12. New York Giants
I love the New York Giants as a frisky breakout team in 2026, but they obviously have to go out there and do it, but with John Harbaugh as the head coach, it's hard to not see a massive improvement.
Jaxson Dart very clearly has the goods, and the Giants now have every reason to be aggressive in free agency to load this roster up. The defensive line is rock-solid, and you figure that the offensive line is going to get a notable investment as well.
11. New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints quietly won four of their last five games to end the 2025 NFL Season, which is significant. Tyler Shough played his tail off in 2025, and perhaps even more ideally, the defensive improvement from 2024 into 2025 was noticeable.
The Saints are a team that can absolutely win the NFC South in the 2026 campaign.
10. Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a bad football team, folks. Sure, the story was fun to follow in 2025, but they finished with a losing record and still have some massive quarterback questions. Bryce Young did play the best football of his career, but he was still largely average and forgettable.
I would be remiss, though, if I did not give this team credit for improving from 2024 into 2025, but there is still a long way to go.
9. Dallas Cowboys
As long as the Dallas Cowboys can field an average defense, this team is going to win double-digit games in 2026 and compete for the NFC East title. With Christian Parker as the defensive coordinator, I would be shocked if the defense didn't improve noticeably in 2026.
Watch out for Dallas as another frisky breakout team this upcoming season, especially if they can get an impact starter or two in free agency.