Ranking the NFL divisions entering the 2026 season
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With the 2026 NFL season fast approaching, we’ll take a look at each of the eight divisions and rank them from last to first.
8. NFC South
2025 standings:
Carolina Panthers (8-9)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
Atlanta Falcons (8-9)
New Orleans Saints (6-11)
2026 over/under win total:
Buccaneers: 8.5 (-136 to be Under)
Saints: 7.5 (-120 to be Over)
Panthers: 7.5 (-136 to be Under)
Falcons: 7.5 (-140 to be Under)
The good
Every team might at least be halfway decent. And like last year, it could feature a very close race that goes down to the wire.
The bad
Every team might be bad, and none of them should currently be viewed as likely to have a winning record. There’s just not a lot of intrigue here, even if one or two of the teams were to exceed expectations.
How the perception can change
It’s hard to see how that would happen, with these teams lacking considerable upside on paper.
The one possibility might be the Saints, with Tyler Shough impressing in under-the-radar fashion as a rookie last season. New Orleans made some moves to add firepower on offense (like signing running back Travis Etienne Jr.), and maybe we see Shough take another step forward in year two.
7. AFC East
2025 standings:
New England Patriots (14-3)
Buffalo Bills (12-5)
Miami Dolphins (7-10)
New York Jets (3-14)
2026 over/under win total:
Bills: 10.5 (-12o to be Over)
Patriots: 10.5 (-140 to be Under)
Jets: 5.5 (-120 to be Over)
Dolphins: 3.5 (-142 to be Over)
The good
There are two Super Bowl contenders in the Bills and Patriots.
Buffalo is a co-favorite to win the AFC, and New England represented the AFC in the Super Bowl last season. Josh Allen is the NFL MVP favorite, and Drake Maye finished as the NFL MVP runner-up last season, his sophomore campaign.
The bad
There are also two contenders for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
The Jets last won more than seven games in 2015 and topped out at five wins over the past two seasons. The Dolphins look particularly awful on paper this time around and are viewed as one of the two most likely NFL teams to finish with the worst record.
How the perception can change
Some NFL pundits like the Jets to be a surprise team this season, in what will be year two of Aaron Glenn as the team’s head coach. Geno Smith was still a solid starter for the Seattle Seahawks as recently as 2024 before having a rough 2025 season with the Las Vegas Raiders, and maybe he has another good year in him.
The NFL world still isn’t sure what to think of dual-threat quarterback Malik Willis after he impressed in a pass-friendly situation as Jordan Love’s backup with the Green Bay Packers (where new Miami head coach Jeff Hafley led the defense). If Willis is actually decent to good, the Dolphins might exceed expectations.
6. NFC East
2025 standings:
Philadelphia Eagles (11-6)
Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1)
Washington Commanders (5-12)
New York Giants (4-13)
2026 over/under win total:
Eagles: 10.5 (-14o to be Under)
Cowboys: 9.5 (-120 to be Under)
Giants: 7.5 (-110 to be either Over or Under)
Commanders: 7.5 (-115 to be Under)
The good
Philadelphia has five straight winning seasons and won Super Bowl LIX.
Dallas has a lot of roster talent.
Washington reached the NFC Championship Game in Jayden Daniels’ 2024 rookie season, and he’s healthy now after being limited to seven games due to injuries in 2025.
New York now has John Harbaugh as head coach, and he put together a 180-113 record over 18 years leading the Baltimore Ravens.
The bad
There’s concern that the Eagles could be entering a decline, even if they’re likely to remain good this year. And this feels like a make-or-break year for the perception of Jalen Hurts as a franchise quarterback going forward.
While the Cowboys have star power, we’ve seen them disappoint despite that so many times. They’ve won just seven games in each of the past two seasons.
Even if Daniels were to come close to replicating 2024 form, the Commanders lack firepower and have numerous issues, including on the offensive line.
Is Jaxson Dart a quality NFL starting quarterback, and can he actually stay healthy to show it? The Giants now have Harbaugh, but they still appear to have several question marks.
How the perception can change
All of these teams could be postseason contenders, and the Eagles and the Cowboys possess a high upside. It’s certainly possible that we could view the NFC East ahead of another division or two in the coming months.
5. AFC South
2025 standings:
Jacksonville Jaguars (13-4)
Houston Texans (12-5)
Indianapolis Colts (8-9)
Tennessee Titans (3-14)
2026 over/under win total:
Texans: 9.5 (-146 to be Over)
Jaguars: 8.5 (-140 to be Over)
Colts: 7.5 (-140 to be Over)
Titans: 6.5 (-115 to be Under)
The good
The Jaguars were one of the NFL’s biggest surprises in year one of Liam Cohen’s leadership.
