NFL · 20 minutes ago

Ranking the NFL’s 15 Most-Likely Playoff Teams Right Now

Grant White

Host · Writer

15. Las Vegas Raiders
Don't look now, but the Las Vegas Raiders have announced their triumphant return to the NFL playoff picture.

The Raiders have solidified their position on both sides of the football. Their defense has allowed just 27 points through two games, while their offense has put up at least 26 in each contest.

These numbers look a little less impressive when adjusted for opponent. Nevertheless, the Raiders are the early frontrunners for the last wild card spot in the AFC.
1. Seattle Seahawks
Not surprisingly, the Seattle Seahawks lead the way early in the 2026 season.

The defending champs are off to a 2-0 start to the season and have given up a paltry 17 points against. While their offense appears to be a step behind last year's production, the Seahawks can still ride Jaxon Smith-Njigba to glory.

In short, the Seahawks are still a lock to make the NFL playoffs.
2. Buffalo Bills
Defense wins championships, but the Buffalo Bills have proven that offense wins division titles.

Josh Allen and Co. are off to another blazing start to the season. Through two games, they have nearly as many points as the other three AFC East teams combined. Defense remains an issue, but it won't matter against inferior AFC offenses.

Winning the Super Bowl is an entirely different gambit. Making the playoffs is a sure thing.
3. San Francisco 49ers
We should add a third certainty: death, taxes, and Kyle Shanahan will have the San Francisco 49ers ready to compete.

The Niners are doing their usual things. They dispatched the Rams in Australia and then crushed the Dolphins in Week 2. Implicit in those outcomes were another stout defense and still efficient offense.

San Francisco will need to dethrone the Seahawks if it wants to move up the list. For now, the 49ers are comfortably sitting third on our list.
4. Kansas City Chiefs
We're seeing last year for the anomaly that it was. The Kansas City Chiefs dynasty is still ready to roll.

Patrick Mahomes hasn't missed a beat since returning from a knee injury. He's led the Chiefs to 64 points through two games, and more importantly, two convincing wins.

Kansas City will have no problems maintaining its current form. Even with a challenging schedule toward the end of the campaign, the AFC West is theirs to lose.
5. Philadelphia Eagles
A 2-0 start to the season inspires more confidence than the box scores. Nevertheless, the Philadelphia Eagles will fly into the postseason.

Philadelphia eked out a win over the Commanders in the season opener, following that up with a gritty 24-20 victory over the Titans. In doing so, they staked themselves to an early lead in the division but fell to 0-2 against the spread.

You can't take winning for granted in the NFL. Hopefully those games were the wake-up call the Eagles needed.
6. Cincinnati Bengals
Finally, the Cincinnati Bengals have invested enough in their defense to be taken seriously. With the offense still clicking, this team should have no problem clinching a postseason berth.

The Bengals shredded the Texans in Week 2, winning a game that should have been much closer. They marched down the field with relative ease, turning to their defense to keep the hosts at bay.

Joe Burrow is the x-factor come playoff time, and Cincinnati is a virtual lock to make it.
7. Los Angeles Rams
Travel plans were a factor in the Los Angeles Rams' 1-1 start to the season. After seeing their Monday Night Football dominance, we're confident they'll have a seat in the playoffs.

Sean McVay has transformed the Rams into a perennial contender. Their defense demolished the Giants, while Matthew Stafford continues to strengthen his Hall of Fame resume.

LA can beat you in any number of ways. That's a substantive advantage in the regular season and even more mighty come playoff time.
8. Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings have already positioned themselves for playoff success.

Minnesota opened the season with a monumental triumph over the Packers, relying on top-end offensive production. They followed that up with a tough defensive showing versus the Bears last time out.

In doing so, the Vikings have already staked themselves to the NFC North lead with two intra-division wins. Those are important factors down the stretch.
9. Baltimore Ravens
Inconsistency continues to limit the Baltimore Ravens' potential. At their best, they are a division contender. At their worst, the Ravens are a fringe playoff team. We have them comfortably between those benchmarks in the playoff race.

Baltimore was outmatched against the Saints in Week 2, standing in stark contrast to its 41-23 win over the Colts in the season opener. Still, we're willing to excuse their unprepared effort against an undervalued Saints team.

The Ravens are on a short leash in our playoff rankings. Another unsuspecting loss will likely catapult them from our list.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars
At 1-1, the Jacksonville Jaguars might need only eight more wins to secure the AFC South crown.

The rest of the division has looked atrocious early this season. All three teams have negative point differentials and glaring weaknesses.

We want to give the Jags credit for their early-season performances. Sadly, this is just as much about the rest of the AFC South being terrible.
11. Dallas Cowboys
If the Dallas Cowboys want to make the playoffs, they need their offense to do most of the heavy lifting.

We saw what happens when the Cowboys' offense isn't working in Week 1. Dallas was stymied by the Giants, managing just 20 points on 244 yards of offense. When their offense is working, they easily escaped a division battle versus the Commanders.

Dak Prescott needs to play with a chip on his shoulder if the Cowboys want a playoff berth.
12. New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are in an uncomfortable spot to open the season, hampering their playoff outlook.

The Pats opened with a Super Bowl rematch versus the Seahawks, bungling their last offensive snap for a chance at a win. While they escaped Week 2 versus Pittsburgh, three of their first four games come on the road against playoff contenders.

Realistically, this team should be further up the list. For now, we're interested in seeing how they respond to their challenging schedule.
13. Carolina Panthers
The NFC South -- where teams with losing records get to host playoff games.

The Carolina Panthers have looked like the best the NFC South has to offer. Offense is their strength, and they'll need to maintain their current production to offset some of their defensive woes. As we've seen, that will be easier to do against their division rivals compared to the rest of their schedule.

We'll see how firm the Panthers' grip on a playoff spot is as the season progresses.
14. New Orleans Saints
Low-key, the New Orleans Saints could upend the NFC South.

The Saints have built a more sustainable model than some of the other divisional competitors. They play a solid brand of defense and have some undervalued offensive contributors.

Let's see if New Orleans learned from last year's mistakes. If they did, they could easily usurp the Panthers for NFC South dominance.
15. Las Vegas Raiders
Don't look now, but the Las Vegas Raiders have announced their triumphant return to the NFL playoff picture.

The Raiders have solidified their position on both sides of the football. Their defense has allowed just 27 points through two games, while their offense has put up at least 26 in each contest.

These numbers look a little less impressive when adjusted for opponent. Nevertheless, the Raiders are the early frontrunners for the last wild card spot in the AFC.
1. Seattle Seahawks
Not surprisingly, the Seattle Seahawks lead the way early in the 2026 season.

The defending champs are off to a 2-0 start to the season and have given up a paltry 17 points against. While their offense appears to be a step behind last year's production, the Seahawks can still ride Jaxon Smith-Njigba to glory.

In short, the Seahawks are still a lock to make the NFL playoffs.

Ranking the NFL’s 15 Most-Likely Playoff Teams Right Now

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