8. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs have dealt with some issues this last year-and-change. The Chiefs got blown out in the Super Bowl in February of 2025 by the Philadelphia Eagles, and then proceeded to miss the playoffs entirely in 2025 for the first time in the Mahomes era.
His production, at least on paper, just has not been that good, but many think it’s simply a personnel issue, as the Chiefs didn’t and really still do not have enough competent playmakers for even the great Mahomes to produce how he usually does.
And now he’s having to deal with a major injury on his body. This 2026 season does feel a bit like a transition year, as the Chiefs have one of the youngest rosters in the league, but with that comes a great deal of inexperience and an overall lack of proven talent.
Mahomes should still be among the very best players in the NFL, but tempering expectations is reasonable this year, and this is especially true in Week 1, as he’s without his left tackle in Josh Simmons and is playing the league’s best pass-rushing defense in Denver.
7. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Prescott played on Sunday Night Football
Dak Prescott is a very good QB. At the time of my writing these words, Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys have not played their Sunday Night Football game against the New York Giants, and while Week 1 can be misleading, I do expect Prescott and the Cowboys to come out with a win.
The offense is in such a good spot with Prescott, who is a wizard from the pocket, and with the plethora of weapons they have in Javonte Williams, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens.
Some may not want to hear this, but if the Cowboys’ defense can get figured out a bit this season, Prescott could genuinely find himself in the MVP conversations. He’s simply one of the best QBs in the NFL at doing the most important tasks that a passer needs to do.
He can win from the pocket at a high level, has commanded top offenses before, and is very good at identifying defenses pre-snap. Prescott gets a lot of hate because he plays for the Cowboys, and even if he and the offense struggled on Sunday night, it should not take away from how good he will be this year.
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