AFC 2026 Season Preview

Miami Dolphins

Miss playoffs | Offseason grade: C | Floor: 4-13 | Ceiling: 6-11

Outlook:

There are just too many question marks on the Dolphins.

De’Von Achane may be their only bright spot. He’s a speedster who can burst into the hole at any given moment.

Building an identity on both sides of the ball is their key to the future.

New York Jets

Miss playoffs | Offseason grade: C | Floor: 3-14 | Ceiling: 7-10

Outlook:

Keep an eye on David Bailey as a cornerstone on the Jets’ defense.

But they need more.

Over the last decade, they had one stud on their defense but nothing else across the board. Not one interception last year; surely they should get an interception in 2026.

-Mac Pham

AFC North 

Cincinnati Bengals

Super Bowl Contenders | Offseason Grade: B | Ceiling: 14-3 | Floor: 7-10

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 in years past, Joe 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

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, Kansas City Chiefs, or even the Pittsburgh 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

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 renewed hope, brought by changes to the coaching staff and an 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

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

AFC South 

Houston Texans

Super Bowl Contenders | Offseason Grade: A | Floor: 11-6 | Ceiling: 14-3 (1 seed)

Outlook:

The Houston Texans, by far, have the most complete and championship-ready roster in the AFC South.

Over the past four seasons, the Texans have slowly built one of the league’s best defenses 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

Outlook:

The Jaguars did surprisingly little to improve their roster.

After a dominant 2025 campaign, Jacksonville is looking to repeat that success and continue the momentum it carried into the regular season. However, losing two of its best players, Devin Lloyd and Travis Etienne, has made that task 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, the team still has enough talent to make a run at the playoffs in 2026.

Indianapolis Colts

Miss Playoffs | Offseason Grade: C | Floor: 6-11 | Ceiling: 11-6

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.

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

Outlook:

After back-to-back 3-14 seasons and a four-year playoff drought, it is safe to say the Titans have officially entered rebuild mode, but hope isn’t lost just yet.

With the additions of Robert Saleh as head coach and Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator, the vision for Tennessee is clear: develop 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

AFC West

Kansas City Chiefs

Playoff Contenders | Offseason Grade: B | Floor: 7-10 | Ceiling: 10-6

Outlook:

After a horrific injury to Patrick Mahomes, the Kansas City Chiefs find themselves staring down the barrel of a stacked AFC West. The Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, and even the Las Vegas 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 pieces to 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

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 at starting quarterback or concerns about 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

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. Yet, 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 on 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

Super Bowl Contenders | Offseason Grade: B+ | Floor: 10-7 | Ceiling: 14-3

Outlook:

If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. 

The Denver Broncos did just that by showing their 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, Denver is 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

The Lead Staff’s AFC Championship Game and Super Bowl Predictions:

Pham:

AFCCG: Chiefs vs Bengals

Super Bowl: Chiefs vs Lions

Suarez:

AFCCG: Patriots @ Ravens

Super Bowl: Ravens vs Rams

Swiney:

AFCCG: Bengals @ Broncos

Super Bowl: Rams vs Broncos 

Sands: 

AFCCG: Ravens @ Broncos 

Super Bowl: Ravens vs Rams 

Sanders: 

AFCCG: Broncos @ Texans (W)

Super Bowl: Texans vs Rams (W)

Bakti:

AFCCG: Chiefs (W) @ Baltimore Ravens

Super Bowl: Chiefs vs Seahawks (W)

Beers:

AFCCG: Chiefs @ Ravens (W)

Super Bowl: Ravens vs Rams

Tristan:

AFCCG: Ravens @ Texans

Super Bowl: Rams (W) vs. Texans