OTAs and training camp are the next stages of the 2026 NFL offseason to take place as anticipation for the regular season continues to grow. With the schedules in place and the summer upon us, let’s see how each team fares going into the new season.
NFL FPM Projections for the 2026 Season
Taken from PFN’s Football Playoff Meter, the FPM simulates the season 100,000 times and provides average win-loss records. It also gives us the number of simulations in which a team wins the division and makes the playoffs.
We also get data on how often that team earns which seed and the number of simulations in which they are selecting at different points in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Projected NFL Win Totals
Going into June, the Seattle Seahawks have the projected highest winning totals in PFN’s FPM, while the Arizona Cardinals have the fewest. It makes sense for the defending Super Bowl champions to have the highest projected win total this year, seeing as though their entire core on both sides of the ball is returning.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals face an uphill battle playing in the loaded NFC West with a first-time head coach and major question marks at the quarterback position. Though OTAs are voluntary, Jacoby Brissett and Josh Sweat both being absent could eventually set off some alarm bells if things drag on for too long.
NFL Win-Loss Predictions: Every Game, Final Standings, Draft Order
Now, let’s take a look at some potential divisional standings, win-loss records, and the resulting playoff picture. Using PFN’s NFL Playoff Predictor, we made selections for all 272 games for the 2026-27 NFL season. Here are the results.
AFC North
1) Baltimore Ravens: 12-5
2) Cincinnati Bengals: 10-7
3) Pittsburgh Steelers: 8-9
4) Cleveland Browns: 5-12
If Lamar Jackson stays healthy, the Baltimore Ravens figure to be the heavy favorites to come out of the AFC North as divisional champions. Of note with these selections is also the Cincinnati Bengals bouncing back and making the playoffs – a healthy Joe Burrow and an improved defense could go a long way – and the Pittsburgh Steelers finally finishing under the .500 mark.
AFC East
1) Buffalo Bills: 12-5
2) New England Patriots: 10-7
3) New York Jets: 3-14
4) Miami Dolphins: 2-15
Though they were the AFC champions last year, the New England Patriots face a much tougher schedule in 2026, thus resulting in a slight step back. They still make the playoffs as a Wild Card team, though. The Buffalo Bills return to first place in the AFC East, maintaining the same record they had last season.
AFC South
1) Houston Texans: 10-7
2) Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-8
3) Indianapolis Colts: 8-9
4) Tennessee Titans: 4-13
Though the AFC South has two teams above .500 in these NFL playoff predictions, only the Houston Texans make the postseason as the division winners. It’s possible the Jacksonville Jaguars continue their success in 2026, but with a tougher schedule and an arguably inferior roster compared to last year, it could be difficult to maintain that level of play.
AFC West
1) Denver Broncos: 13-4
2) Kansas City Chiefs: 10-7
3) Los Angeles Chargers: 8-9
4) Las Vegas Raiders: 4-13
In this scenario, the Kansas City Chiefs return to the playoffs after a disappointing 6-11 campaign last season. They don’t come back to the postseason in the traditional powerhouse fashion they have in years past, though, since the roster is more flawed than the typical juggernaut that’s made Super Bowl appearances in recent years. With a very difficult schedule in 2026, the Los Angeles Chargers take a step back and miss the playoffs.
NFC North
1) Chicago Bears: 12-5
2) Green Bay Packers: 10-7
3) Detroit Lions: 8-9
4) Minnesota Vikings: 8-9
The NFC North is one of the toughest divisions to predict in the NFL, but I have the Chicago Bears repeating as divisional champions in 2026. The big difference here? They split their series with the Detroit Lions, as opposed to being swept. The Green Bay Packers finish with a 10-7 record, but due to Wild Card tiebreakers in NFC play, they fail to make the playoffs in this scenario.
NFC East
1) Dallas Cowboys: 10-7
2) Philadelphia Eagles: 10-7
3) Washington Commanders: 7-10
4) New York Giants: 6-11
The Dallas Cowboys have always had a top-notch offense with Dak Prescott at the helm, but they now have a much better defense compared to the unit that ranked dead last in the NFL in PFSN Defense Impact last season. There’s a chance the Philadelphia Eagles bounce back with a new offensive coordinator in Sean Mannion, but a tiebreaker sees them finish in second place behind Dallas as a Wild Card team.
NFC South
1) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 9-8
2) Carolina Panthers: 8-9
3) New Orleans Saints: 8-9
4) Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
If the NFC North won’t be the toughest division to predict in the NFL, the NFC South sure might be. In due time, I think either the Carolina Panthers or New Orleans Saints separate themselves as serious contenders, and I have the Saints improving upon their 2025 record with a better roster. For now, though, I love the draft class the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had and think they have enough talent to right the ship and get back into first place.
NFC West
1) Los Angeles Rams: 14-3
2) Seattle Seahawks: 13-4
3) San Francisco 49ers: 12-5
4) Arizona Cardinals: 2-15
I feel really bad for the Cardinals this year. The NFC West is otherwise a total juggernaut this season, and for my money, they have the two best teams in the NFL in the Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams. I have the Rams coming out as divisional champions by a hair, though they split the season series with Seattle. If the San Francisco 49ers can stay healthy, they can’t be ruled out as potential divisional champions, either.
NFL Playoff Bracket
The Broncos having home-field advantage throughout the AFC Playoffs would be a dangerous proposition for all other postseason teams. Last postseason, they ran into the AFC Championship without Bo Nix and played in a blizzard. With Nix back and Jaylen Waddle now serving as another weapon on offense, I like their chances of making the Super Bowl, especially if they get the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
On the NFC side of things, I like the Rams coming out as the conference champions. Their biggest weakness was their secondary, and they addressed that group well with the additions of Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson. In the end, though, Denver takes the cake and earns Sean Payton his second Super Bowl victory as an NFL head coach.
2027 NFL Draft Order
In this instance, there’s a very real possibility quarterbacks come off the board with the first three picks of the 2027 NFL Draft. That would mark the fifth time in league history that quarterbacks go 1-2-3, with the most recent happening taking place in 2024.
BE AN NFL GM: PFSN’s Ultimate GM Simulator
In particular, this scenario would play out very well for the New York Jets. Having two picks in the top 12 in what projects to be a loaded draft could be a massive benefit to their rebuild. Likewise, having the No. 1 pick would give the Miami Dolphins their pick of the litter in a quarterback class that could include names like Arch Manning, Dante Moore, Drew Mestemaker, and Julian Sayin.
