Last NFL football season presented some insane moments that would have even seemed outlandish before Week 1. Sam Darnold won a Super Bowl. The Patriots made the Super Bowl a year after a 4-13 season. Philip Rivers returned to the NFL after four years in retirement.
The list goes on and on. And it will happen again this season. Clearly, nothing is out of bounds. Ben Johnson proved that recently. He wants the Bears to break the NFL record for points per game in a season while winning the Super Bowl. With that in mind, here's a bold prediction for every team from record-breaking years to worst-to-firsts, coach firings, shocking benchings, 0-17 seasons and more.
Seattle Seahawks
Prediction: Rashid Shaheed will have 1,000 receiving yards
The Seahawks are going to work Rashid Shaheed into the offense to the tune of a 1,000-yard receiving season. The gamebreaker became the fifth player in NFL history with 800+ scrimmage yards and at least three return touchdowns in a season last year (including playoffs), along with Gale Sayers, Troy Brown, Reggie Bush and Tyreek Hill. Now he's going to break out after an entire offseason to get acclimated to the Seahawks playbook.
Los Angeles Rams
Prediction: No. 1 scoring offense and No. 1 scoring defense
The Rams will become the third team since 1970 to have the NFL's No. 1 scoring offense and defense (the 1972 Dolphins and 1996 Packers). The Rams defense was terrible down the stretch last year (25th in defensive EPA in their last nine games) so they added Myles Garrett, Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson. They will be the top unit in the NFL this year, thanks to those additions and now Aaron Donald's comeback.
San Francisco 49ers
Prediction: Healthy core after substation theory debunked
The viral substation conspiracy theory has been debunked, but the 49ers have still had a lot of banged-up players in training camp. Still, they will do a 180 and their entire star core will finish the season healthy. Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, Mike Evans, Trent Williams, George Kittle, Nick Bosa and Fred Warner will defy logic and all be a force heading into the postseason. That would be pretty crazy considering the 49ers six highest-paid players combined to miss more games (64) than they played (50) last season. They missed 25 more games than any other playoff team's six highest-paid players.
Arizona Cardinals
Prediction: Trey McBride will lead the NFL in catches
Trey McBride set the single-season TE record with 126 catches last season as the Cardinals led the NFL in pass attempts and had ample garbage time to pad stats. He finished second in the NFL in receptions behind Puka Nacua (129). So what will he do for an encore? He will be the first TE to lead the NFL in receptions since Tony Gonzalez in 2004.
Carolina Panthers
Prediction: Bryce Young gets benched
Bryce Young has slowly taken steps forward in the Panthers offense, capped by going worst to first in the abysmal NFC South last season. Perhaps the improvements have been exaggerated, though. He was 28th in the NFL in EPA per dropback last season and he will be benched in 2026 when he is unable to take Carolina to the next level. Patience will run thin, especially after the team made two big signings on defense in free agency (Devin Lloyd and Jaelan Phillips). The team picked up his fifth-year option this offseason, but the Panthers' brash owner David Tepper won't put up with a step backward from Young.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Prediction: Rueben Bain Jr. will break rookie sacks record
Short arms (and AC sprain) be damned. First-round pick Rueben Bain Jr. will break Jevon Kearse's rookie record (14.5 sacks in 1999) with 15.0 sacks in 2026. Production over projection will win the day this year as the Miami Hurricanes standout will spit in the face of the detractors who would point to how he had the second-shortest arm length among edge rushers drafted in the first round since 2003.
Atlanta Falcons
Prediction: Bijan Robinson will have 1,000 rush yards and 1,000 receiving yards
Kevin Stefanski will lean heavily on Bijan Robinson, especially with Tyler Allgeier out of the picture and uncertainty at the quarterback position. Robinson will become the fourth player all-time with 1,000+ rush yards and 1,000+ rec yards in a season (Roger Craig, Marshall Faulk, Christian McCaffrey). He already had 820 receiving yards a year ago, so getting to 1,000 would not be a stretch.
