Every year in sports, there are risers: teams that improve upon their previous season and win more games, and there are fallers: teams that regress due to injury, personnel, or something else. Today, we’re going to take a look at some NFL risers and why they might play better in 2026 than they did in 2025
NFL Risers for the 2026 Season
2025 Record: 12-5 (lost NFCCG)
The Rams made the biggest splash of the offseason, trading for DE Myles Garrett, who is arguably the best defensive player in the NFL. They did give up a star in Jared Verse, but Garrett immediately upgrades any pass rush, as he broke the single-season sack record in 2025. While they lost some players from their secondary in free agency, they immediately filled those gaps with the likes of Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson. They also retained a few key pieces, such as TE Tyler Higbee and S Kam Curl. If Matthew Stafford and that vaunted offense continue to click, the Rams look to be the early Super Bowl favorite after a solid season last year.
2025 Record: 9-8 (missed playoffs)
If there is one thing that impresses me year in and year out about the Vikings, it is how Kevin O’Connell can get the most out of his team, even if he doesn’t necessarily have the talent to truly compete at a high level in the NFL. Last year, he dragged his Minnesota squad to a 9-8 record in one of the most competitive divisions in the NFL. Oh, and I should mention that he was able to do that with basically no production from the quarterback position. JJ McCarthy, the heir-apparent, played poorly when he was on the field, and when he was sidelined due to injury, they were forced to start the likes of Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer. This season, the Vikings signed Kyler Murray, who, even if he hasn’t been the greatest, still has shown flashes of good production. With even average production under center, the Vikings could turn into a formidable team this season.
2025 Record: 3-14 (missed playoffs)
The Titans are in year three of their big rebuild, and I can see some optimism for folks in the Music City. Cam Ward, their big draft pick, showed flashes of great play in his rookie season, and that was with a tremendous amount of instability among the coaching staff. This season, they have revamped their staff, hiring Robert Salah as head coach and Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator. Daboll, known for his role in developing Josh Allen, will try to bring that experience to Nashville to help Ward. They also selected Carnell Tate fourth overall in this year’s draft, and hope that he develops into a reliable target.
2025 Record: 6-11 (missed playoffs)
The Bengals have had horrible injury luck, especially when it comes to their franchise quarterback Joe Burrow. He has missed a sizable chunk of three seasons durning hos six season career, and each time he has, the Bengals have largely struggled. A big reason for that has been their lack of investment on defense. They seem to have altered that philosophy for 2026, as they have fortified their defense with additions like NT Dexter Lawrence, DE Boye Mafe, and DT Jonathan Allen. When Burrow is healthy, their offense is among the best in the league, and if their defense can hold its own, the Bengals become a difficult team to face.
2025 Record: 6-11 (missed playoffs)
The Saints had a fairly directionless season in 2025, but they look to establish some momentum in 2026. They had no idea who would be their starting quarterback of the future, but after Tyler Shough showed promise in his rookie season, it would seem like the Saints intend to stick with him for the foreseeable future. They built around him in the offseason, adding line help in G David Edwards as well as weapons like RB Travis Etienne Jr., TE Noah Fant, and WR Jordan Tyson. In a relatively weak NFC South, the Saints are poised to have a good year with some solid building blocks.
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