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NFL Power Rankings Based on Super Bowl Odds Following Preseason (Examining Top Contenders to Win in 2026)
The 2026 NFL preseason is in the books, and now every team will have a few days off to prepare for Week 1, which begins on Wednesday, Sept. 9 with the New England Patriots taking on the Seattle Seahawks in a rematch of last season's Super Bowl.
What better way to start the NFL season?
There's still a bunch of time until the 2026 season begins, and bettors may want to consider making some plays in the futures market now that the preseason is wrapped up. As always, the odds to win the Super Bowl are a great way to see how Vegas feels about each team heading into a season, and there are a ton of team that are considered viable contenders based on the odds, as over half of the league is set at +3000 or shorter to win it all.
The Los Angeles Rams and Matthew Stafford (+550) are the clear favorite in the odds, and they've led each addition of my NFL Power Rankings in the lead up to the 2026 season. Still, teams like Seattle, New England, Detroit, Denver, Buffalo, Baltimore, Philly and many others have their sights set on winning it all.
In this week's NFL Power Rankings (based on the Super Bowl odds), I plan on ranking these teams by how viable I think they are to win it all, which may not always line up with the betting odds.
The anticipaton of regular-season football is here, and we're less than two weeks away from kickoff. Here's how I believe each team stacks up and why you should or shouldn't bet on them to win Super Bowl LXI.
NFL Power Rankings Based on 2026 Super Bowl Odds
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
1. Los Angeles Rams (+500) Last Week: No. 1
The Rams are the clear favorite in the odds to win the Super Bowl, and they loaded up this offseason by adding Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie to their defense. Oh, and Aaron Donald is BACK!
Now, L.A. is set to face the sixth-hardest schedule in the NFL, but it made the NFC title game out of a wild card spot last season. If Matthew Stafford stays healthy, the Rams should be back in that spot again. After all, they were one of three teams in the top 11 in the league in EPA/Play on offense and defense last season.
2. Seattle Seahawks (+1200) LW: No. 2
I'm deviating from the odds board already.
Seattle is fourth in the odds to win the Super Bowl next season, but this team remains loaded after last year's amazing Super Bowl run.
The loss of Kenneth Walker III hurts, and Seattle is in a tough division, but this team is still loaded on both sides of the ball with an elite coaching staff. I'd expect Seattle to be a playoff team, and possibly the No. 1 seed, in the NFC.
3. Baltimore Ravens (+1000) LW: No. 3
I don't love this price, but I'll make the case for the Ravens to win the Super Bowl this season:
They have the fifth-easiest schedule in the NFL, they play in a shaky AFC North division, and they have a new coach (Jesse Minter) that should improve a defense that was just 16th in EPA/Play last season.
Lamar Jackson's health will be the key, but the Ravens should cruise to the postseason, which may not be the case for a lot of AFC team. Baltimore -- depending on the book -- is favored in either 14 or 15 games in 2026.
4. Philadelphia Eagles (+1700) LW: No. 5
I'm deviating from the odds again at No. 4.
Philadelphia lost A.J. Brown, but will that end up being addition by subtraction for this offense? Brown is a great player to have, though he really brought a lot of attention to a struggling offense and it felt like Jalen Hurts was forcing him the ball a ton down the stretch.
The Eagles are elite on both the offensive and defensive line, and they have the eighth-easiest schedule entering 2026. I'd be shocked if they didn't win the NFC East and have a too-four playoff seed.
5. New England Patriots (+1800) LW: No. 7
The Patriots over the Bills? Based on the price, yes.
New England is +1800 to win it all while Buffalo is all the way down at +1000, yet the Patriots won the division in 2025 with a shaky offensive line and worse weapons around MVP candidate Drake Maye.
The schedule is going to be tougher than the historically bad one New England played in 2025, but it's still rated as the 10th-easiest slate in the league (Buffalo is 14th). Plus, New England, Los Angeles and Denver were the only NFL teams that finished in the top-11 in EPA/Play on both sides of the ball last season. I think the Pats have a real shot to win the AFC East, and +1600 is a decent price when comparing them to Buffalo.
6. Buffalo Bills (+1000) LW: No. 4
Buffalo didn't win the division last season, was bounced out of the playoffs by Denver and finished the year with one of the worst run defenses in the league.
These odds are a huge vote of confidence in Josh Allen on a team that has questions defensively and a hole at receiver (no matter how you feel about DJ Moore).
Allen may be the best quarterback in the NFL (I'd still take Patrick Mahomes), but Buffalo needs him to be better with the football after the team posted a plus-one turnover differential last season.
I think there's a chance Buffalo ends up in a wild card spot again, which could make it tough to get out of a loaded AFC.
7. Denver Broncos (+2000) LW: No. 6
I've said the Denver stat twice already (top 11 in EPA/Play on offense and defense last season), and it added Jaylen Waddle in the offseason to bolster this offense.
