The long, hot summer is finally over and it hasn’t gone well for everyone. Some teams were hit by injuries, others by possible suspensions, and some got to see how bad they really were.
Meanwhile, Aaron Donald is officially back on the Los Angeles Rams — as if they needed more help.
Anyway, the prelude is over and the NFL Kickoff Game is almost here. Here are my power rankings when the 2026 season begins.
*Super Bowl odds courtesy of DraftKings
Super Bowl Odds: +35000
It’s a good thing there are other things to do in South Florida during the fall, because dolphin watching will be painful. One practice a few weeks ago was more than enough to convince me that they are the worst team in the league.
Super Bowl Odds: +50000
They have so many young players with exciting skills, but still no QB to make it all work. And now RB Jeremiah Love has an ankle injury that could keep him out as well.
With one year left on his deal with Cleveland, can Deshaun Watson recapture his Texans form. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Super Bowl Odds: +20000
So Deshaun Watson “won” the QB battle over Shedeur Sanders and everyone in Cleveland seems unhappy about it. Wait until they see him play in the regular season.
Super Bowl Odds: +15000
The ankle injury to RB Ashton Jeanty is bad news for a team that didn’t have many weapons to begin with. Veteran starting QB Kirk Cousins will bring early stability. But this season is about letting rookie Fernando Mendoza finally play and grow.
Super Bowl Odds: +20000
There’s a lot to like about the Jets, including a veteran defense, a strong offensive line and a handful of talented players. If only they had a QB to go with them. Geno Smith is the anchor in this promising ship.
Super Bowl Odds: +13000
QB Cam Ward has had a very uneven summer, which is not a good sign. If OC Brian Daboll can steer him in the right direction, there is enough around him for the Titans to be a tough team to beat. But for now, that’s a big “if.”
Super Bowl Odds: +6000
They are putting absolutely everything on QB Jayden Daniels and hope he recaptures his rookie magic. The problem, however, is that the offensive line may not be able to protect him properly.
Super Bowl Odds: +9000
I was starting to believe in the Saints as a surprise playoff contender and was ready to move them over the top of the other contenders in the NFC South. But the hamstring injury that will keep rookie WR Jordyn Tyson out until mid-October has shaken my confidence.
Will Tua Tagovailoa take a second chance with the Falcons? (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
Super Bowl Odds: +13000
Yeah, what a quarterback mess in Atlanta. Tua Tagovailoa hasn’t been very good and Michael Penix Jr. is still not fully healthy. Tua got the Week 1 nod, but neither looks like a viable option right now.
Super Bowl Odds: +7000
Odell Beckham is back, but a fourth WR doesn’t move the needle much. I’m still waiting to see how WR Malik Nabers and RB Cam Skattebo are actually doing. They could make the Giants a surprise team, especially with a defense that could finish in the top 10.
Super Bowl Odds: +5500
Baker Mayfield’s health and contract distraction were my biggest concerns in the previous rankings, and nothing much has changed. Mayfield is still without an extension, and WRs Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan have been battling injuries over the summer.
Super Bowl Odds: +9000
This whole division ranks low because… well, let’s face it, division is bad. Someone will show up eventually, but it’s a really big swing. The Panthers are a top contender as the defending “champions.” But it all depends on the late rise of QB Bryce Young.
Super Bowl Odds: +5000
The second of my underrated teams, I liked what I saw of them on my visit to Latrobe, Pa. Aaron Rodgers still looks old, but he also looks sharp, and the front office has put a bunch of nice weapons around him. However, the Steelers’ ceiling is a little lower because the separation has improved.
Super Bowl Odds: +6000
There are two teams I’m afraid I underestimated too much in my preseason power rankings, and the Colts are one of them. I still have my doubts about Daniel Jones’ ability to bounce back from a major injury. But so far, so good for him.
Will Kyler Murray be renewed playing for a playoff contender again? (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Super Bowl Odds: +5000
QB Kyler Murray was good this summer, but it will take a lot more than that to make me believe he can lead this good Vikings team in a brutally tough division. However, it is possible. All Kevin O’Connell has to do is turn back the clock to 2024.
