2026 NFL Season Predictions

The 2026 season kicks off in just a few short hours.

Here, I detail who I believe is going to win each award and why, my division winners, and my Super Bowl matchup. Let’s see how many I can get right.

MVP: Dak Prescott

QB - Dallas Cowboys

This year is their year. Last year, the Cowboys had one of the most fun offenses in the NFL spearheaded by the dynamic wide receiver duo of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. Add in quality starters in Javonte Williams and Jake Ferguson, plus a plucky third receiver in Ryan Flournoy, and you can see the amount of weapons that Dak Prescott has to work with.

Where Dallas went wrong last year was with their defense. Dallas gave up the most points per game and the third most yards per game. They have significantly overhauled their defense this offseason, specifically in regards to defensive coordinator Christian Parker and rookie safety Caleb Downs.

So why am I mentioning the Cowboys defense in a prediction about Dak winning MVP? The answer is quite simple, by having a better defense the Cowboys will have a better record. When healthy, Dak has been one of the NFL’s most prolific passers, and 2026 may be the year that he has the defense to support him.

Honorable Mention: Lamar Jackson, QB - Baltimore Ravens

Omarion Hampton - RB #8 - Los Angeles Chargers

OPOY: Omarion Hampton

RB - Los Angeles Chargers

Last season Jaxon Smith-Njigba was a long-shot to win the Offensive Player of the Year award, so let’s go for another long-shot to take home the hardware this year. Hampton only featured in 9 games in his rookie season due to a nagging ankle injury, but this year he is primed for a breakout.

The 2025 Chargers had plenty of issues that plagued them. Whether that was arguably the worst offensive line in football or an incompetent offensive coordinator, Hampton performed well given the situation around him.

Los Angeles addressed both of those issues this offseason. Having two All-Pro caliber offensive tackles back from injury (more on them later) and upgrading across the interior offensive line makes a major difference. As does acquiring the eccentric Mike McDaniel to be their new offensive coordinator. McDaniel boasted some of the best rushing offenses in the league with Miami and this Chargers unit is simply more talented at every level. Look for Omarion Hampton to be the beneficiary of that.

Honorable Mention: Justin Jefferson, WR - Minnesota Vikings

Will Anderson Jr. - EDGE #51 - Houston Texans

DPOY: Will Anderson Jr.

EDGE - Houston Texans

Anderson is currently a favorite for the Defensive Player of the Year award, and for good reason.

The Houston Texans defense terrorized opponents in 2025 and Will Anderson Jr. was at the forefront of it. Anderson looks to build upon last season, one in which he had 12 sacks. Houston already had arguably the best defense in the NFL and they only got better this offseason.

Kayden McDonald and Reed Blankenship are two fantastic additions that will help the defense as a whole, specifically McDonald. He may not play much to begin with, but as the best run-stuffing nose tackle in the draft, his presence allows for Anderson Jr. to pin his ears back and get after the quarterback.

Honorable Mention: Devon Witherspoon, CB - Seattle Seahawks

Jeremiyah Love - RB #4 - Arizona Cardinals

OROY: Jeremiyah Love

RB - Arizona Cardinals

Like my Will Anderson Jr. pick, I’m going with one of the favorites here too. The reason why I think that Love will win it boils down to two reasons, talent and opportunity. Many argue that Love is the best player in the 2026 rookie class and he will have plenty of opportunities to impress.

While the Cardinals aren’t the most intriguing team purely because of the gauntlet schedule that they face, their offense should at the very least be a fun watch. I am not expecting Saquon Barkley-type numbers from Love, but he should be an important contributor on an offense that will produce points. This is more than I can say for most other rookies in this class, so he gets the award by default.

Honorable Mention: KC Concepcion, WR - Cleveland Browns

Rueben Bain Jr. - EDGE #3 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

DROY: Rueben Bain Jr.

EDGE - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

I tend to like to pick the players with a chip on their shoulder for the various awards, and nobody’s chip is bigger than Bain’s. Prior to the draft, Bain was projected to be a top-5 selection following his dominant season at Miami. Arm length concerns followed him into the draft and it resulted in him falling to the 15th pick.