The Broncos have the 11th-easiest schedule in the league, and they're being undervalued in the AFC West with the third-best odds to win the division and the Super Bowl. Denver has one of the better defenses in the league, and it may have been in the Super Bowl had Bo Nix not gotten hurt against Buffalo in the playoffs.
At +2000 (13th in the odds) this team is mispriced ahead of the regular season.
8. Kansas City Chiefs (+1600) LW: No. 8
Prior to last season, simply having Patrick Mahomes was a ticket to the AFC title game.
The path is a lot tougher in the 2026 season, but Mahomes and the Chiefs have the 12th-easiest schedule in the league and should have some better health luck than they did in 2025.
The defense has some questions, but +1600 on Mahomes to win the Super Bowl is a pretty favorable price when you look at his history.
9. Detroit Lions (+1900) LW: No. 9
This may be the year for Dan Campbell and Co., and I'm very bullish on the Lions, who have the easiest schedule in the NFL.
A fourth-place finish (at 9-8) last season has set the Lions up with a bunch of easy games, and they still finished last season in sixth in EPA/Play on offense and 14th in EPA/Play on defense.
The Lions have a ton of talent on offense, and if they can stay healthier than they did last year defensively, they're an intriguing worst-to-first bet in the NFC North. At +1900, they're one of the better values on the board.
10. Green Bay Packers (+2000) LW: No. 10
The NFC North is loaded in the 2026 season, but the Packers have been a proven playoff team with Jordan Love and Matt LaFleur the last few seasons.
Green Bay ranks in the bottom 10 in strength of schedule and Micah Parsons' absence could impact their start to the season. Still, this offense was No. 4 in EPA/Play, and the Pack are favored in 13 of their 17 games. They should be in play for the No. 1 or No. 2 spot in a division that easily could have three playoff teams.
11. Chicago Bears (+2400) LW: No. 15
If you couldn't tell, I'm high on the NFC North this season.
The signs for regression are there for the Bears, who won a ton of close games (and comeback games) and had a sky-high turnover differential last season.
But, should we consider the fact that Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams are just good? This team has a ton of interesting weapons on offense and had an impressive postseason showing before losing to the Rams.
The Bears may not win the NFC North again, but at +2400, I prefer them over teams like the Los Angeles Chargers, Houston Texans, Cincinnati Bengals and more.
12. San Francisco 49ers (+1900) LW: No. 11
Everything for the San Francisco 49ers comes down to whether or not they can stay healthy.
They dealt with a ton of injuries last season and still made the playoffs (and won a game) before getting outclassed by Seattle. This team also has the seventh-easiest schedule this season since it finished third in the NFC West.
Fred Warner and Nick Bosa coming back is huge for a defense that was just 25th in EPA/Play in 2025.
13. Jacksonville Jaguars (+3000) LW: No. 12
Jacksonville won the AFC South and was the No. 3 seed in the AFC last season, yet it is +3000 (17th) in the odds to win the Super Bowl in 2026. That's a little crazy.
Jacksonville and Houston should battle for the AFC South title, and I'd much rather get the +3000 price for the Jags than the +1800 price for Houston, especially after how Trevor Lawrence ended last season.
Liam Coen's team is a bit of a sleeper in a tough AFC.
14. Houston Texans (+1800) LW: No. 13
Which version of C.J. Stroud will we see in 2026?
If the Houston quarterback comes closer to his rookie year heights, this Texans team is going to be tough to beat with the best defense in the NFL on the other side.
However, Stroud's lack of success in the playoffs last year is a major concern if you're betting on Houston at this number to win it all.
15. Dallas Cowboys (+2500) LW: No. 17
Is it finally the Cowboys' year?
All jokes aside, Dallas has an elite offense (fifth in EPA/Play last season) and made some major wholesale changes to the defense from where it was at the beginning of last season.
If the defense is improved, Dallas should be in the mix for a playoff spot, and I think this price (+2500) is actually pretty favorable considering it's behind teams in tougher divisions (Green Bay, Detroit, Chicago, San Fran) in the NFC.
16. Los Angeles Chargers (+1700) LW: No. 14
This is a pretty big year for Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert.
Mike McDaniel is in as offensive coordinator, the offensive line is healthier than it was last season and Herbert is expected to take a major leap. Yet, he's never won a playoff game.
That makes it really tough to endorse the Chargers winning it all when they have the eighth-best odds in the league.
17. Cincinnati Bengals (+1800) LW: No. 16
Joe Burrow's health is the biggest key to a successful Bengals season, and they should have an improved defense in 2026.
Still, Cincy is behind several other contenders in the AFC for a reason, and the inability to protect Burrow has derailed plenty of seasons for this franchise. I don't love them at this price to win the Super Bowl.
18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+5500) LW: No. 19
This may be a default spot for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- the first NFC South team mentioned in this article.
The Bucs are favored to win the division, which would secure them a top-four spot in the NFC. Still, they fell apart down the stretch last season and lost some key pieces, including Mike Evans, in the offseason.
