https://youtu.be/U3eXUnfnNdc
The Jacksonville Jaguars finished 13-4, won the AFC South and closed the 2025 regular season on an eight-game winning streak. Yet the betting market still appears reluctant to treat Jacksonville like one of the AFC’s elite teams.
On the Stephie Smalls Show, Smalls welcomed Generation Jaguar’s Jordan de Lugo to break down why the Jaguars could once again exceed expectations in 2026.
Jacksonville returns nearly its entire starting lineup. De Lugo also pushed back against the assumption that the Jaguars defense must dramatically regress after benefiting from turnovers last season, pointing to an elite run defense and the return of a healthy Travis Hunter.
Hunter may be one of Jacksonville’s biggest wild cards. At training camp, he has switched between offense and defense from play to play, at one point recording an interception and then catching a deep pass only a few snaps later.
The offense also creates some intriguing fantasy and betting opportunities. De Lugo expects Parker Washington to emerge as Jacksonville’s most consistent receiver, while Brian Thomas Jr. enters the season healthier and more confident after a difficult second year.
Smalls is especially bullish on Trevor Lawrence. She previously grabbed Lawrence to lead the NFL in passing yards at 22-to-1 before the price shortened and also likes Brian Thomas Jr. over 724.5 receiving yards.
After winning 13 games a year ago, Jacksonville may not need a massive leap forward.
The Jaguars may simply need the market to catch up.
