AFC West
Denver Broncos - Bo Nix leads the NFL in passing yards and is an MVP candidate
Bo Nix led the NFL in passing attempts last year, but a primary reason for that was due to the team having a poor run game down the stretch, as J.K. Dobbins suffered a season-ending foot injury in Week 10. Nix leading the league in passing attempts probably was not by design overall, but with an improved run game and now Jaylen Waddle in the picture, the Broncos may now want to truly air it out.
Nix has thrown the ball a ton since entering the NFL and is someone who has not been afraid to push the ball down the field. With all the weapons in place, the third-year quarterback leads the league in passing yards.
Los Angeles Chargers - Chargers go 11-6 for the third year in a row and again go one-and-done in the playoffs
Yes, the Los Angeles Chargers landed Mike McDaniel, but they did lose Jesse Minter to the Ravens head coaching job. I understand why some might be optimistic that McDaniel can finally unlock this offense, but that could be canceled out with the new defensive coordinator.
Furthermore, while the Chargers do have good weapons on offense, no one really overwhelms you, and overall, it does seem like this team is in the same tier heading into 2026, so they could again be primed for an 11-6 regular season and a one-and-done playoffs, which would be the third year in a row that has happened.
Kansas City Chiefs - Team misses the playoffs for the second year in a row
The Kansas City Chiefs lost most of their starting secondary this offseason but did overpay for Kenneth Walker III! On paper, the Chiefs still need help all across the board, and with Denver and Los Angeles both being formidable teams, the Chiefs will again struggle and will miss the playoffs for the second year in a row in the Patrick Mahomes/Andy Reid era.
Las Vegas Raiders - Fernando Mendoza ends up starting more games than Kirk Cousins
I understand that the Las Vegas Raiders signed Kirk Cousins to start for much of the 2026 season, but how many teams put quarterback plans in place that just never pan out how they would like? The Raiders do have a solid infrastructure to aid in the development of Fernando Mendoza, but the plans will go south, and Mendoza will end up starting more games than Cousins in the 2026 season.
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