Nearly half the league won at least 10 games during the 2025 NFL Season, and given that a ton of teams across the league got better this offseason, we could see even more parity in 2026, which would be awesome for the league itself.
With there still months left in the offseason, though, anything can happen, so there isn't much of anything set in stone. Unfortunately, injuries are going to take place this summer, and depending on who gets injured, entire seasons can be derailed.
Let's roll out another installment of our NFL power rankings and try to rank how we think the league could look at the end of the 2026 regular season
NFL Power Rankings, 2026: Predicting the top teams at the end of the regular season
10. New England Patriots
Despite winning 14 games during the 2025 season, the New England Patriots are primed for a regression. Benefitting from an insanely easy schedule last season, the Pats are going to see things get a lot tougher, so, naturally, they could win fewer games.
And while the roster is rather solid overall, it's not necessarily overwhelming at any position. Yes, Drake Maye finished second in the NFL MVP voting last year, but he's just one player and did also play against a ton of bad defenses.
At the end of the day, what might end up being more realistic is a 10-11 win season and a potential Wild Card berth.
9. Cincinnati Bengals
On paper, the Cincinnati Bengals have one of the best rosters in the NFL now that the defense appears to be shored up. You get the sense that the front office felt like they had to get things right this offseason, as the Bengals have not made the playoffs since the 2022 NFL Season, so the prime Joe Burrow years continue to be wasted.
Cincy can get back on track in 2026, and there is always a chance that the defense is at least average, and Burrow himself stays on the field. The Bengals may not have enough to win the division, but hitting double-digit wins is absolutely on the table for this team.
8. Chicago Bears
Going 11-6 in the 2025 season and shockingly winning the NFC North, the Chicago Bears are suddenly on the doorstep of Super Bowl contention, but last year, the defense was below-average outside of forcing a ton of turnovers.
The unit did get a bit of a makeover this offseason, so there is reason to believe that better results will happen, but given how much better the Detroit Lions are on paper, Chicago is going to have a tough time winning this division for a second year in a row.
And now, there is an entire year of film out on Ben Johnson's offense, so that unit could fall behind a bit.
7. Buffalo Bills
Buffalo should be able to capture the AFC East title in 2026. Last year, Buffalo did have a great season and won as many games as many of us thought they would, but thanks to the Patriots' breakout season, the division fell out of reach.
The one thing that could cap this team's ceiling is now having a first-year head coach in Joe Brady. Sean McDermott was shockingly fired, and Brady was promoted to take his place. There is always an adjustment period for first-time head coaches, so Buffalo may not walk all over their opponents in 2026.
6. Seattle Seahawks
Seattle's defense is the best in the NFL, but the offense is a bit top-heavy with Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Furthermore, losing Kenneth Walker III in free agency could hurt, and with former offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak now with the Las Vegas Raiders, Seattle could take a step back in 2026.
This roster is still good enough to stack a ton of wins, but the utter dominance we saw last year won't be the case in 2026.
5. Detroit Lions
Speaking of dominance, the Lions could do just that in 2026 after a second-half collapse in 2025. This roster is a top-3 unit in the NFL, and the Lions are just one year removed from winning the NFC North in 2024 with 15 games. Detroit may not hit that total in 2026, but finishing around 13 wins and regaining control of the division is on the table.
4. Houston Texans
Houston improved their roster more than the Jacksonville Jaguars, a surprise omission from our future NFL power rankings. The Texans' offensive line is suddenly shored up, and veteran running back David Montgomery joins the backfield.
This team doesn't have a clear weakness now, and there is always a chance that quarterback CJ Stroud finds that magic he had back in 2023. Thoroughly average since that breakout rookie season, Stroud now has the best offensive line and backfield he's had in his career thus far, and the same could even be said for the wide receiver room.
3. Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore started 1-5 in the 2025 season and battled through a ton of injuries. The team did nearly win the AFC North, though, and it's not like this team needed to tweak much roster-wise. A new head coach in Jesse Minter, a defensive mastermind, should be plenty to get that unit in a good spot, and the injuries regressing to the mean and simply not being as frequent is absolutely possible, too.
Baltimore has had a few seasons in the Lamar Jackson era where they're just flat-out dominant. The 2026 season will be one of those years,.
2. Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos may have the best roster in the NFL at this point, especially after the Jaylen Waddle trade. From top to bottom, this entire operation is in a great spot, and had Bo Nix not broken his ankle in the Divisional Round, Denver likely plays in the Super Bowl.
And that's the place this team can reach in 2026. With an up-and-coming quarterback, an elite roster, and an elite coaching staff led by Sean Payton, the Broncos have the formula to win it all and build on 2025 success.
1. Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams were well on their way to the top NFC seed last year, but some shaky defense down the stretch ended those hopes. The Rams did shore up the cornerback room with Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, so they'll take the top spot in our future power rankings. General Manager Les Snead's roster doesn't have a major hole, and to be honest, the only concern would be Matthew Stafford and his age.
But given how good he was last year, even a slight regression would keep Stafford as a top-7 quarterback. Head coach Sean McVay may also be the best in the game, so the Rams figure to be the best and most complete team in the league in 2026.