The 2025 NFL Season definitely brought some shocking finishes, as the playoff field was definitely not something that teams expected. Well, this could absolutely spill into the 2026 campaign, as some of the worst teams in the NFL actually got better this offseason, and some of the better teams might be prime for a regression.
This is the beauty of the NFL, as it seems like there is more parity present in this league than in any other professional league. We're going to make some playoff predictions for the 2026 season, but if the predictions end up being way off, it honestly would not be a surprise.
Let's put our best foot forward here and get underway with some playoff predictions for the 2026 NFL Season.
Complete NFL Playoff Predictions for 2026 as draft approaches
AFC Playoff Predictions
1. Houston Texans
Houston began the year 0-3 and actually finished 12-5, so it's not like this team doesn't have what it takes to be the best in the AFC. Now that the Texans have finally given CJ Stroud a strong offensive line, things could really skyrocket for this team.
2. Denver Broncos
The Broncos adding Jaylen Waddle was the missing piece on offense, and this roster was and is already one of the two or three best in the NFL. With Bo Nix finally having a no. 1 weapon and many of the same faces returning, Denver is still primed to be among the best.
3. Buffalo Bills
Buffalo saw the Patriots benefit from a massively easy schedule in 2025, but that won't be the case in 2026. The Bills have remade the defense a bit, brought in a ton of new coaches, and added a very capable no. 1 receiver in DJ Moore to the picture. This team will return to the top of the division.
4. Baltimore Ravens
Simply put, better player health will go a long way for the Ravens, and not only could that very well happen, but hiring a new coaching staff led by Jesse Minter could also be the necessary change that this team needs to win the AFC North. They would have won it back in 2025 had the team not dealt with so many injuries.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville won 13 games last year but will take a slight step back in 2026, still being good enough to sneak into the playoffs as a top Wild Card team. Jacksonville saw Travis Etienne and Devin Lloyd walk out the door, and those two losses alone are going to be huge.
6. New England Patriots
New England's schedule is going to get a lot harder in 2026, but this team still does have superstars at quarterback, head coach, and at offensive coordinator.
7. Cincinnati Bengals
There is just no way the Bengals miss the playoffs for a fourth year in a row, right? They've got the formula for an elite offense and simply just need to field an average defense. A path to 10 wins has to be doable.