Caleb Williams MVP, Patriots Miss the Playoffs & Harbaugh Fired? 8 Bold NFL Predictions for 2026

Every NFL season produces outcomes that nobody sees coming. Teams expected to contend can collapse, supposed rebuilding sides can surprise the league and players can make unexpected jumps into superstardom.

So ahead of the 2026 season, I wanted to make one bold prediction for every division in the NFL. Some are more realistic than others, but every one has a route to happening.

AFC North: The Bengals finish as the number one seed in the AFC

I am extremely excited about Cincinnati this season. My prediction is not only that the Bengals win the AFC North, but that they finish with the best record in the AFC.

We have already seen what a healthy Joe Burrow can do alongside Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. The problem in recent seasons has been everything around that offense, particularly defensively. Cincinnati finished 2025 with one of the league's worst defenses, but the offseason additions of Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen, Boye Mafe and Bryan Cook give this defensive unit a completely different look.

If the defense can simply become above average, I think Burrow and this offense can really excel. I think Cincinnati goes from missing the playoffs to the number one seed in the AFC.

AFC West: Los Angeles Chargers Miss the Playoffs and Jim Harbaugh Gets Fired

The Chargers enter the season with expectations of competing in a strong AFC West, but I think they could be one of the biggest disappointments in the conference.

Despite having Justin Herbert at quarterback and Mike McDaniel as the new offensive coordinator, I am not convinced everything will come together in Los Angeles. With Denver and Kansas City also competing for playoff spots, there is very little room for error in this division.

My prediction is that the Chargers miss the playoffs entirely, and a disappointing season ultimately leads to Jim Harbaugh being fired at the end of the year.

AFC East: The Patriots miss the playoffs

This might be one of my boldest predictions considering New England reached the Super Bowl last season.

Last season, Drake Maye was sensational, finishing second in MVP voting, and adding A.J. Brown should theoretically make this offense even more dangerous.

However, unfortunately, I think New England takes a step backwards. They benefited from a historically easy schedule last season and an AFC conference that opened up around them due to major injuries on other teams.

I still expect Maye to have another excellent year, but in a stronger AFC, I think the Patriots narrowly miss the postseason with a record of 9-8.

AFC South: The Colts finish with one of the worst records in the NFL

I am worried about Indianapolis.

Daniel Jones is returning from an Achilles injury and the Colts are relying heavily on him rediscovering the level he showed before getting injured last season.

There are also significant health questions across the roster. When you combine that uncertainty at quarterback with a division containing Houston, Jacksonville and an improving Tennessee team, I think things could unravel around the Colts quickly.

My prediction is that Indianapolis finishes near the bottom of the league and enters the 2027 offseason looking for another long term answer at quarterback.

NFC West: The Rams do not win the division but finish with a better record than every other NFC division winner

This sounds contradictory, but I think it says more about the NFC West than it does about the Rams.

The Rams have one of the best rosters in football. Matthew Stafford is coming off an MVP season, Puka Nacua remains one of the league's best wide receivers and the Rams somehow added Myles Garrett to a defense that was already one of the best in the league.

The problem is how competitive their division is. Seattle are the defending Super Bowl champions and San Francisco went 12-5 last season despite major injuries. The NFC West is filled with so much talent, with three teams that are Super Bowl contenders.

I can see the Rams producing an excellent record but being narrowly beaten to the NFC West title, while still winning more games than the eventual champions of the NFC North, East and South.

NFC North: Caleb Williams wins MVP

This is my biggest individual player prediction of the season.

Caleb Williams took a huge step forward during his first year with Ben Johnson, helping Chicago win 11 games, the NFC North and a playoff game. Now he enters Year Two in Johnson's system with another offseason of development behind him.

Talent has never been the question for Williams. He can make throws very few quarterbacks in football are capable of making. The next step is consistency. If Johnson’s coaching can eliminate some of the quieter stretches from his game while maintaining those spectacular moments, the numbers could explode.

I think Chicago has another big season and Caleb Williams wins his first NFL MVP.

NFC East: The Cowboys win the division and Dak Prescott has a career year

Dallas went 7-9-1 last season, so predicting them to win the NFC East will require a significant turnaround.

But there are reasons for optimism. The Cowboys have completely rebuilt a defense that finished last in the NFL in points allowed, adding players including Caleb Downs, Rashan Gary and Quinnen Williams.

That should reduce some of the pressure on Dak Prescott and the offense. I think Dak produces the most complete season of his career, puts himself in the MVP conversation and leads Dallas back to the postseason.

The NFC East should be competitive, but I am backing the Cowboys to take it.

NFC South: The Saints win the division

Finally, my surprise team in the NFC is New Orleans.

The Saints finished only 6-11 last season, but that record does not tell the entire story. They won four of their final five games as Tyler Shough began to emerge at quarterback, while the defense finished ninth in the league.

New Orleans has also given Shough more talent. Travis Etienne arrives as a great offensive weapon, while eighth overall pick Jordyn Tyson joins Chris Olave in what could become a very exciting receiving group.

The NFC South also feels extremely open. Carolina won the division at just 8-9 last season, while Atlanta and Tampa Bay both have major questions of their own.

If Shough continues his development, I think the Saints could be one of the surprise teams of 2026 and win the NFC South.

Final Takeaways

The NFL feels particularly open heading into this season. There is no clear dominant team separating itself from the rest of the league, while both conferences are filled with legitimate contenders and several teams capable of making significant jumps.

Now, let’s see whether any of these bold predictions actually come true, or whether I’ll be sitting here after the Super Bowl wondering what I was thinking. Only time will tell.