In less than a month, teams in the league will begin reporting for Training Camp and the new NFL season will be upon us. It was a great 2025 season filled with tons of memorable games, new teams vying for spots at the top, and the emergence of new superstars. We are previewing every division and what you need to know. Here is our 2026 NFC West preview.
Last Year
The NFC West was a brutal place to play in 2025. The Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, and San Francisco 49ers combined to go 38-13. The Seahawks won the whole thing when they took out the Patriots in the Super Bowl and proved that defense really does win championships. The Rams were a few plays away, getting bounced by the Hawks in the NFC Championship game which was a better contest than the Super Bowl itself. The 49ers, who were riddled with injuries to their top players, were bounced by the Seahawks the week before after upsetting Philly in the Wild Card round. It was impressive that Seattle not only won the division but also knocked out its two rivals to get to the Super Bowl. At the very bottom, the Arizona Cardinals ditched Kyle Murray in the offseason and brought in Mike LaFleur to run things as their new head coach.
Favorite to win in 2026
After that recap, you’d think it’d be a total tossup as to who the favorites would be in 2026, but the answer is actually quite simple. Not only are the Rams the favorite in the NFC West to take the division crown, but they are the favorites to win the Super Bowl. Not only are they returning Matthew Stafford and their explosive offense, but they added Myles Garrett via trade this offseason. Their defense was already good but now they add the best player in all of football, in my opinion, and should be the toughest out of any team in the league.
Offensive Player to Watch: Mike Evans
He is likely the greatest Tampa Bay Buccaneer in the history of their franchise and now he is switching coasts. Evans shocked the league by leaving Tampa in free agency. He has a knack for getting 1000 yards and has done just that on some pretty bad offenses. Now he has a chance to play under Kyle Shanahan with Brock Purdy as his QB. Evans, even at the age of 32, should be in for a career year.
Defensive Player to Watch: Myles Garrett
Funny enough, I had Jared Verse in this spot last season. Verse ended up getting dealt in the Myles Garrett trade. In five years, Verse could be the next Garrett, but the Rams are in win-now mode and if you have a chance to get the best defensive player in the game, you have to make the trade. Garrett is coming off of a season where he set the NFL single-season sack record and collected Defensive Player of the Year honors. With a legit team around him, I can’t wait to see how he produces.
Prediction
It’s the Rams division to lose in my opinion. If Stafford can stay healthy, there is no reason that the Rams shouldn’t be playing in their own stadium come February. Record (12-5)