New pieces are starting to land all over as the free agency is in full swing. On the first day, 25 of the top-30 ranked free agents have landed new deals. Trades have taken place. Teams have loaded up on draft picks or players. Some have added more questions than answers, while others have filled their needs. The draft is still to come, but it’s never too early to get in on some 2026 NFL bets! Let’s take a look at the prices for NFC Division Winners and my predictions on who will win.
Don’t forget to check out the AFC Division Winners as well!
2026 NFL Best Bets: NFC Division Winners
We’ll walk through all four divisions, take a look at the odds for each team to win, and decide who is the best bet, or best bets, in each of the NFC’s four divisions. The East, West, North, and South. Which divisions will have repeat winners? Which ones will have surprises like the Bears winning the North last year? Is anyone a lock? Let’s dive in!
NFC East: 2025 Winner – Philadelphia Eagles
2026 Odds
Philadelphia Eagles (+105)
Dallas Cowboys (+235)
Washington Commanders (+500)
New York Giants (+650)
This division used to have a different winner every year for over two decades. Repeat winners were as common as finding a 1/1 autographed card in a pack from your local supermarket. In fact, in 2025, when the Eagles won the division, they were the first repeat winner since they won the division in 2003 and 2004. There’s been a lot of jostling as to who’s the best team in the division.
I don’t expect this year to be that different. The Eagles have been a solid team, as proven by their ability to win a Super Bowl two years ago and go 11-6 last year. The next closest record was a 7-9 showing by the Cowboys. Still, this is a division that’s used to beating each other up. The Eagles’ offense remains primarily the same, unless AJ Brown gets traded. Their defense, however, lost some key players in the free agency. Vic Fangio runs a good system, but it’s always much better with the right players, and they lost some of those guys.
The Cowboys were quieter than expected to start the free agency. They added edge rusher Rashan Gary in a trade from the Packers, but rumors were swirling about them landing Hendrickson. To be fair, they still could. They do have one of the best wide receiver duos in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, and that’ll keep them in any game. However, it’s still the Cowboys.
The Commanders still feel like a mess to me. They have a quarterback who lit it up in his rookie season and then succumbed to injuries in his second, just like most critics worried about him. Will he be able to stay healthy all season this year? Time will tell. Still, this team feels very flawed, and I’m fading them.
That leaves the Giants. 4-13 wasn’t exactly how they planned it last year. However, it gave them a good draft pick and some time to keep developing the young guys. Jaxson Dart played pretty well when healthy, and Cam Skattebo is so reckless that it seems to uplift the team. Their defense finally started looking like the unit we all thought they’d be towards the end of last year. They added Tremaine Edmunds to be a thumper for them. Call me crazy, but in this division, you just take the dog and cross your fingers. Also, I promise Kramer did not make me write that.
Pick: New York Giants (+650)
NFC North: 2025 Winner – Chicago Bears
2026 Odds
Detroit Lions (+175)
Green Bay Packers (+180)
Chicago Bears (+330)
Minnesota Vikings (+650)
The Bears surprised everybody last year by winning this division. As a Bears fan, I wish I could say it shut the haters up. Instead, it brought them out even more so. The Bears got lucky, had an easy schedule, luckiest team in the NFL, blah, blah. It will be interesting to see how they fare in 2026. Will they be able to be crowned the NFC North Division winner for a second year in a row?
The Lions are the current favorites. This team took a step back last year. It almost looked as if maybe Ben Johnson was a key cog in their system. He leaves, and the Lions take a step back while the Bears take a major step forward with him as their head coach. Coincidence? I don’t think it is. The Lions have done next to nothing in free agency to improve. You could call last year a down year for the Dan Campbell-led Lions. However, I think they missed their window with Goff.
The Packers have the second-best odds at +180. This is another team that hasn’t done much in free agency so far. Last year, they gave up their first-round pick to acquire Micah Parsons. It’s a trade that we still can’t fully grade. He made an impact in some games and was quiet in the others, which is exactly why the Cowboys wanted to move on from him. Call me a hater, but I just don’t think Jordan Love is going to improve.
