We are now under two months away from the 2026 NFL season to kick off and training camp is starting to ramp up, so I think it is time to reveal the tier list for every teams heading into 2026.
So everyone is on the same page and the fact this is the first time I am making this, this tier does not rank them as "better or worse than the next tier" but instead places them in a block of either expectations or past success to give an idea what each team will and should be going through all season. So, basically, someone on tier 5 could have a better record than everyone on tier 2 and vice versa. None of this is telling you where a team will place in the rankings but instead what they are going through to enter the season. If it doesn't make sense to you, just let me know but this isn't my final rankings as I know I will have a ton of teams higher and lower than each other on each tiers.
Tier 9: Nothing To Lose - Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals
Just like the title says, there is nothing to lose and there is no expectations for either team to do anything this season as they both are deemed rebuild teams. They can both win 4 games or both win 10 and they will still be seen as overachievers at the end of the season.
Tier 8: Question Marks - Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts, Washington Commanders, Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons
Each team has their own problems, The Steelers and Falcons have a new HC, but in that state of should they rebuild or should they compete but didn't help build upon a competitive team either. The Bucs, Colts, Commanders, and Panthers all have QB's set, but Daniels and Young might be able to take a ding this season and keep their spot for next season while both franchises look for a new HC hoping to elevate them while the Bucs and Colts would scrap both if they both fail to reach the playoffs. The Vikings is a wild card mostly because we don't know who the Week 1 starter is yet, though we can assume it will be Kyler, but KOC was seen as the QB whisperer after what he did with Sam Darnold, now after they let Darnold walk and he won a Super Bowl immediately after while a few weeks later firing their GM who was used as the scape goat that if KOC can't figure out a QB and/or make the playoffs then there is no reason to believe he is safe.
Tier 7: Hoping For Improvement - New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, Las Vegas Raiders, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, New York Jets
The Saints and Jets have just finished their rookie season with their new HC's, and while the Saints finished the season with promises that the Jets came out with concerns but was able to at least add players to fill in weaknesses they had last season. Giants added Harbaugh hoping that he will improve Dart and turn him into White Lamar Jackson, Raiders got better defensively and added two new QB's that should be the present and future for them as well as signing Linderbaum, Titans brought in Robert Saleh who in turn hired Brian Daboll who coached Dart as well as Josh Allen and a college version of Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa (who was a freshman) to help improve Cam Ward, and the Browns hired Todd Monken while having a top 10 defense even without Myles Garrett.
Tier 6: Alaways Underachieve - Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals
They always have a high ceiling that we always forget the floor. The Cowboys are more legacy motivated while the high expectations for Bengals are because of Burrow, Chase, and Higgins while lacking in the other departments. Both had top tier offenses when both QB's are healthy, but the defense was the main focus on what held them back last season.
Tier 5: Was It A One Off? - New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears
I think it is safe to say all three teams overperformed last season, so the question now is can they maintain it or fall off? All three have tougher schedules this season then they did last season and all have mostly the same players that impacted them last season so it is now a real test that a lot of these guys are legit or just a fad.
Tier 4: Have To Prove It - Seattle Seahawks
They do fit more aligned to tier 5, but they are not and in their own tier only because they won the Super Bowl. They bring back Sam Darnold, JSN, Witherspoon, and others, but lose some other impact players like Kenneth Walker, Coby Bryant, and even Riq Woolen and Boye Mafe who didn't feel like they had a role on the team anymore. The question is how big is that loss and are they able to replace them?
Tier 3: Playoff Mainstays - San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Chargers, Houston Texans, Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos
Everyone of them has made it to the playoffs multiple times in the last five years or so, so they are all put a different platform than the others as they are expected to maintain this success every year from here on.
Tier 2: Title Contenders - Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills
Eagles and Chiefs have already one a title and if the Seahawks make a deep run next year than they join this group, but the Ravens and Bills have MVP QB's and have faced consequences of not living to title expectations. Also, along with the Rams and the Seahawks, this is the top 6 in Super Bowl odds.
Tier 1: Team To Beat - Los Angeles Rams
The Rams earned this crown and not because of adding Myles Garrett, but because of how much they are in win now mode with the reining MVP and adding Trent McDuffie in a already solid DB room. There aren't really much holes in this team and they are for sure in a title or bust mode.
There is my list! Let me know your thoughts!