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My 2026 NFL Season Predictions


Below this is the three part link to my posts last year. See how you think I did last year.

https://fanspo.com/nfl/s/general/p/eco6h9qE79qjCj/my-2025-nfl-season-predictions

https://fanspo.com/nfl/s/general/p/qSKNJ4lIGh2VkJ/my-2025-nfl-season-playoffs

https://fanspo.com/nfl/s/general/p/HiiaGLZlbCMyjU/2025-nfl-season-awards

I am going to try and replicate what I did last year to this year. So this is part 1 of 3.

AFC East

Bills

Patriots

Dolphins

Jets

The AFC East will regress, but I have Bills able to regain the top spot in division and will be carried by Josh Allen and James Cook and that offense. The Patriots was a season too soon and now have to face the consequences of playing a top teams schedule is ultimately struggling when they have to deal with Chargers, Bills, Vikings, Chiefs, Jets, and Broncos all back to back from each other even though two of them are not playoff teams. Dolphins may be the most expected biggest fall off this season, but there will be overperformance and things to look at for 2027. And the Jets are just about the same even though they are bolstering their defense.

AFC North

Ravens

Steelers

Bengals

Browns

Lamar and the Ravens will be back to the top, but the OL is very questionable heading into this season. In Aaron Rodgers' last run, they will do enough to make it to the playoffs. Besides Dexter Lawrence, the Bengals didn't do anything to fix their defense besides trusting Jonathan Allen is the same from the Commaders and Boye Mafe is something special for that contract and the OL is the same as last year. And there is nothing to expect from the Browns.

AFC South

Colts

Texans

Jaguars

Titans

On the bright side, all four teams will be competitive, but none of them will win 10 games. Colts only win because I am predicting them to stay healthy and all they really need from Daniel Jones is to be a game manager when you have the players and OL like you do. Texans' OL will improve, but QB play and the WR's falling like flies will really hurt them. Jags is expected to regress especially if you don' have a rung game. Titans will improve, but I have a hard time just giving them a higher seed at the moment.

AFC West

Broncos

Chiefs

Chargers

Raiders

Broncos are the only AFC team to win their division last year that I have projected to win again. Chiefs will be back to old days, but they aren't good enough for the top four. Chargers are a performative team and there is a reason they are behind both the Broncos and Chiefs. I like what the Raiders are building, they are just a season away.

NFC East

Eagles

Cowboys

Giants

Commanders

The Eagles stay as is. The Cowboys stay at 2, but improve from last year. The Giants also improve, but I don't think they improve enough to warrant title contenders like Giants fans think Harbaugh will bring year one. The Commanders are oddly built dysfunctional with a small dual threat QB but no OL and a elite DL room with a below average DB room.

NFC North

Lions

Packers

Bears

Vikings

Detroit returns to the top of the NFC North, but health is the main concern. Speaking of health, the Packers will likely struggle early and that will be what holds them back from winning the NFC North, but once healthy they will be one of the toughest teams in the NFC. The Bears are in the same boat as the Patriots that they exceeded expectations too early and now have to face the consequences of having the toughest schedule in the NFL, but it will really hurt the Bears more than the Pats. I think the Vikings are still the worst in the NFC North.

NFC South

Saints

Buccaneers

Falcons

Panthers

The Saints will return to the top of the NFC South a year earlier than expected. The Bucs will put up a fight, but it won't be enough and will likely cost Bowles' job. The Falcons will look impressive despite being depleted on edge. The Panthers are just not that good and it will show paying so much money to a edge rusher who can't wrap up and make a sack (among other things like staying healthy and Tet being the only WR at times).

NFC West

Rams

Seahawks

49ers

Cardinals

It's hard to bet against the Rams. Defending champs will try to hold onto what they have got, but are in a very strong division. 49ers just have the short end of the stick and can't stay healthy on top of that. The Cardinals just need to restart and rebuild on top of what may be a rebuild.

AFC

  1. Denver Broncos

  2. Baltimore Ravens

  3. Buffalo Bills

  4. Indianpolis Colts

  5. Kansas City Chiefs

  6. Pittsburgh Steelers

  7. New England Patriots

Los Angeles Chargers

Cincinnati Bengals

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Tennessee Titans

Miami Dolphins

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Jets

Cleveland Browns

NFC

  1. Los Angeles Rams

  2. Philadelphia Eagles

  3. Detroit Lions

  4. New Orleans Saints

  5. Seattle Seahawks

  6. San Francisco 49ers

  7. Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

New York Giants

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Chicago Bears

Minnesota Vikings

Washington Commanders

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Arizona Cardinals

There is part 1, stay on the lookout for part 2 and 3!

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