It's not going to be a shock when the best teams in the NFL are actually the ones standing in the end. While the 2026 NFL Season is still multiple months away, it's not a tough lift to identify the very best teams in the NFL. And sure, while a team might seem like the best right now, deep playoff success is far from guaranteed.
We did take this a step further, though, and looked at a handful of teams we believe are guaranteed, yes, guaranteed, to make a deep playoff run this season. We're taking a risk making these picks right now, but what's the fun in not being bold?
Let's dive into four teams we believe are guaranteed to make a deep playoff run in the 2026 season.
4 teams guaranteed to make a deep playoff run in the 2026 NFL Season
Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams were in the NFC Championship Game in the 2025 NFL Season, but could not keep the Seattle Seahawks contained. The main thing that went wrong with the Rams was obviously not the offense - that unit is top-tier and features the reigning MVP in Matthew Stafford.
The defense really seemed to stumble down the stretch, and in typical Les Snead fashion, he went out and fixed those issues big-time, trading for Trent McDuffie, signing his teammate in Jaylen Watson, and then swinging what could be one of the biggest trades in NFL history for Myles Garrett.
On paper, this is as good a team you'll see in today's NFL. It's not a stretch to call this group a superteam, and given how great the coaching staff is and how well everything is run, the Rams will surely make a deep playoff run this year.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks should be right back in the mix in the NFC in the 2026 season. While losing players like Kenneth Walker III and Riq Woolen were significant losses, the Seahawks are well-coached enough and still sport a plenty good enough roster to remain atop the NFC, or close to it.
The Super Bowl hangover is definitely a thing, and I am not sure the Seahawks will have enough to win it all, but given how much this franchise has progressed in the Mike Macdonald era, getting into the second round of the playoffs at least, which would feel like a 'deep' run, is very possible. I would not expect a major dropoff from Seattle this year.
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.