AFC 2026 Season Preview

Nairavoice | Sep 5, 2026 25m ago 146 0 8 min read

-Mac Pham

Mike Vrabel holding A.J. Brown accountable in one of Brown’s first team meetings with the #Patriots:
“A.J., obviously those are plays we expect, that you expect. This is why we signed up to be together, okay? For you to make those types of plays. Yeah, we all know that.”
“We… pic.twitter.com/7yESMeuBck

— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) September 4, 2026

AFC North

Cincinnati Bengals: Super Bowl Contenders

Offseason Grade: B

Ceiling: 14-3

Floor: 7-10

Overall Outlook:

The Cincinnati Bengals could have the best record in the AFC or fall flat and miss the playoffs for a fifth time since their Super Bowl LVI appearance. With a better defense than years past, Burrow has zero excuses for falling short, especially if Cincinnati gets home-field advantage through the postseason. Burrow and head coach Zac Taylor must prove that 2021 was not a fluke and they can capture that magic again.

Baltimore Ravens: Super Bowl Contenders

Offseason Grade: B+

Ceiling: 14-3

Floor: 9-8

Overall Outlook:

The Ravens are always in the Super Bowl conversation, but were always underwhelming when push came to shove. They have not consistently beaten the Bills, Chiefs, or even the Steelers during Lamar Jackson’s time in Baltimore. Under Jesse Minter, though, things can be a lot different, and this team could finally unleash their full potential. The Ravens will be great once again, and the top of the AFC is very possible.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Playoff Contenders

Offseason Grade: A-

Ceiling: 12-5

Floor: 7-10

Offseason Outlook:

The Steelers are doubted every offseason, and rightfully so. They always hover between almost making the playoffs or exiting the postseason disastrously while shuffling through middling quarterback play. The Black and Gold, however, enter this season with rejuvenated hope, brought by the changes to the coaching staff and upgraded roster. Fans and pundits will continue to doubt them until further notice, but the Steelers can truly make some noise in the playoffs this year.

Cleveland Browns: Bottom of the Barrel

Offseason Grade: C-

Ceiling: 6-11

Floor: 0-17

Overall Outlook:

A football team that employs this group of quarterbacks has a hard time crawling out of the gutters of their conference, especially for one playing in the AFC North. Shedeur Sanders performing better is always a possibility, but Cleveland seems allergic to having good quarterback play. They will certainly win a few games here or there (especially with a Thursday Night home game versus Pittsburgh), but this season looks like yet another typical Browns year.

-Jaime Suarez

Joe Burrow Processing and Throwing Under 2.5 Seconds pic.twitter.com/3lLL2ZYZdB
— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) June 21, 2026

AFC South

Houston Texans: Super Bowl Contenders

Offseason Grade: A

Floor: 11-6

Ceiling: 14-3 (1 seed)

Overall Outlook:

The Houston Texans, by far, have the most complete and championship-ready roster in the AFC South. Over the course of the past four seasons, the Texans have slowly been building one of the best defenses in the league to pair with an effective passing attack led by Nico Collins, along with a powerful downhill run game now led by David Montgomery. On paper, the Houston Texans are the team to beat. The only question is, can they finally put it all together and give the city of Houston its first Lombardi Trophy?

Jacksonville Jaguars: Playoff Contenders

Offseason Grade: D

Floor: 8-9

Ceiling: 11-6

Overall Outlook:

The Jaguars are a team that did surprisingly little to improve their roster. After a dominant 2025 campaign, Jacksonville is looking to repeat that success and continue the momentum it ended the regular season with. However, after losing two of its best players, Devin Lloyd and Travis Etienne, that task has become increasingly difficult.

There are still positives to look at with this roster, primarily on the offensive side of the ball. The Jaguars are entering the 2026 season with one of the league’s most dynamic offenses, led by quarterback Trevor Lawrence, and are expected to have one of the league’s best passing attacks.

While GM James Gladstone did little to improve the roster from last season, there is still talent throughout the team to make a run at the playoffs in 2026.

