Five teams most affected by Andrew Luck's retirement

If you drafted Andrew Luck in fantasy football like I did, you’re already feeling the impact of his sudden retirement. His shocking decision to leave the game at the age of 29— just before the start of the 2019 season, no less—shook up the football world in far more than just fantasy, though.

Just last week the Indianapolis Colts were tied as the fifth favorite to win the Super Bowl at +1500. A top-five offensive line, plus the offseason acquisition of wide receiver Devin Funchess and defensive end Justin Houston, made Indy an enticing pick to claim the Lombardi Trophy on February 2.

Since Saturday night’s earth-shattering revelation, however, the Colts have plummeted down the odds board and have landed at +5500 to win Super Bowl LIV. While Indy and its mourning fans figure out life after Luck, several teams are benefiting from the major roster shakeup. Here are five who find their chances of a playoff run much improved since Luck’s retirement.

1. Houston Texans

The winner of the AFC South last year was expected to take a step back in 2019, but with Luck out in Indy, the Texans are the frontrunner to earn Bill O’Brien his fourth division title with Houston since 2015. The Texans jumped from +3500 to win the Super Bowl to +2800 and will receive an automatic playoff bid if they top the AFC South once again (+140 favorite). However, Monday's news of Lamar Miller's ACL tear may undo the optimism surrounding the Texans.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars may have something to say about the Texans’ playoff push. With Nick Foles the new quarterback in first-year Jacksonville coordinator John DeFilippo’s offense, the Jags should improve upon last season’s 5-11 record. The team's Super Bowl odds moved up slightly from +4000 to +3000, and the team is a viable pick at +220 to claim the AFC South over the Texans.

3. Tennessee Titans

In the offseason the Titans brought in Ryan Tannehill as a backup option to Marcus Mariota, in the event Mariota should go down with injury and miss a few games, like he did last season. In 2018 Mariota threw for 2,528 yards, a career-low 11 touchdowns, and he was intercepted eight times. If Mariota can finally live up to his Heisman hype and No. 2 draft pick status, the Titans could make the playoffs. They’re still a huge longshot to win the Super Bowl, but their odds moved from +6600 to +5000, and their likelihood of making the postseason is a bit more in reach.

4. Cleveland Browns

Believeland has been hyping up a Browns Super Bowl victory ever since Odell Beckham Jr. signed with the team in March. Cleveland was already a +1600 shot to win ahead of Luck’s retirement, but now it sits behind just six teams on the odds board at +1500. Without the Colts standing in Cleveland’s way along its playoff path, the Browns are a much better prospect to march toward Miami and are one of the favorites at +775 to win the AFC title.

5. New England Patriots

It’s not much of a jump, but the favorite to win it all now has even lower odds. The Patriots are the team to beat, and Tom Brady won’t make it easy for anyone until he retires. The Colts last faced New England in the playoffs in 2014, when the Pats destroyed Indianapolis 45-7 in the AFC Championship. Had Luck and Brady met in the playoffs this year, the contest would've likely been much closer. That’s all changed since Saturday, and the Patriots have one less team to worry about on their mission to a seventh Super Bowl title.