New Orleans Saints
Prediction: Tyler Shough will make the year two leap
Sure, not all year-two leaps are created equal; after all, Tyler Shough is older (age 26) than Trevor Lawrence. However, he will build on an excellent rookie season (he was top 10 in most passing stats since becoming the starter in Week 9 last year) by taking a Drake Maye-esque year two leap. The addition of first-round pick WR Jordyn Tyson and free agent RB Travis Etienne Jr. will only speed up Shough's development. The competition in his division will help the cause, too.
Chicago Bears
Prediction: First team in NFL history with a 4K passer, 1K rusher and trio of 3K receivers
Ben Johnson already said he wants to break the 2013 Broncos NFL record for points per game in a season (37.9). The top 14 scoring teams in the Super Bowl era did not win a Super Bowl, though, so I'll do Johnson one better. The Bears will be the first team in NFL history with a 4,000-yard passer (they've never had one!), a 1,000-yard rusher (D'Andre Swift) and a trio of 1,000-yard receivers (Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland)
Green Bay Packers
Prediction: Tucker Kraft will lead all TE in receiving yards
The Packers gave extensions to WRs Christian Watson and Jayden Reed and would love to see a breakout from 2025 first-round WR Matthew Golden, but it'll be TE Tucker Kraft emerging in the Packers offense in 2026. Kraft was one of the league's most productive tight ends last year before tearing his ACL around the midway point of the year. He's been the best tight end in terms of YAC on record (9.1 YAC per reception in his career), so he will explode this season and lead all tight ends in receiving yards. One thing that could hold him back is a limited workload at the start of the season.
Minnesota Vikings
Prediction: Kyler Murray will win NFL MVP
Kyler Murray will win NFL MVP. Sam Darnold took the success of reboot quarterbacks to a new level by winning the Super Bowl last season after the Vikings let him walk. Minnesota will make up for that by rebooting Murray, who will have a chip on his shoulder after his tenure ended with the Cardinals. We have seen him play like an MVP for parts of a season before, when he had DeAndre Hopkins, and now the pieces are in place for a historic rebound with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings in his WR room.
Detroit Lions
Prediction: Jahmyr Gibbs will break Chris Johnson's scrimmage yards record
Jahmyr Gibbs will break Chris Johnson's NFL record for most scrimmage yards in a season (2,509 in 2009). Dan Campbell said Gibbs will be the "bell cow" in 2026 after Detroit traded David Montgomery (182 touches last year) to the Texans.
Gibbs is already on a historic two-year run as the only RB all-time with 100+ scrimmage yards per game, 1+ scrimmage TD per game on fewer than 20 touches per game in back-to-back years. Imagine what he can do with say 400 touches, instead of the 320 he logged in 2025? He doesn't even have a 30-touch game in the last two years. Add in an improved Detroit offensive line that added C Cade Mays (even though he's out 8-10 weeks) and first-round pick RT Blake Miller and you have a recipe for a record-breaking season from perhaps the game's most electric RB.
Philadelphia Eagles
Prediction: Nick Sirianni will be the first coach fired
Nick Sirianni will be the first coach fired this year. The Eagles have either gone one-and-done in the playoffs or made the Super Bowl in five seasons with Philadelphia. That trend will end, and the Eagles will quickly grow impatient after another slow start on offense, leading to Sirianni's quick hook. It wouldn't be that different from the Phillies firing manager Rob Thomson this past April or the Eagles canning Doug Pederson three years after winning a championship.
Dallas Cowboys
Prediction: Caleb Downs All-Pro season, leads team in tackles, sacks and interceptions
The Cowboys first-round pick Caleb Downs will lead the team in tackles, sacks and interceptions while doing his best Kyle Hamilton (and Nick Emmanwori) impersonation, splitting his time between slot corner, box safety and high safety this year. The last player to lead a team in all 3 categories was Joey Porter Sr. for the 2002 Steelers.
Washington Commanders
Prediction: The Commanders will use a WR carousel for the ages
The WR carousel had already begun in Washington as it's a thin depth chart after Terry McLaurin. They signed Stefon Diggs, they have a potential rebound in Treylon Burks and a third-round rookie in Antonio Williams. I predict they'll take a flier on Diggs, Tyreek Hill and DeAndre Hopkins (currently a WR coach at Georgia Tech) by season's end.
