2026 NFL bold predictions: Browns make playoffs, Seahawks run it back

Afterwards, be sure to check out the league's most detailed guide to the 2026 season!

Now, let's get into their predictions. 

Eric's Predictions

1. Browns bench Deshaun Watson after Week 2, Shedeur Sanders leads them to playoffs

The NFL world is completely baffled after the Browns named Watson QB1 to start the regular season, and rightfully so. Between abysmal showings throughout camp this year, obvious off-the-field issues, and even slamming the Browns fandom, this was clearly a decision from the upper-ups, not head coach Todd Monken, since he's currently sporting a $230 million contract.

Of course, Watson apologized to the fans a day after being named the starting quarterback in a weak damage control effort. But the Browns testing Watson as the team plays the first two games on the road and away for the Browns fandom may have been intentional.

Either way, I think both the Browns and Monken both will both grow tired of the nonsense. 

The thing is that the Browns have a lot of talented young players, especially on the offensive side of the ball with rookie receivers KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, along with the dynamic backfield of Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson, giving Sanders plenty of threats on offense.

Not to mention Harold Fannin Jr., who put up 731 receiving yards and six touchdowns as a rookie in 2025.

On top of their young and athletic offense, the Browns possess the easiest schedule in the NFL based on opponent win percentage from last season. The Browns can make the playoffs. It's just a matter of making that decision sooner rather than later.

2. Rueben Bain Jr. finishes top five in sacks

There hasn't been a rookie to finish top five in sacks in a single season since Aldon Smith did it with the San Francisco 49ers in 2011 when he recorded 14. 

Tampa's top selection (No. 15 overall) in this year's NFL Draft has been turning heads all summer during training camp. Between staying hours after practice to get reps in or making opposing blockers in joint practices look foolish, Bain is already poised to be a terrifying EDGE guy for the Bucs, who ranked 19th in total sacks last season.

Now, if we base it on trends over the past two seasons' sack leaders, Bain will probably need to put up at least 12 sacks to crack the top five. Last season, Atlanta Falcons' James Pearce Jr. led all rookies with 10.5 

So, while Bain has a mountain to climb, especially with the stellar amount of EDGE talent in the NFL heading into the season, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if he's able to put it off. 

3. Rams finish with NFL-best 15-2 record, but lose in divisional round of the playoffs

When you have the reigning Defensive Player of the Year who set the sack record on one side, and the reigning NFL MVP on the other, it's obvious why the Rams are the all-out favorites to win the Super Bowl this season.

Here's the thing. The Rams have lost two games or fewer in six times in their long history. In five of those six times, they lost in the playoffs, twice in the divisional round. The only time they won the Super Bowl was in 1945 after a 10-game regular season.

What takes this to another level is that the Rams would be the first team since the introduction of the 17-game schedule format to finish a regular season with two losses. 

But hey, that's why it's a bold prediction. Since 2020, teams with a first-round bye are 11-7. It could happen. 

Michaela's Predictions

1. Tyler Shough leads Saints to NFC South title

Quarterback Tyler Shough started his rookie campaign as a backup to Spencer Rattler but quickly earned an opportunity to start. By the end of October, the Saints were 1–7 and struggling.

But after Shough took over, New Orleans saw a glimpse of hope. His play helped lead the team to five more victories, including a four-game winning streak. Shough set a franchise record for the most wins by a rookie quarterback, and under his guidance, the Saints finished 6–11.

He tallied 2,384 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, six interceptions, and a completion rate of 67.6%, along with 186 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.

In 2025, Shough established a trajectory that is trending upward. If he continues on that path and picks up where he left off, the Saints will be a tough team to beat in the NFC South. Shough had a promising rookie year, especially considering he did not make his full debut as a professional until November. He showcased plenty of potential and gave the New Orleans fanbase something to be excited about. 

Shough will also have the opportunity to build a dangerous connection with standout wide receiver Chris Olave. Additionally, the Saints added eight rookies in the draft, including a first-round pick, a second-round pick, and a third-round pick. The Saints will win the NFC South and make the playoffs. 

2. Kansas City Chiefs miss the playoffs 

From 2019 to 2024, the Chiefs appeared in five Super Bowls and claimed three of them. After bowing to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024, the Chiefs targeted redemption in 2025. Instead, the team struggled and had a 6-7 record after Week 14.

Then, superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a torn ACL and MCL, and the Chiefs’ hopes of making the playoffs vanished.

Mahomes has attacked his recovery and has been cleared to play. But his current shape and skill level remain a mystery—he hasn’t played in a preseason game yet, and it is unclear whether he will start in Week 1.

Suffering a complex knee injury less than nine months ago is nothing to overlook, and if the Chiefs want to make another deep postseason run, they will need Mahomes at his top-tier best. How close or far is he from his best?

Nobody knows, and that’s something everybody will learn once the season is in full swing.

Here’s the thing: the AFC West is no joke.

Denver have a better roster on paper than Kansas City. The Los Angeles Chargers have just as much talent, with Justin Herbert entering his prime and looking to have the best season of his career, along with a new offensive coordinator in Mike McDaniel. The Las Vegas Raiders have a new coach in Klint Kubiak and the No. 1 draft pick in Fernando Mendoza, who is expected to take over Kirk Cousins as starter at some point this year.

Kansas City cannot afford to have a slow start and fall behind, but right now, there are too many question marks. With Mahomes coming back from the injury and Travis Kelce not being as dominant as he used to be, the Chiefs will still have a solid year but won’t make the playoffs. 

3. Seattle Seahawks make Super Bowl return

The Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl in February, then lost offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak to a head coaching job in Las Vegas and also lost star running back and reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, who signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.

But the Seahawks will run it back and compete for the title once again, and here’s why: Kubiak and Walker were actually not the key pieces the team depended upon.

Seattle has one of the youngest, most prosperous, and smartest head coaches in the NFL: Mike Macdonald. Additionally, the Seahawks ranked in the top 10 in both offense and defense last season. However, they did see a handful of players leave, while safety Bud Clark could potentially miss the season after suffering a broken right ankle. 

But with a defensive guru in Macdonald, and quarterback Sam Darnold eyeing his third-straight 4,000-yard season, the Seahawks will manage.

Walker had a career year, partially because the franchise used him well and created play calls to use his skills. With Jadarian Price becoming one of the Offensive Rookie of the Year favorites, Macdonald could potentially turn him into a stud running back just like he did with Walker. 

Losing two significant names (Walker and Kubiak) can be scary, but when you have a mastermind running the team, a talented quarterback, a young roster, and an elite defensive line, you have the foundation to overcome those losses. Seattle isn’t built around one player or one coordinator.

It’s built around a system.