Is 8th in the preseason rankings too low for the Houston Texans?

The verdict is in. The Houston Texans are a top-10 team in the preseason rankings, according to Yahoo Sports’ Frank Schwab. Not just a top-10 team, but the eighth-best team in action. That seems to be largely due to CJ Stroud.

In his article, Schwab puts the spotlight on Stroud. He ties him to all-time greats like Dan Marino, constructs the team’s “best-case scenario” and “nightmare scenario” based on his performance, and generally focuses on how he’s the key to the offense. Aside from the “B” grade he gave the Texans this offseason, there’s not much here that we haven’t seen or heard elsewhere this offseason.

Still, this ranking gives us an idea of ​​where this team ranks in the eyes of the NFL. Only eight other teams are ahead of the Texans: the Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.

This is an interesting spot for the Texans for a few reasons. For one, the team appears to be in better shape than either the Browns or Cowboys, especially after 2023. After all, the Texans handed the Browns a lopsided playoff loss. The Ravens, Chiefs, 49ers, and Bills seem like teams the Texans will have to beat to move up in the standings, but the Lions are a pretty comparable team to the Texans.

So while eighth is a good thing, it’s also a bit lower. The Texans, along with the offseason they’ve had (and continue to have), should place the team higher than the Browns, Cowboys, and either just before or just after the Lions. No lower than sixth, no higher than fifth. That’s about where the Texans should end up if we’re being fair.

Considering Schwab has the Falcons above the Buccaneers and the Bears at number sixteen, we’re not at all shocked that the Browns and Cowboys are above the Texans.