That brings us to the Bears, who have quietly had a nice free agency. Sure, they’re not landing the biggest names in free agency. However, they are making smart money moves for players who are upgrades and improvements. They also have a first and two second-round picks in the draft to add impact players. The Bears upgraded from Tremaine Edmunds to Devin Bush at linebacker, which equals much more speed. They also went from Kevin Byard to Cobe Bryant. Bryant is younger and faster and should be a great addition at safety. There’s left tackle and defensive line to address, but the Bears are sitting in a good spot. They’ll have the toughest NFL schedule per schedule rankers. However, I expect this whole division to take a step back.
I’m not considering the Vikings. McCarthy isn’t a proven winner, and they have a lot more questions than answers. They’re also one of the brokest teams in the NFL right now as far as cap space. Go ahead and call me biased for this one. I know the Bears’ schedule is much tougher this year, but Ben Johnson won’t falter.
Pick: Chicago Bears +330
NFC South: 2025 Winner – Carolina Panthers
2026 Odds
Tampa Bay Bucs (+140)
New Orleans Saints (+290)
Carolina Panthers (+370)
Atlanta Falcons (+390)
The NFC South is a tough one when picking division winners. The reason for that is that it’s been filled with mediocre teams and mediocre finishes the past handful of years. Last year, three of the four teams finished with 8-9 records in a three-way tie for the division. The Panthers won on a tiebreaker.
The Bucs are the favorites for the division. They added Alex Anzalone and Kenneth Gainwell in free agency. They lost Mike Evans. Mike Evans! This team seems to be sliding backwards rather than taking steps forward. If you listen to Old-Fashioned Football, you know I’m a Baker Mayfield guy. However, I think they also missed their window to potentially get into a Super Bowl with him at the helm. The offensive coordinator turnover has been too much to overcome and keep fluidity going.
The Saints are second in the division. This may come as a surprise to some, given they were the only team not to go 8-9 last year. They weren’t exactly making massive free agency moves either. They brought in Travis Etienne at running back. It’s a move that brought more questions than answers. Such as, what happens with Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller? Will they pass on Jeremiyah Love now? I think Tyler Shough could take a step forward in Year 2 under Kellen Moore. However, I don’t know if they should be the second-ranked team.
The Panthers won last year in what was kind of a late-season surge. They proceeded to go toe-to-toe with the LA Rams in the playoffs. It was impressive, and might have just made me a believer in Bryce Young. If he regresses this year, I will deny having said that. They have already improved their team in free agency by adding pass-rusher Jaelen Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd. This team is ready to compete, and it’s surprising to me that they’re projected third right now.
Finally, the Falcons. Sure, they have Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts. Who will be throwing the ball, though? Less than a year removed from benching Kirk Cousins in favor of Michael Penix, the Falcons went out and got Tua. It doesn’t seem like you get Tua just to have him be a backup quarterback. I honestly don’t think he would have joined the team so quickly unless he knew he could compete to start. So now Penix’s confidence will be shaken up, and you have two left-handed quarterbacks. Everybody knows, two lefts don’t make a right.
Pick: Carolina Panthers (+370)
NFC West: 2025 Winner – Seattle Seahawks
2026 Odds
Los Angeles Rams (+145)
Seattle Seahawks (+165)
San Francisco 49ers (+250)
Arizona Cardinals (+7500)
The last division in the NFC division winners is the NFC West. Home of the 2025 Super Bowl Champions, the Seattle Seahawks. This is a highly competitive division outside of Arizona. I’m not even considering them, to be honest.
The projected winner is the LA Rams, and for good reason. In what is widely viewed as Matt Stafford’s last ride, the Rams are gearing up. They traded for a lockdown corner in Trent McDuffie, resigned Kam Curl after a big year, and added cornerback Jaylen Watson. The Rams’ biggest weakness was at cornerback, and they’ve now fixed that.
They’ll have to face down the reigning Super Bowl Champs, the Seahawks. However, I expect the Seahawks to take a step back this year. They lost some key players on that solid defense. That’s what happens when you have an incredible year and win the Super Bowl. Your players get paid. I still expect them to be competitive, but nowhere near the 14-3 season. Especially with a harder schedule.
So, that leaves the 49ers. Can they win the division? I don’t think so. Last year, CMC managed to stay healthy, but pretty much nobody else could. Now they add Mike Evans, an aging receiver who also has durability issues at the back end of his career. On top of that, they are in some contract disputes with Trent Williams, and he may be traded or cut. This team is a different team without Trent Williams on the field. They lack the grit.
Pick: LA Rams +145
