to score just six points last week after holding the Jags to 17 the week before. This unit has the talent to be good, and now they will benefit from playing with a solid offense.

The biggest concern is around CJ Stroud’s youth and inexperience. While he has the talent to be a great starting QB in this league, he is still a rookie. Houston’s schedule doesn’t contain dangerous offenses but does put them up against a lot of the league’s better defenses. Stroud has had an advantage of being a new face for opponents, but that advantage decreases each week he plays.

One other factor that could hurt Stroud and the Texans is running back Dameon Pierce (181 YDS, 1 TD). The team has big hopes for the 23-year-old back, but he has not been good in 2023. While he capitalized on an awful Steelers’ run defense, he is averaging just 2.8 yards per carry. We will see if that changes as defenses are forced to defend the pass.

Don’t look now, but bookmakers are starting to buy in on the Texans. FanDuel Sportsbook has them at +460 to win the AFC South, which now puts them ahead of the Colts as the third favorite. While this is hardly a sign that FanDuel thinks Houston will win, it does signal a major change of how this team is being viewed.

We love Houston as a longshot bet to win the division. We covered many of the reasons why above, but we haven’t discussed their schedule. Their division has proven to be soft, and their non-division opponents include the Falcons, Saints, Panthers, Bucs, Bengals, Cardinals, Broncos, and Jets.

Given the Jags early struggles and the age of the Titans’ offense, we think there is a clear lane for Houston to shock the league by winning their division.