1 Jaguars Player Who's Set to Be a Playoff Riser

The Jacksonville Jaguars are going into the playoffs as the hottest team in the NFL. They ended the 2025 regular season by winning eight straight games to clinch the AFC South and earn the honor of hosting their first postseason bout. Now, they'll have their hometown fans behind them as they try to knock off Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills.

Jacksonville's defense matches up pretty well against Buffalo's attack, but Allen's individual greatness could lead to plenty of points for the Bills. In that case, Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars' offense have to be ready to respond. They finished the season on a heater, but they might have to find another level to keep up with Buffalo.

Jacksonville Jaguars, NFL, Tennessee Titans, Brenton Strange — Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange (85) spikes the ball after a touchdown score during the second quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Titans 41-7, capturing the AFC South title. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Brenton Strange is the key for the Jaguars

Brenton Strange was well on his way to a breakout season for the Jacksonville Jaguars before he went down with injury against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5. In his first four games, he tallied 19 catches for 182 yards. By the time he returned six games later, the Jaguars' offense looked completely different. Out was Travis Hunter Jr., who suffered a season-ending knee injury during the Jaguars' bye week, and in was Jakobi Meyers, who Jacksonville acquired ahead of the trade deadline.

Strange returned from his stint on IR with a bang, notching five catches for 93 yards in his first game back against the Arizona Cardinals. He hit a bit of a skid after that, totaling just seven catches for 98 yards and one touchdown in his next three, but he ended the season strong, with 14 receptions for 145 yards and two scores in his last three outings. Offensive Coordinator Grant Udinski spoke on the improvement he's seen from the third-year tight end ahead of the postseason:

There’s a tight end in Jacksonville with similar impact.

Jaguars with Brenton Strange: 11-1

Without: 2-3 https://t.co/RmqNfXnDmM
— Jordan de Lugo (@jordandelugo) January 8, 2026

"Yeah, he's improved in all areas of the game throughout the course of the year. The one thing I wish maybe we could have done a better job was showcasing some of that talent earlier in the year. I think he's been talented even from the offseason, from the time we got here."

"Now it takes time for anybody to learn the system and continue to understand the timing of routes, the spacing of routes, where guys are going to be at certain times and kind of the little nuances of, 'When a defense plays it this way, I adjust the route slightly at a higher angle or I dive and go inside of a defender.' And he's done a great job continuing to master those nuances. But he's had a lot of ability in the pass game in a one-on-one matchup, zone or man, really all year. I think we've just continued to try to build and find our stride at deploying them properly."

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