24. New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints have had a stellar offseason thus far, and this is one team that I’d be shocked at if they did not breakout in 2026. Frankly, they’ll finish a lot closer to an 11-6 record than their 2025 record at 6-11.
Almost winning nearly winning five games in a row to end the 2025 campaign, the Saints have infused this offense with key talent in guard David Edwards, running back Travis Etienne, and wide receiver Jordyn Tyson.
It’s all about making life easier for Tyler Shough in a major year two. Shough himself played quite well and does appear to have that frisky ability to his game. It’s not going to be a massive surprise if he takes a step forward solely because of the new talent he has.
And current defensive coordinator Brandon Staley did greatly improve this unit in 2025. With an underrated group on defense and an offense suddenly filled with younger talent, the Saints are primed to make a lot of people wrong.
The NFC South could be theirs in 2026, but as I have said before in this ranking, the Saints need to go out and prove it. The foundation is set, though.
23. Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders went from 12-5 in 2024 to 5-12 in 2025, so a lot went wrong, and much of the issue was simply due to a lack of roster talent. General Manager Adam Peters clearly agreed, as they went out and spent a ton in free agency, much on the defensive side of the ball.
But Jayden Daniels not being able to stay on the field was a huge red flag, as his thin frame is definitely a concern going forward. This third year for the Daniels’ era is going to be major, as he’d be eligible for a contract extension following the season. Adding Sonny Styles in the middle of the defense should be an instant boost, as Styles is hyper-athletic and profiles as a high-end linebacker.
This should be a much more stable team in 2026, but given that the NFC does appear to be a lot deeper than it was back in 2024, Washington may struggle to find that type of success.
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