It takes quite a bit to go right for a team to be looked at and actually be a Super Bowl contender. For the 2026 NFL Season, which is only weeks away, there aren't truly that many contenders. There are more playoff-caliber teams that actual contenders, obviously, as even some of the teams that may stick out as some of the best don't have it all together.
Right now, we've identified eight teams that appear to be the top contenders for Super Bowl LXI, and we've ranked them here by how likely those teams are to win it all this year. We did this exercise earlier in the offseason and have hammered out an updated version with the regular season starting soon.
Let's dive into our latest Super Bowl contender power rankings.
Updated Super Bowl contender rankings for the 2026 NFL Season
8. Houston Texans
When you look at the entirety of the roster, and even at the coaching staff, there aren't many teams that have the amount of talent that the Houston Texans have, so they deserve to be on this list. The Texans have a top-3 defense and an offense that does have enough playmaking talent to produce.
The main reason why this team isn't as high as they could be is quarterback CJ Stroud, who has a passer rating below 90 since the start of the 2024 season. Stroud just hasn't been a very good QB since his electric rookie season, and until he proves he can be that rookie season self again, the Texans won't be thought of as a top contender, but they still do crack the list.
7. San Francisco 49ers
Having gotten to the Super Bowl in the 2019 and 2023 seasons, the San Francisco 49ers should logically be on this list, as head coach Kyle Shanahan has done this twice before, so why can't he do it a third time?
While the injuries are brutal for the 49ers, Shanahan has been able to win rather consistently despite a ton of injuries over the years, and there is always a chance the players end up getting healthy before the season and soon after it begins.
The 49ers also perform quite well in the playoffs, which is absolutely a coaching thing, so while the Niners might not be looked at as the best team in the NFC West right now, they are certainly good enough to make the final game of the season.
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