While there is a lot of parity in the NFL right now, we are still seeing some of the mainstays atop the league remain that way year over year. That doesn't mean we'll see the same thing happen in 2026, but history tells us some of the usual suspects will win a ton of games.
Building a winning NFL team is absolutely the most difficult job in professional sports, as even finding the quarterback - just one player - is the toughest thing to do for a General Manager, and half the time, the quarterback simply isn't good enough.
Anyway, with the regular season still months away, let's try to predict the five best teams when the 2026 regular season ends.
Predicting the five best teams in the NFL when the 2026 regular season ends
5. Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks went 14-3 during the regular season last year. Seattle was the most balanced team in the NFL all year, so it should not have come as a shock that they won it all, totally blowing out the New England Patriots.
While the Seahawks did lose key players like Kenneth Walker III and Riq Woolen, many of the same faces are returning. In year one as the team's head coach, Mike Macdonald won 10 games, and that wasn't by accident. Macdonald may already be one of the very best head coaches in the NFL, and he could bring a high-floor to his Seahawks teams over the years.
While this team isn't going to repeat as Super Bowl champions in 2026, they'll still be among the best in the league.
4. Denver Broncos
Coming in at No. 4 in our future power rankings, the Denver Broncos have a lot going for them and should end up being a top-5 team next year, even if they do not win as many games. The Broncos ended up riding an 11-game winning streak during the season, winning a ton of one-score games and displaying composure in tight situations.
There could be a very slight regression in the one-score game success in 2026, but that may only take Denver from 14 wins to 12 wins, for example. With how good this roster is, you struggle to find an argument that the Broncos regress big-time and perhaps struggle to hit 10 wins.
This team is legitimate and a juggernaut in the AFC, so they should be quite high in power rankings when 2026 is slated to turn to the playoffs.
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