New York Giants
Prediction: The Giants will make the Super Bowl
The Giants are going to make the Super Bowl in their first year with John Harbaugh. They have the talent between Jaxson Dart, Cam Skattebo, Malik Nabers, Andrew Thomas, Francis Mauigoa, Abdul Carter, Brian Burns, Arvell Reese and more. Now, they have the coach to bring it all together. Harbaugh made the AFC title game in 2008 with rookie QB Joe Flacco and won 14 games in Lamar Jackson's second season, so I'm banking on a big year for Jaxson Dart as the Giants will be the Cinderella team of the 2026 season. They could follow in the 2025 Patriots footsteps. Both the 2025 Patriots and 2026 Giants were coming off 4-13 seasons, both hired a veteran coach (Vrabel vs. Harbaugh) and both had a second-year quarterback (Drake Maye vs Jaxson Dart).
New England Patriots
Prediction: The Patriots will start 0-5 and make the playoffs
The Patriots will be the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs after an 0-5 start. The only team to make the playoffs after an 0-4 start was the 1992 Chargers but New England will top that after recovering from a brutal schedule to open the year. They have the hardest strength of schedule through Week 4 by any team since the 1986 Eagles. They will play more 10-win teams (from 2025) through Week 4 this year (four) than they did in the entire 2025 regular season (three). In this scenario, they would lose all four games and collapse in Week 5 against the Raiders, prompting calls to fire Mike Vrabel. Instead, the Patriots will stay the course and embark on a historic turnaround.
Buffalo Bills
Prediction: GM Brandon Beane will be fired this year
No, I'm not picking the Bills to win the Super Bowl. As much as I want that to happen, I think Buffalo will succumb to the pressure and fire GM Brandon Beane after a mediocre start. They stuck with him after parting ways with Sean McDermott but he didn't do enough to fill needs at wide receiver (DJ Moore) or edge rusher (Bradley Chubb) this offseason, which will ultimately cost him his job.
Miami Dolphins
Prediction: The Dolphins will go 0-17
The Dolphins are going to go 0-17 this year, becoming the first team to be winless since the 2017 Browns went 0-16. The ingredients are all there. This is a dumpster fire franchise that has not won a playoff game since 2000. Quarterback Malik Willis is a lottery ticket but Miami doesn't have the infrastructure around him to help him succeed. Unbelievably, the Dolphins are spending more money for players not on their roster than actualy active members of the team. There's an NFL-record $179M in dead money spread out between Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill , Jaylen Waddle, Jalen Ramsey, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Bradley Chubb and Terron Armstead. They won't be able to win one single game with this JV roster.
New York Jets
Prediction: Garrett Wilson will get traded to the Ravens
The Jets won't be the worst team in the NFL just because the Dolphins exist, but they won't be much better. The franchise will continue its roster purge at the trade deadline, following last year's moves of Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams. This year, it'll be Garrett Wilson for a first-round pick as the Jets will tie their own NFL record with a fourth first-rounder in the highly anticipated 2027 NFL Draft.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Prediction: The Steelers will go from first to worst in the division
Aaron Rodgers' swan song will flame out as the Steelers will finish in last place in their division for the first time since 1988. Mike McCarthy won't be able to turn around a Steelers team that overachieved with Mike Tomlin.
Baltimore Ravens
Prediction: The Ravens will win the Super Bowl
This isn't the Bills' year, but it will be the Ravens. Lamar Jackson is going to bounce back from injury with rookie coach Jesse Minter to reach his first Super Bowl, where King Henry and company will power the Ravens to a title over the Giants in a revenge game with John Harbaugh. A deadline trade for Garrett Wilson will give Jackson another weapon at WR, and Trey Hendrickson will have a bounce-back year to help Baltimore's defense round into championship form.
Cleveland Browns
Prediction: Week 1 will be Deshaun Watson's last NFL game
Deshaun Watson won the starting QB job in Cleveland, but it won't last long (at all). He hasn't been the same after leaving Houston and he's dealt with a season-ending shoulder injury and two Achilles injuries with the Browns. The Browns will start an NFL-record six different QBs this year, including Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and rookie Taylen Green.
