NFL preview 2026: Power rankings, picks, award predictions, and more

DENVER, CO - JANUARY 17: Courtland Sutton #14 of the Denver Broncos celebrates after an NFL divisional playoff football game against the Buffalo Bills at Empower Field At Mile High on January 17, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. | Getty Images Every generation has a deeply held belief that their era was the “best.” Whether it be through social movements, music, art, or sports — there’s always the pervasive notion that one generation was better than all others. When it comes to the NFL this simply isn’t the case. We are living in the golden age of NFL football, and it’s high time we appreciated it more. There has never been a time when over 20 teams in the league had legitimate quarterbacks. No time where the margins in pro football were narrower. Parity has come to dominate the NFL, and while there will always been the elite, building, and struggling — the lines have been blurred between these stratifications to the point where anyone can win, not just on a week-to-week basis, but across entire seasons. The NFL is a place where preconceived notions are ripped apart at a moment’s notice. It seemed unthinkable that the Seahawks would hoist the Lombardi Trophy 365 days ago, or that the Patriots would be the team across the field from them. Everything we think we know about football right now is going to change over the next 17 weeks. Football’s clean slate is upon us once more, and everyone has a chance … unless you’re a fan of the Dolphins, Cardinals, or Jets. Every NFL team ranked by its Super Bowl chances The Rams lead the charge at No. 1, but there are plenty of dark horses this year who could make a run like the Seahawks and Patriots did a year ago. Here’s our look at all 32 teams, including what tier they fall under this season. Super Bowl predictions from 13 staff writers The SB Nation crew got together to make each of our cases for which teams will make it to the Super Bowl at the end of the year, and who will hoist the Lombardi Trophy. Writers from all over football put their heads together to give you our picks. Predicting every major award in 2026 A second MVP for Josh Allen? It could happen this season. Dive into why, as well as how the coaching race looks, rookies of the year, and more. Diving into the rule changes for 2026 More tweaks to the NFL rulebook could leave you scratching your head this football season. Let’s dive in and explain what’s changing this year. Which rookies could make a major impact in year one? We have one third-round pick with enough talent they could take home rookie of the year honors in 2026. Spin around the league to see which 1st year players are already shaping up to be special just from what we saw in training camp and preseason. What did you predict for 2026? We asked our fans to make their predictions for both conferences this season and there were some surprises across the league. Fans predict the AFC Fans predict the NFC The 26 people who will define 2026 in the NFL From players, to coaches, owners and execs — we break down the people who will tell the story of the upcoming year in football. One stat that defines every team for the upcoming season These are the numbers that determine the contenders, the pretenders, and what teams need to improve on to flip their fortunes. Which coaches are already on the hot seat? The NFL is the ultimate “what have you done for me lately?” league, and we saw this with the firings of Sean McDermott, Mike Tomlin, and John Harbaugh a year ago. Who are the guys around the NFL who are already feeling the heat before a single snap? The players who have the most to prove this season From players searching for their next big contract, to guys who just want to shake negative perceptions about them. We dive into the six players who have the most on the line when it comes to their performances this season. Is this the last dance for the Chiefs as we know it? A variety of personnel changes on the horizon in Kansas City makes 2026 a potential pivot point in the history of the franchise. Could 2026 be the final year we see Andy Reid on the sideline? The most overrated teams in the NFL this season From ludicrous Super Bowl odds that come out of nowhere, to organizations getting way too much credit despite not making a lot of moves. Who are the teams this season who are being drastically overrated based on their talent level? The most underrated teams in the NFL this season Shout out to the teams everyone is sleeping on. Last year we saw the Seahawks come out of nowhere to win it all, and this year we have some picks for the teams everyone is overlooking. Pain, the Chargers, and the difficulty of putting it all together Perennially one of the NFL’s better teams on paper, we’re still waiting to see things come together in Los Angeles under Jim Harbaugh. We dive into what makes this year’s team tick to see if they finally have what it takes.

Read it at SB Nation ↗

← Front page