3. Houston Texans
The Houston Texans snag the No. 3 seed in our AFC playoff predictions following OTAs and minicamp. Despite starting 0-3 in 2025, which was a shockingly horrid start, the Texans still managed to finish with 12 wins, and it's clear that this team is here to stay.
In the offseason, GM Nick Caserio went out and improved the offensive line with Wyatt Teller and Braden Smith, two reliable veterans. Running back David Montgomery was added to the mix, and the defense even got a boost with Reed Blankenship and Kayden McDonald. It was hard to envision just how the roster could get even better, but Caserio got it done.
The big unknown is quarterback CJ Stroud, as he's been average for most of his career, and if he can't throw it back to his rookie season in 2023 when 2026 rolls around, Houston will again lose in the playoffs.
With the improved offensive personnel, Stroud might be able to fall in between his 2023 performance and what he's done in 2024 and 2025, which could allow him to carve out a top-12-ish season. That, coupled with the elite roster, would thrust Houston back to the top of the AFC South.
2. Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos won 14 games in 2026 and won the AFC West with games to spare. Denver's roster is elite and might be the best in the AFC. Quarterback Bo Nix turned into one of the more clutch players in the NFL last year, and the defense was still thriving as well.
Adding wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to the mix only helps out Nix in a crucial year three, and, like the Texans, the Broncos roster really doesn't have many holes, but most would surely pick Nix over Stroud, and that could end up being the deciding factor in, for example, Denver going 13-4 and Houston going 12-5.
1. Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills earn the top AFC playoff seed in our latest predictions, They did move on from Sean McDermott in the offseason, but new head coach Joe Brady was already with the franchise, so this transition should be a lot smoother than if this team hired an external head coach.
Quarterback Josh Allen is a superstar, and this team has won double-digit games each year since 2019. The Bills own the regular season and could have honestly been a head coaching change away from making the necessary change to actually finally make a Super Bowl run.
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