Who will be MVP of the AFC South this season? Our roundtable reporters give their picks:
Sarah Barshop, Houston Texans reporter: Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. We won't really know how well Watson can recover from his torn ACL until he's back in live game action, but he's confident that his game won't change because of the injury. Before his November injury, Watson was setting rookie passing and touchdown records seemingly every week, and when his season ended, he was tied for the NFL lead with 19 passing touchdowns. The AFC South has several talented quarterbacks, but if Watson and his offensive weapons can stay healthy, the Texans' offense could be one of the best in the NFL.
Mike Wells, Indianapolis Colts reporter: Watson gets the edge over a determined Andrew Luck and Jacksonville cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who takes away one side of the field with his lockdown ability. Watson -- as long as he's healthy -- is good enough to beat a team with his feet and his arm. He has a year under his belt in the NFL and an elite receiver -- DeAndre Hopkins -- as his primary target. Lost in Watson's rookie season was the fact that he was on pace to easily break the record for touchdown passes by a rookie (26). He had 19 before tearing his right ACL. Luck used to sit on top of this list, but nobody knows what type of quarterback he'll be after missing all of last season with a right shoulder injury.
Michael DiRocco, Jacksonville Jaguars reporter: Ramsey. The hype surrounding Watson is outlandish considering he has played in only six and a half games, but he was dynamic when he was on the field as a rookie. If he puts up similar numbers for an entire season, he'd likely win the award in a landslide. However, the best player in the division is Ramsey. He's established himself as arguably the league's best cornerback in just two seasons (he was a first-team All-Pro last season). He draws the opponent's best receiver each week (although not exclusively) and last season he held T.Y. Hilton and Hopkins to a combined 16 catches in four games. If Ramsey continues to improve in his third season, he should be the AFC South MVP in 2018.
Cameron Wolfe, Tennessee Titans reporter: Hopkins. It's a tight battle between Hopkins and Ramsey for the AFC South's best player, but a full season of Watson and Hopkins together could be enough for the big-time receiver to have a truly special season. Over the past four seasons, Hopkins has 361 catches, 5,063 receiving yards and 34 TD catches. Those numbers came primarily with starting quarterbacks like Brock Osweiler, Tom Savage, Brian Hoyer, T.J. Yates and Ryan Fitzpatrick. The AFC South and the rest of the NFL should prepare for Hopkins' biggest season. Ramsey is a close runner-up here. If he's not the best cornerback in football now, he has a chance to prove it in 2018.