Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos, had Bo Nix not broken his ankle in the AFC Divisional Round against the Buffalo Bills, may have won the Super Bowl. Based on how the AFC Championship Game looked, it's reasonable to say that the Broncos would have at least got the best of the New England Patriots had Nix been healthy.
You can argue that the Nix-led Broncos would not have beaten Seattle, but still, you get the point. On paper, the Broncos have the best roster in the AFC, and might only trail the Rams in terms of raw talent. We've seen the Sean Payton-led club increase their win total in all three years of his tenure, winning 14 in 2025.
The team also won the AFC West, and now, with the addition of Jaylen Waddle, do not have a major weakness on paper. Sure, crazy things can happen that derail seasons, but the Broncos have been one of the healthiest teams in the NFL since Payton took over back in 2023.
This team is loaded and ready to roll for 2026, and with a ton of other AFC teams having more concerning things going on than the Broncos have, Denver getting into the title game, at minimum, would feel like a good bet for the 2026 season.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals have made the playoffs two times in the Joe Burrow era - 2021 and 2022. In 2021, the team had a magical run all the way to the Super Bowl, just barely losing to the Rams. In 2022, the team followed it up with an appearance in the AFC title game.
When the Bengals get into the playoffs, a deep run ensues. Based on how much this front office improved the defense this offseason, I am getting some 2021 vibes with this 2026 group. With how potent the offense can be, all you may ask from the defense is for the unit to be average, which feels realistic.
And if Burrow stays healthy, which has happened before, I am not sure why Cincy would not make a deep playoff run. Yes, I understand this team hasn't been in the playoffs since 2022, but that doesn't mean 2026 is going to be the same thing.
This a very, very talented team. Even adding Dexter Lawrence alone is going to to wonders for the defense. The Bengals are going to struggle, as they have these odd pockets of losing streaks even in their good seasons, but expect a deep playoff run with this group.
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