You always have to expect the unexpected in the NFL, but the NFC looks loaded for the 2026 season. There may be as many as 15 teams legitimately competing for playoff spots this season, and the battle to take Seattle's spot atop the conference officially begins when training camp kicks off in the very near future.
The field of teams heading into the 2026 season is maybe the best and most competitive we've ever seen. The 2025 season included a number of breakout teams, the quarterback play around the league is no longer top-heavy, and this is going to potentially be the best season we've had in a long time.
Our latest NFL Power Rankings before training camps get underway around the league will once again try to make sense of the NFC. How do these teams stack up against each other after all of the big moves made this offseason?
NFL Power Rankings: Every NFC team ranked worst to best before training camp in 2026
16. Arizona Cardinals
Out of every team in the NFC right now, the Arizona Cardinals legitimately feel like the only one that doesn't have a great shot at making it to the postseason. And that's not to single them out, but they're truly the only team that's in rebuilding mode right now. Every other team in the NFC seems to have either a strong foundation, or a strong enough roster core to compete.
The Cardinals are building something, there's no doubt. But they don't currently have the quarterback position figured out. We'll see how things go with Carson Beck if/when he gets a chance at some point this season.
This is a team with some really exciting weapons offensively, starting with All-Pro tight end Trey McBride. The Cardinals used the 3rd overall pick on Jeremiyah Love, and the price tag on that pick will put intense pressure on the rookie. If there's anything this team can write home about, it's the playmakers they have offensively. But that's their starting point for the time being. They are probably still at least another year away from being in any playoff conversations.
15. New York Giants
The New York Giants started off the 2026 offseason exceptionally well, bringing in John Harbaugh as their next head coach after a disastrous year in 2025.
Even though things ended poorly for the Giants last year, they had a little bit of a moment at one point during the season, and you can see the vision starting to come to fruition. The biggest problem for this team right now is not talent on the roster, but injuries.
And it's not just a testing of the team's depth, but the stars on the team missing significant time, or having major issues even going into this season. The progression of Jaxson Dart will loom large for this team, but it's easy to see why the Giants' fan base is excited about the future. If this young roster core can stay healthy, they could be dangerous in 2026.
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