Cincinnati Bengals
Prediction: The Bengals will have the NFL's No. 1 defense
The Bengals will be the top seed in the AFC after they go from 31st to first in points allowed, a defensive turnaround that the league has never seen. Veteran free agent additions Dexter Lawrence, Boye Mafe, Kyle Dugger, Jonathan Allen and Bryan Cook will bring an edge to this defense while Cincinnati will finally get production off the edge from former first-round picks Myles Murphy and Shemar Stewart.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Prediction: Travis Hunter will have a historic two-way season
The historic two-way season we were all expecting from Travis Hunter last year will come to fruition in 2026 after he played in just seven games as a rookie. He's going to come out with a bang in Week 1 vs. the Browns with an interception while also hauling in over 100 receiving yards. When it's all said and done, he will be the first player since Don Hutson in 1942 with 1,000+ receiving yards and at least four interceptions in a season. The Jaguars WR depth (Jakobi Meyers, Parker Washington, Brian Thomas Jr.) stands in the way but nothing an injury or two can't change.
Houston Texans
Prediction: C.J. Stroud will get benched
The 2023 QB class is going to be a disaster in 2026. We won't see Anthony Richardson Sr. play, plus C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young will both be benched at some point despite signing fifth-year options. Houston will send Stroud a message at some point in 2026 by benching him in favor of Davis Mills as the team has a Super Bowl-caliber defense but an offense that continues to underachieve. The Texans didn't pull the plug last postseason when Stroud had five fumbles and five interceptions in two games, but their patience will run out in 2026. I hope this prediction doesn't come true, but in a league where first-round quarterbacks are getting tossed to the curb at prolific rates, I wouldn't be shocked if Stroud was the next casualty.
Indianapolis Colts
Prediction: The Colts will trade for Mac Jones
General manager Chris Ballard is going to feel the heat once Daniel Jones gets hurt again in his comeback from a torn Achilles. I anticipate he will make a panic move by trading a first-round pick for Mac Jones at the deadline in hopes of saving his job and leading the Colts to their first division title since 2014. Ballard already went all-in by trading two first-rounders for Sauce Gardner last year, so he's not going to go down without a fight. I don't think it'll be enough to save the Colts season or his job, but I wouldn't fault him for trying.
Tennessee Titans
Prediction: The Titans will go from worst-to-first in the AFC South
The last two fired New York head coaches are going to lead the Titans from the ashes to a worst-to-first turnaround in the division. Yes, the contingent of Robert Saleh and Brian Daboll will lead Tennessee to a historic rebound as Cam Ward develops into a franchise quarterback with the help of rookie WR Carnell Tate. The Titans led the NFL in free agent spending this year, which will help the cause.
Denver Broncos
Prediction: Jaylen Waddle will have 130 catches
Michael Thomas caught an NFL record 149 balls in 2019 in a 16-game season with Sean Payton. I think Peyton will ride newly acquired WR Jaylen Waddle to at least 130 grabs this year after trading a first-round pick for the electric playmaker.
Los Angeles Chargers
Prediction: Omarion Hampton will win the rushing title
Jim Harbaugh wants to run the ball. He doesn't want to see Justin Herbert lit up for 50-60 sacks again, and he has Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater back, plus additions of Jake Slaughter, Tyler Biadasz and Cole Strange to the interior of the offensive line. That means Harbaugh is going to ride 2025 first-round pick Omarion Hampton to a rushing title.
Kansas City Chiefs
Prediction: The Chiefs will miss the playoffs again
The Chiefs failed to make an AFC title game last season for the first time since Mahomes became a full-time starter. Instead of rebounding to make another run this year they are going to miss the playoffs again as Mahomes won't have enough help from his supporting cast. The Chiefs are amazingly the only team without a 1,000-yard rusher or receiver in the past three seasons. Rashee Rice can't stay on the field, Xavier Worthy hasn't turned all-world speed into production and Travis Kelce doesn't have much left in the tank. Chris Jones is on the decline and the defense lost most of its starting secondary. It all adds up to another disappointing season in Kansas City and the need to reinvent themselves in 2027.
Las Vegas Raiders
Prediction: Maxx Crosby will win NFL Defensive Player of the Year
Maxx Crosby is going to troll the Ravens by having a career year in 2026 after his trade to Baltimore was nixed because of a failed physical. That means close to 100 tackles and 15+ sacks as he wins Defensive Player of the Year.