Houston has arguably the best defense in the NFL.
The bad
After starting out last season with an 8-2 record, the Colts lost their final seven games to finish 8-9. And really, that record summarized how most NFL evaluators viewed them to begin with. That remains the case entering the 2026 season.
The Titans tied for the NFL’s worst record last season and are probably still a year or two away from being a potential contender.
How the perception can change
Jacksonville needs to show the NFL world that last year was legitimate, and maybe Trevor Lawrence can still level up after being a generational prospect.
C.J. Stroud has a lot of doubters after a rough postseason performance. The Texans are one of the top Super Bowl contenders if Stroud can play more like the quarterback he was in his outstanding 2024 rookie season.
Tennessee is capable of being better than expected if highly talented quarterback Cam Ward shows substantial growth in year two.
4. AFC North
2025 standings:
Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
Baltimore Ravens (8-9)
Cincinnati Bengals (6-11)
Cleveland Browns (5-12)
2026 over/under win total:
Ravens: 11.5 (-14o to be Under)
Bengals: 9.5 (-140 to be Under)
Steelers: 8.5 (-130 to be Under)
Browns: 5.5 (-125 to be Over)
The good
The Ravens remain a Super Bowl contender, and the Bengals are always part of the conversation because of Joe Burrow.
Pittsburgh should at least remain competitive, even if the ceiling there doesn’t look high (unless Aaron Rodgers turns back the clock).
The bad
As is frequently the case, the Browns.
How the perception can change
The Bengals last won at least 10 games in 2022, but Burrow is now healthy. Additionally, Cincinnati finally made big additions to its defense, led by star defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence. Can they return to title contention?
3. AFC West
2025 standings:
Denver Broncos (14-3)
Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
Kansas City Chiefs (6-11)
Las Vegas Raiders (3-14)
2026 over/under win total:
Chiefs: 10.5 (-140 to be Under)
Chargers: 9.5 (-140 to be Over)
Broncos: 9.5 (-115 to be Over)
Raiders: 5.5 (-150 to be Over)
The good
Three of the teams are expected to have winning records and be strong AFC playoff contenders.
The bad
While the Raiders have Fernando Mendoza and some exciting young talent, they might still be a bottom-five team for 2026.
How the perception can change
The Chiefs returning to pre-2025 ways would have this division looking much scarier.
And while the Chargers have had winning records in four of the last five seasons, they’re still not taken very seriously as a championship contender.
Denver shocked the NFL world with 14 wins in 2026, but they’re now viewed as the third-best team in the AFC. There are still a lot of Bo Nix skeptics out there.
2. NFC West
2025 standings:
Seattle Seahawks (14-3)
Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
Arizona Cardinals (3-14)
2026 over/under win total:
Rams: 11.5 (-130 to be Over)
Seahawks: 10.5 (-115 to be Over)
49ers: 9.5 (-146 to be Over)
Cardinals: 3.5 (-136 to be Over)
The good
The Seahawks are the defending champions, and the Rams are the current Super Bowl favorite.
Additionally, the 49ers recorded double-digit wins in four of their last five seasons and might still have one more title-contending run in them.
The bad
The Cardinals look absolutely awful. They’re currently favored to finish with the NFL’s worst record. Even if Arizona plays a little bit better than anyone thinks, it’s still hard to imagine that resulting in anything but a bad record.
How the perception can change
If the Rams, Seahawks, and 49ers play close to their abilities, you could argue that the NFC West belongs at No. 1 on this list, even with Arizona dragging things down a little bit. The NFC West is absolutely the best if you’re putting more value into the divisions’ top two and three teams.
1. NFC North
2025 standings:
Chicago Bears (11-6)
Green Bay Packers (9-7-1)
Minnesota Vikings (9-8)
Detroit Lions (9-8)
2026 over/under win total:
Lions: 10.5 (-115 to be Over)
Packers: 9.5 (-130 to be Over)
Bears: 9.5 (-125 to be Under)
Vikings: 8.5 (-120 to be Over)
The good
The NFC North’s depth is incredible. All four teams had winning records in 2025, and all four teams are expected to perform that way in 2026. There might not be a juggernaut, but there are four really good teams who don’t get the opportunity to beat up on bad teams twice a year like just about every other division gets to.
The bad
There isn’t any on the surface. Even if any of these teams were to disappoint, it’s likely while still being a decent football team rather than a bad one.
How the perception can change
This division could look even better if the Lions, Packers, and Bears perform as expected or better, and if the Vikings level up with Kyler Murray.
The post Ranking the NFL divisions entering the 2026 season appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.
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