Houston Texans try to build on a signature win when they face a red-hot Jacksonville Jaguars team at Wembley Stadium, where the Jaguars defense has been nearly impossible to run on all year.
Game details
| When | Sunday, October 18, 2026 at 9:30 AM ET |
| Where | Wembley Stadium |
| TV | NFL Net |
| Line | Jacksonville Jaguars -2.5 | O/U 42.5 (market view) |
| Houston Texans record | 1-4 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars record | 4-1 |
Overview
The Houston Texans sit at 1-4 but enter this one with some momentum, having snapped a four-game skid with a 26-3 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 5. Houston has scored 110 points and allowed 112 through five games, a sign of just how tight these contests have been. The Jacksonville Jaguars, by contrast, are rolling at 4-1 with a three-game winning streak, including a 19-17 win over the Philadelphia Eagles last week at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Jacksonville has outscored opponents 123-70 on the season.
This marks the third straight week the NFL has staged a regular-season game in London, and both teams arrive fresh off trips across the pond. Houston's lone win came on the road at Tennessee, while Jacksonville took care of business against Philadelphia in the same city hosting this game. The form lines are clear: Jacksonville has won three in a row, Houston has won one.
The edge here belongs to Jacksonville. The Jaguars defense leads the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game at 63.8 and has kept every opposing rusher under 40 yards through five games, a feat matched only by the 1969 Dallas Cowboys in the Super Bowl era. Houston will need its passing game to carry the offense, because there won't be much room on the ground against this front.
Key players
C.J. Stroud is Houston's offensive engine and projects for 18.0 DraftKings points, the highest mark on either roster.
Nico Collins gives Stroud his top target and carries a 17.5-point projection heading into London.
Will Anderson leads the entire NFL with 7.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss this season, putting him in rare company with Clay Matthews and J.J. Watt for production through five games since 2000.
Trevor Lawrence quarterbacks a Jacksonville offense riding a three-game winning streak and projects for 17.5 points.
Parker Washington has emerged as a key piece of that Jaguars passing attack, projecting for 14.0 points.
Keys to the game
Stroud has to protect the football against a Jacksonville defense that has allowed just 70 points all season, because Houston can't afford to hand Jacksonville short fields.
Will Anderson needs to keep generating pressure on Lawrence the way he has all year, since his 7.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss have been the engine of Houston's pass rush.
Houston's offensive line, already dealing with questionable tags on Aireontae Ersery, Blake Fisher and Ed Ingram, has to hold up well enough to keep Stroud upright and give the passing game a chance against a defense built to stop the run.
Fantasy angles
Start C.J. Stroud with confidence. His 18.0-point projection leads Houston's lineup, and with Jacksonville's defense built to stop the run, Houston will be leaning on him to throw.
Start Nico Collins as Houston's clear top receiving option at 17.5 projected points.
Woody Marks projects for just 8.5 points, and with the Jaguars allowing only 63.8 rushing yards per game, there's little juice here as a lineup piece this week.
Jaylin Noel is a low-end flex option at 8.0 projected points, worth only deep-league consideration given the matchup.
Ka'imi Fairbairn can be rostered in a game with a 42.5-point total, projecting for 8.5 points as Houston's kicker.
Prediction
The market has this one at Jacksonville Jaguars 23, Houston Texans 20, with Jacksonville favored by 2.5 points and a total of 42.5. That lines up with how these two teams have trended: Jacksonville has won three straight and boasts the league's top rushing defense, while Houston is just finding its footing after a 1-4 start. A 20-point showing from Houston would mark meaningful offensive output given its 110 points scored through five games, but the Jaguars' defense and three-game winning streak make them the side to beat in London.
Injury report
| Player | Team | Pos | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tank Dell | Houston Texans | WR | Out |
| Aireontae Ersery | Houston Texans | OT | Questionable |
| Blake Fisher | Houston Texans | OT | Questionable |
| Ed Ingram | Houston Texans | OG | Questionable |
| Braden Smith | Houston Texans | OT | Questionable |
| Kayden McDonald | Houston Texans | DT | Questionable |
| M.J. Stewart | Houston Texans | S | Questionable |
| Eric Murray | Jacksonville Jaguars | S | Doubtful |
| Jaylon Jones | Jacksonville Jaguars | CB | Out |
Depth chart
| Pos | Houston Texans |
|---|---|
| QB | C.J. Stroud |
| RB | David Montgomery, Woody Marks |
| WR | Nico Collins, Marvin Harrison Jr., Kayshon Boutte |
| TE | Dalton Schultz |
Recent results
| Team | Last games |
|---|---|
| Houston Texans | Wk5 W 26-3 vs Tennessee Titans, Wk4 L 30-34 vs Dallas Cowboys, Wk3 L 17-19 vs Indianapolis Colts |
In this story
- Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars
- Houston Texans
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Aireontae Ersery
- Blake Fisher
- Braden Smith
- C.J. Stroud
- Dalton Schultz
- David Montgomery
- Ed Ingram
- Eric Murray
- Jaylin Noel
- Jaylon Jones
- Ka'imi Fairbairn
- Kayden McDonald
- Kayshon Boutte
- M.J. Stewart
- Marvin Harrison Jr.
- Nico Collins
- Parker Washington
- Tank Dell
- Trevor Lawrence
- Woody Marks
Written by Rhett Zone, an AI analyst, from News Hub Fantasy data (schedule, scores, box scores, injuries and depth charts), and checked against that data before it published automatically. Read how we use AI in our editorial standards.