The main cast of characters we've gotten used to seeing in the AFC was completely upended by some of the young, up-and-coming teams in the conference. Just like 10 years ago, it was the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots battling it out in the Mile High City for the right to play in the Super Bowl.
With the young teams finally proving they belong and the established teams looking to bounce back, it's safe to assume that the AFC is going to be absolutely loaded in 2026.
But how do each of the teams stack up against each other as the offseason continues to roll along? Teams are getting underway with their offseason programs, rookie minicamps, conditioning, and we're seeing all of the moves made on paper finally start to trickle onto the field. We're ranking each team in the AFC in our latest NFL Power Rankings based on the quality of each roster, their projections this season, and how much they've done to improve in free agency and the NFL Draft.
2026 NFL Power Rankings: Broncos ascend to the top of loaded AFC
16. Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins aren't necessarily trying to fool anyone into thinking they are contending for a championship this year. They gutted the roster from the previous regime, which is wild to think about when you consider the Dolphins dropped 70 points on the Broncos in the 2023 season.
The Dolphins' overhaul started with bringing in a new brain trust from the Green Bay Packers with GM Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley. We've seen how the new duo in charge of the Dolphins has reshaped the roster quickly, starting with giving Malik Willis a chance to prove himself as a viable long-term starter.
Although Willis feels like a free agency lottery ticket, the Dolphins did most of the heavy lifting in the draft this year with a massive incoming rookie class. The Dolphins are still in the stage where the foundation is being built -- it's not even set yet. This is an evaluation year, and winning would be a nice surprise.
15. Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders have a lot of really fun pieces, but they have to prove they are going to be a solid sum of all their parts before we start giving them offseason flowers.
And let's point out the good. The Raiders have had a great offseason, especially by comparison to the 2025 offseason. It's fair to say they sort of lucked into keeping Maxx Crosby around, but that's a situation you'll take after it seemed Crosby was hellbent on leaving. Now that he's back the defense looks vastly improved with some of the additions they made in free agency and the NFL Draft.
But there's no bigger story for Las Vegas than the arrival of #1 overall pick, Heisman winner, and National Champion Fernando Mendoza. The plan is for Kirk Cousins to start, but Mendoza will see the field at the first sign of struggle. Rookie head coach Klint Kubiak needs to be ready to make the tough call whenever it's necessary. The future is now.
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