I think the Bucs are accurately priced ahead of 2026.
19. Minnesota Vikings (+5000) LW: No. 18
The Kyler Murray era begins in Minnesota, which won nine games last season despite arguably the worst QB situation in the league.
Kyler should help raise the floor for the Vikes, but let's not forget that the Arizona Cardinals were all set and wanted to move on from him. He has a real chance to prove he can be a winning quarterback in a new situation, but I don't think the Vikes open the season as a real contender in the NFC.
20. Indianapolis Colts (+6000) LW: No. 20
One could make a case for the Colts as a contender in the AFC after their start to last season, but I'm not sinking a future into Daniel Jones coming off a torn Achilles.
Unless Jonathan Taylor carries this offense, I think Indy is nothing but a borderline playoff team in the AFC.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers (+5000) LW: No. 23
Pittsburgh has a pretty interesting floor with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, but he looked completely overmatched in the playoffs against Houston in 2026. I am not buying the Steelers as a guaranteed playoff team with Mike Tomlin no longer in town.
Pittsburgh is just in the middle of the pack in strength of schedule (17th easiest) and it was just 20th in EPA/Play on defense in 2025.
22. Carolina Panthers (+9000) LW: No. 21
A playoff team last season, Carolina is viewed as a long shot to get back there in 2026, but there is a possible path in a weak NFC South.
Bryce Young and Co. do have the third-toughest schedule in the NFL, which makes things a lot trickier for a team that didn't exactly impress (bottom 10 in EPA/Play on offense and defense) in the 2025 season.
23. Washington Commanders (+6000) LW: No. 24
I can't say I love this Washington team, but it did make the NFC title game in 2024 and Jayden Daniels gives this squad a higher ceiling than most if he's on the field.
The problem is, Laremy Tunsil's injury significantly diminishes this offensive line, putting Daniels in a tough spot to stay upright in 2026.
24. New Orleans Saints (+9000) LW: No. 23
The Saints were 5-4 with Tyler Shough at quarterback last season and have a real worst-to-first case in a terrible NFC South.
Still, I don't see any team in that division being good enough to win the Super Bowl, and the Saints' +9000 odds are very telling about where Vegas believes they stand in 2026.
25. New York Giants (+7000) LW: No. 25
A lot has been made about John Harbaugh's first season in New York, but the Giants need Jaxson Dart, Malik Nabers and others to stay healthy.
Plus, the loss of Dexter Lawrence could be massive for a defense that struggled to stop the run and was 24th in EPA/Play on defense in the 2025 season.
26. Atlanta Falcons (+13000) LW: No. 26
There's just no way anyone can feel good about the Atlanta Falcons' quarterback room with Michael Penix Jr. coming off a torn ACL and Tua Tagovailoa struggling in camp.
The Falcons have a ton of skill position talent, but the rest of the roster leaves a lot to be desired. I am out on the Falcons as a playoff team in the NFC unless Penix shocks us and plays much better in 2026.
27. Tennessee Titans (+13000) LW: No. 27
Cam Ward's development is going to be key for a Titans team that seems destined for last place in the AFC South.
Tennessee was 30th in EPA/Play on offense last season and 27th in EPA/Play on defense. It would take massive strides from that to end up in the playoff conversation.
28. New York Jets (+20000) LW: No. 28
I don't think the Jets will be good, but I do think they'll finish third in the AFC East this season.
New York has the fourth-easiest schedule in the NFL, and Aaron Glenn may need to show some win progression to keep his job. With Geno Smith at quarterback, the Jets have a higher floor than they did last season.
29. Las Vegas Raiders (+15000) LW: No. 29
I have a hard time getting behind the Raiders in a tough AFC West, and Ashton Jeanty's ankle injury is a pretty big blow ahead of Week 1.
Fernando Mendoza should play at some point this season, and his development is more important than any Raiders future we could bet in 2026.
30. Cleveland Browns (+20000) LW: No. 30
The Browns traded away Myles Garrett this offseason and named Deshaun Watson as their starting quarterback.
Need I say more?
Cleveland's defense may still be good with Jared Verse in the fold, but the quarterback play is going to hold this team back unless Deshaun plays drastically different than he has in the preseason.
31. Miami Dolphins (+35000) LW: No. 31
The Dolphins blew up their roster in the offseason and are set to face the second-toughest schedule in the NFL.
This is a clear rebuild year, and they should end up way out of the playoff mix, even if Malik Willis plays well.
32. Arizona Cardinals (+50000) LW: No. 32
The Cardinals have the hardest schedule in the NFL, play in a division with three teams that won a playoff game last season and have Jacoby Brissett at quarterback.
No wonder their win total is just 3.5 in the 2026 season.
I'd stay far, far away from betting them to do well in any futures market.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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Peter is the associate managing editor for Sports Illustrated Betting. He has worked as a writer and editor for BetSided, NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, betting and more. He is a hoops fanatic with a soft spot for his New York Knicks.
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