Super Bowl Odds: +2500
Many people around the NFL like what the Cowboys have done to fix their weak defense this offseason. It definitely needs to improve, but is it enough to make them a contender? Their elite offense may still have to do most of the work.
Super Bowl Odds: +2000
I think the entire state of Wisconsin is mad at me for this, but I’m leaving the Packers here for two main reasons: Micah Parsons’ continued recovery (torn ACL) and placing RB Josh Jacobs on the Commissioner’s Excluded List.
Super Bowl Odds: +1600
Patrick Mahomes may be on track to start the season opener, but will he be the same old superstar? Bosses have the ability to rise or fall quickly in these ranks based on the early response to this.
Super Bowl Odds: +1700
New OC Mike McDaniel seems to have injected a bolt of energy (no pun intended) into a team that desperately needed it. If that mixes with his offensive brilliance, this could be the rare Chargers team that exceeds its potential.
Super Bowl Odds: +1900
I was ready to move the Lions even further, but the back injury to No. 2 RB Isaiah Pachecho has made me hesitate. It looks like Jahmyr Gibbs will have to earn his three-year, $67.5 million extension early on.
Will Trevor Lawrence finally emerge as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL? (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Super Bowl Odds: +3000
The entire receiving corps struggled in the preseason, and the RB room was questionable early on. Indeed, the only reason to have faith in this team is the magic of coach Liam Coen.
Super Bowl Odds: +1800
They had hope that WR Jayden Higgins would emerge as a much-needed No. 2 WR, but a torn ACL ruined that. Their league-best defense will have to do a lot of heavy lifting again.
Super Bowl Odds: +1900
Outside of WR Ricky Pearsall’s season-ending injury, it looks like all their pieces will be in place for Week 1. So, consider the Niners a temporary entry in the top 10, but keep the duct tape just in case.
Super Bowl Odds: +1700
Summer hamstring injuries to DeVonta Smith and Makai Lemon were a reminder of how big of a gamble it was to trade AJ Brown. Lane Johnson’s extended absence was a reminder of the offensive line’s age. But the injury to running back Jonathan Greenard is the real concern.
Super Bowl Odds: +1800
I swallow the Bengals because they really could go either way. With Joe Burrow back, surrounded by an elite group of skill players and an improved defense, they could be a Super Bowl contender. Or they could start slow again, and Zac Taylor could be gone by mid-October. It’s a coin flip.
How will Josh Allen fare with a new coach? (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
Super Bowl Odds: +1000
Summer injuries to WRs Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir were a dangerous reminder that receiver is still an issue for this team. Man, if they can handle that position right, watch out.
Super Bowl Odds: +2400
Maybe I have too much faith in Ben Johnson and QB Caleb Williams. Maybe I’m just ignoring the troubling knee injury suffered by RB Kyle Monangai. Or maybe the Bears really are about to show up.
Super Bowl Odds: +1800
A much tougher schedule still looms large over their heads. But QB Drake Maye was almost MVP last season without an elite receiver. Now he has a new young number in the still elite AJ Brown.
Super Bowl Odds: +1200
If the reports from Seattle are correct, they are prepared to prove me wrong. Rookie RB Jadarian Price has gotten rave reviews for his elusiveness this summer. Perhaps he can replace Kenneth Walker III and step in for the injured Zach Charbonnet. Maybe.
Super Bowl Odds: +1000
New coach Jesse Minter has a lot to prove, but at least he has the Big 3 of Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and Zay Flowers to help him prove it. And don’t rule out help from rookie WR Ja’Kobi Lane, a third-round pick who had a big summer.
Can Bo Nix make a move in Year 3? (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Super Bowl Odds: +2000
Sean Payton knows he has unfinished business after QB Bo Nix’s injury was perhaps all that stood between the Broncos and the Super Bowl last year. And now Nix is healthy and has a shiny new toy in WR Jaylen Waddle.
Super Bowl Odds: +500
Hey, Aaron Donald is back! So the rich get richer. Summer injuries to DE Myles Garrett (knee) and WR Puka Nacua (groin) were a reminder that things can change. But Donald’s return strengthens their grip at the top.