Indianapolis Colts: Miss Playoffs

Offseason Grade: C

Floor: 6-11

Ceiling: 11-6

Overall Outlook:

The Colts are heading into this season as one of the weirdest and most unpredictable teams in the NFL, simply because there are so many possible outcomes for this team. On one hand, they started the season at 8-2 and looked like one of the best teams in the league, but after a slew of injuries, all that changed for the worse. Do injuries hold this team back once again? Does Daniel Jones return to his pre-injury self? How does the team replace the talent they lost in free agency? Only the first game of the season will tell if this team can bounce back or fall into yet another season of mediocrity.

Tennessee Titans: Miss Playoffs

Offseason Grade: A

Floor: 4-13

Ceiling: 8-9

Overall Outlook:

After back-to-back 3-14 seasons and a four-year playoff drought for the Titans, it is safe to say they have officially entered rebuild mode, but hope is not lost for the Titans quite yet. With the additions of Robert Saleh as head coach and Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator, the vision for Tennessee is clear: focus on developing Cam Ward into the quarterback they drafted him to be.

After one of the more productive offseasons by a team this season, the Titans could finally be moving in the right direction.

–Zeke Sanders

Houston Texans top 5 plays from the 2025 season
I love that iconic defense but we gotta get more offense on here next year! #HtownMade pic.twitter.com/wuN6sKpvJX
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AFC West

Kansas City Chiefs: Playoff Contenders

Offseason Grade: B

Floor: 7-10

Ceiling: 10-6

Overall Outlook:

After a horrific injury to Patrick Mahomes, the Kansas City Chiefs find themselves staring down the barrel of a stacked AFC West. The Broncos, Chargers, and even the Raiders, are as threatening as ever. However, following a tremendous off-season full of signings, the Chiefs are poised for a comeback. Additions like Kenneth Walker III and Alohi Gilman changed the playing field dramatically for Andy Reid, who looks to put the Chiefs back into Super Bowl conversations. While they may lack the necessary return to form, expect Mahomes to carry the Chiefs once more. However, the departure of Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson may cause irreparable damage.

Las Vegas Raiders: Miss Playoffs

Offseason Grade: A

Floor: 5-11

Ceiling: 7-10

Overall Outlook:

Perhaps the only thing that the Las Vegas Raiders did not change was their location.

Since revamping their entire team, the Raiders have a completely different identity under new coach Klint Kubiak. This led to a strong NFL Draft, fantastic offensive line signings, and something that Raiders fans haven’t had in quite some time: hope. However, not all that glitters is gold. Whether it is uncertainty around the starting quarterback, or fear over their star back Ashton Jeanty, the atmosphere is unsettling. Regardless of the Klint Kubiak magic, the Raiders are simply outmatched in a fierce AFC West division.

Los Angeles Chargers: Playoff Contenders

Offseason Grade: B-

Floor: 9-8

Ceiling: 12-5

Overall Outlook:

Are the Chargers ever going to win anything?

Coach Jim Harbaugh knows how to win football games. The kind of football that is gritty, ugly, but gets the job done. However, after a quiet offseason, the biggest addition to the Chargers was Mike McDaniels. The long-time Dolphins coach who couldn’t quite fit the narrative looks to redeem a team that is always painstakingly hovering the line. It seems like the Chargers are great at beating bad teams, and great at losing to good ones. Throw a curveball or two in there, and it ends with the same result: a heartbreaking playoff departure. Fans should not expect McDaniel to change a franchise that loves first-round exits more than their defense.

Denver Broncos

Offseason Grade: B+

Floor: 10-7

Ceiling: 14-3

Overall Outlook:

If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.

The Denver Broncos did just that by showing its commitment to both sides of the field. With a few departures that, quite frankly, bettered the team, the Broncos are on a path of unprecedented success. Despite a heartbreaking loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship, the Broncos are ready to repeat a record-breaking 2025 season. Had it not been for the injury Bo Nix sustained, many analysts and fans believed Denver would have made the Super Bowl. With a fresh-look Jaylen Waddle and numerous veteran defensive additions, the Broncos biggest threat is injuries. If Sean Payton manages to keep his horsemen healthy, expect another thrilling season led by a stellar defense.

-Tobias Swiney

So 2 things
1. Cleanest Bo has looked mechanically in his NFL career – ball is jumping out of his hand , looks healthy
2. Waddle looks fun – Broncos haven’t had that type of playmaker in years pic.twitter.com/86NP7qb2KN
— Ben DiNucci (@B_DiNucci6) July 30, 2026