The Buccaneers couldn’t have asked for a better pick than Bain. He fills a major need on a team that is looking to make some waves following a disappointing end to 2025. Seems like the player and team fit was a match made in heaven.

Honorable Mention: Caleb Downs, S - Dallas Cowboys

Kyler Murray - QB #1 - Minnesota Vikings

CPOTY: Kyler Murray

QB - Minnesota Vikings

Recent Comeback Player of the Year award winners have faced adversity via injury or situation. Kyler Murray was a victim of both last year. He was sidelined midway through the 2025 season with a mid-foot sprain, though many believe that putting him on injured reserve was just a nice way to bench him. Add in the fact that he was a terrible fit with then offensive coordinator Drew Petzing and the dumpster fire that the Cardinals organization is, and you have the perfect candidate for this award.

Kyler joins an extremely underrated Minnesota Vikings team that managed to finish one game out of a playoff spot despite having arguably the worst quarterback play in the sport. This is a testament to both the roster and coaching staff, and I believe that Kyler is the missing piece. Even if he has an average season, by his standards, Murray has the ability to elevate the Vikings to the upper echelon of teams in the NFC.

Honorable Mention: Patrick Mahomes, QB - Kansas City Chiefs

Breakout Player: Josh Downs

WR - Indianapolis Colts

The Josh Downs experience in Indianapolis has been a rollercoaster affair. His tape is awesome, as he shows off why he is one of the best receivers in the league at getting open and creating separation. On the other hand, the numbers over the past 3 seasons have been super disappointing.

In this situation, I am going to say that this is not his fault. Downs has been a victim to terrible quarterback play and target competition. The 2025 Colts offense was on a historic pace prior to Daniel Jones’ injuries and yet Downs was not as big of a factor as one would have hoped.

The loss of Michael Pittman Jr. paves the way for Downs to take over the short-intermediate field work in this offense and he should excel in it. The addition of Keenan Allen is not something I’m worried about too much, as it looks like the Colts are going to use Downs all over the formation in 2026.

Honorable Mention: Dalton Kincaid, TE - Buffalo Bills

POTY: Joe Alt

OT - Los Angeles Chargers

Another Charger has earned an award. Can you tell that I’m high on them this year? Alt only featured in six games last season, and the Chargers offense looked drastically different without him. The fact that he managed to place seventh in Rookie of the Year voting in 2024, despite being an offensive lineman, should speak volumes.

On paper, the Chargers look to have one of the most entertaining offenses in football and Alt is at the center of it. Should Los Angeles manage to live up to expectations, Alt will certainly have a good shot at obtaining this award come February.

Honorable Mention: Grey Zabel, OG - Seattle Seahawks

COTY: Jesse Minter

Baltimore Ravens

The Coach of the Year award is never about which coach is “the best”. Otherwise Mike Macdonald would have won last year and Sean McVay would have a cabinet full of trophies. This award is instead about the coaches that improve their team’s standing from the previous season the most.

John Harbaugh’s tenure as the coach of the Baltimore Ravens ended in one of the most depressing ways possible, missing the winning field goal against your bitter rivals. A season of injuries and poor defense plagued the Ravens last year, now they’re looking to rebound.

Minter’s story is very reminiscent of Mike Macdonald’s, especially when you take the Ravens to Michigan pipeline into account. Jesse Minter is a similarly gifted defensive play caller, as the past two seasons he helped steer the Chargers to the 1st and 9th ranked scoring defenses.

The Ravens have a significantly more talented defense than the Chargers do and a two time MVP quarterback on offense. Injuries may be the only thing that slows them down.

Honorable Mention: Brian Schottenheimer - Dallas Cowboys

Standings Predictions

AFC Playoff Picture:

Baltimore Ravens
Houston Texans
Los Angeles Chargers
Buffalo Bills
Denver Broncos
New England Patriots
Jacksonville Jaguars

NFC Playoff Picture:

Seattle Seahawks
Dallas Cowboys
Minnesota Vikings
New Orleans Saints
Los Angeles Rams
Philadelphia Eagles
Chicago Bears

Super Bowl Prediction:

Seahawks over Ravens