Some of the division winners for the 2025 NFL Season absolutely came as a bit of a shock, but there is a legitimate chance that some of the mainstays of recent league history will return to the top of their respective divisions for 2026.
The one thing that could continue to shake up the league is just how much parity is present - this has made for some insanely fun competition, which spilled into the playoffs and left us with a Super Bowl matchup that not many had predicted.
With OTAs across the NFL getting underway, let's predict all eight division winners for the 2026 season.
Predicting all eight division winners for the 2026 NFL Season
AFC North - Baltimore Ravens
It's easy to see why the Baltimore Ravens could reach the AFC North peak in 2026. This team did nearly win the division despite battling a ton of injuries in 2025 and starting off 1-5. With it being reasonable to expect that the Ravens regress to the mean with injuries, coupled with a new, defensive mastermind of a head coach in Jesse Minter, an 11 or even 12-win season is on the table, which could be enough to capture the division.
AFC South - Houston Texans
The Houston Texans improved more than the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason Houston somehow managed to get better on defense by signing Reed Blankenship and drafting Kayden McDonald, and they also shored up the offensive line and running back room wiith Wyatt Teller, Braden Smith, and David Montgomery.
This team does not have a notable roster flaw and was a more talented squad than Jacksonville in 2025. If that 0-3 Texans' start wasn't even a thing last year, Houston would have done enough to win the division. They'll start off much better and capture the AFC South.
AFC East - Buffalo Bills
The New England Patriots benefitted from an insanely easy schedule in 2025, and that simply isn't going to be the case in 2026. The Buffalo Bills, on the other hand, have been one of the most winning and consistent franchises in the league for years now.
Buffalo's reign atop the AFC East stopped abruptly in 2025, but given the increase in difficulty in New England's schedule and the overall roster talent swinging in Buffalo's favor, the Bills will capture the AFC East.
AFC West - Denver Broncos
Denver is a tier above the rest of the AFC West in terms of overall talent. The Broncos won 14 games in 2025 and won the division with room to spare. Neither Kansas City or Los Angeles made significant enough roster changes to leap-frog the Broncos, either.
This is Denver's division again.
NFC North - Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions, across the 2023 and 2024 seasons, had combined to win 27 regular season games. This team is a juggernaut, as we saw a bit of an outlier campaign in 2025. Detroit did begin the year 7-4, so it felt like another NFC North title was on the way, but a defensive collapse down the stretch left the Lions with just 9 wins and no playoff berth.
From top to bottom, this is a top-5 roster in football, and while the division is quite good, Detroit has the best chance to win it in 2026. The team had won the division two years in a row, recently, for a reason.
NFC South - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I have gone back and forth between Tampa Bay and New Orleans for 2026. Tampa Bay is one of the more 'high floor' teams in the NFL, as they feel like a lock for or 10 wins most years. And while the Saints did win four of five to end the 2025 campaign, they still might be a year early.
Tampa knows what it's like to win the NFC South and currently have the best quarterback in the division in Baker Mayfield. The Bucs find a way to return to the top in 2026.
NFC East - Dallas Cowboys
This one might be the most controversial, but after a major defensive overhaul, the Dallas Cowboys are ready to win the NFC East in 2026. Dallas already had the best quarterback and best offense in the division before all of these defensive changes. Now, with it being possible that this defense is at least average in 2026, Dallas will have a few more wins available to them.
All of Philadelphia, New York, and Washington, along with Dallas, to be fair, have notable roster concerns, but the Cowboys do have the highest ceiling of the group, especially if first-year defensive coordinator Christian Parker, a Vic Fangio disciple, hits it off in year one.
NFC West - Los Angeles Rams
Los Angeles' biggest roster need was at cornerback this offseason, and what did the Rams do? They signed a solid player at the position in Jaylen Watson and also traded for Trent McDuffie. Suddenly, the Rams, a team that already had a better roster than Seattle and San Francisco to begin with, have no major roster concerns.
LA did nearly win the NFC West last year, but some defensive issues down the stretch prevented that from happening. Seattle, the reigning champions, also lost running back Kenneth Walker III in free agency, so when you look at the offseason in this division on a broad scale, the Rams made the most substantive changes and will win the NFC West this year.