Bradley Locker· Sep 8, 2026
PFF's holistic Power Rankings model orders all 32 teams entering the 2026 season, with the Rams first, Seahawks second and Dolphins last; it also names the Rams the Super Bowl favorite.
“Getting back both offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase and defensive coordinator Chris Shula under the league's best head coach sets up the Rams as the Super Bowl favorite in SoFi Stadium.”
published in writing · Pro Football Focus · read the original →
5 checkable claims — 2 division winners, 1 playoff pick, 1 power ranking and 1 super bowl pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 3 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Their call against the record
Their call against what actually happened last time. Not yet settled.
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Who this take is about
5 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Super Bowl PicksLos Angeles RamsSep 8, 2026
Los Angeles Rams to win the Super Bowl
“sets up the Rams as the Super Bowl favorite in SoFi Stadium.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksBuffalo BillsSep 8, 2026
Buffalo Bills to make the playoffs
“making the Bills seem like a near-playoff lock for the eighth straight season”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersBaltimore RavensSep 8, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to win the division
“holding a robust 73% chance to claim the AFC North”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersBuffalo BillsSep 8, 2026
Buffalo Bills to win the division
“Buffalo enters the season with the highest division odds (56%) of any team, with a weaker AFC East making the Bills seem like a near-playoff lock for the eighth straight season.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Power RankingsSep 8, 2026
“here's where all 32 squads lie according to PFF's holistic Power Rankings model, featuring playoff and title odds for every team.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Mason CameronDepth Chart Calls · Ethan PocicMiss · 0An unsigned PFF piece ranks the NFL's top 32 centers heading into the 2026 season, with Creed Humphrey first for the fourth straight year, and names Ethan Pocic and Austin Schlottmann as the favorites to win starting center jobs in Baltimore and Tennessee.
- Evan SilvaFantasy Defense Calls · Baltimore RavensClose · 58In his 2020 fantasy defense/special teams rankings, Silva puts the Steelers first, the 49ers second and the Ravens third, citing pass rush, favorable early schedules and game scripts.
- Nick ShookRoster Spot Calls · Aaron DonaldHit · 100Shook unveiled his first NFL power rankings of the year, putting the Rams first, the Broncos second and the defending champion Seahawks only third, with the Dolphins last.
- Jared DubinGame Outcome Picks · Baltimore RavensHit · 100Dubin is high on the Ravens and low on the Colts, predicting a big Baltimore road win.
- Danny ParkinsGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100Parkins picked the Giants to upset Dallas, the Steelers to beat Atlanta by two scores, the Bears to beat Carolina, the Bills to beat Houston and Denver to beat Kansas City outright; he also said Justin Herbert will win an MVP and had the Bengals as AFC North champs.
- Kirk HerbstreitGame Outcome Picks · Baltimore RavensHit · 100Herbstreit made a full slate of Week 1 picks — Lions, Ravens, Bears, Bills, Buccaneers, Jaguars, Titans, Eagles, Packers and Cowboys — and also said he still thinks Seattle is the team to beat in the NFC West.
More division winners
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Daniel DiBerardinisDivision Winners · Atlanta FalconsMiss · 0Danny D predicts Sonny Styles goes in the top ten (maybe top five), doesn't think Ty Simpson goes before late first round, says Kenyon Sadiq lands with the Rams at 13, and picks the Falcons to win the NFC South while naming the Bengals an AFC bounce-back team. He also gives a Final Four of Michigan, Florida, Purdue and Arizona with Michigan winning.
- Colin CowherdDivision Winners · New York GiantsMiss · 0Cowherd projects the NFC East with the Giants winning the division ahead of Philadelphia, Washington and Dallas, pegging the Cowboys as a six- or seven-win team. He also expects Malik Willis to land a big free-agent deal, Kayvon Thibodeaux to be moved, and Baltimore to lose Isaiah Likely, and he floats the Rams reaching on Ty Simpson late in round one.
- Colin CowherdDivision Winners · Los Angeles ChargersMiss · 0Cowherd unveiled his top 10 NFL teams entering next season, with Seattle first, the Rams second and the Chiefs tenth, and separately picked the Chargers to win the AFC West.
- Rich EisenDivision Winners · Jacksonville JaguarsHit · 100Eisen forecast the Week 18 results and the entire wild-card field: Buccaneers over Panthers but Carolina still gets in as the 5 seed when Atlanta beats New Orleans, 49ers over Seahawks, Ravens over Steelers, Jaguars beating Tennessee to win the AFC South, and six wild-card matchups (Seahawks-Panthers, Bills-Jaguars, Texans-Ravens, Packers-Bears, Chargers-Patriots, Rams-Eagles), with Houston upsetting Baltimore. He also tabbed Saints rookie Tyler Shough as a possible Offensive Rookie of the Year.
- Rich EisenDivision Winners · Jacksonville JaguarsHit · 100Eisen called the 49ers-as-NFC-favorites take an overreaction, picked the Jaguars to beat the Titans and win their division, leaned Ravens over the Steelers in the Week 18 Sunday night game, expects the Bills to beat the Jets even without Josh Allen, sees the Chargers as the AFC's seventh seed, agreed Tyler Shough could win Offensive Rookie of the Year with a good Saints 2026, said Malik Willis will be a starter somewhere next season, and insisted Detroit goes into 2026 with Goff.
- Cynthia FrelundDivision Winners · Houston TexansMiss · 0Freeland's model has the Chargers winning straight up in Dallas, the Texans winning big over the Raiders and going on to win the AFC South, the Lions beating the Steelers by six, the Saints beating the Jets, and the Packers beating the Bears; she also sees the AFC's Super Bowl representative being either Denver or Houston.