It's never too early to get ready for the start of another NFL season. As we await the start of training camps in late July, we're releasing 2026 team previews in reverse order of our initial power rankings. Frank Schwab's previews will come out every weekday from now until early August, when he reveals his No. 1 team.

Play Yahoo's new College Fantasy Football game: Create or join a league now!

Advertisement

Here are the previews we've launched so far.

No. 32 Dolphins | No. 31 Jets | No. 30 Cardinals | No. 29 Browns | No. 28 Titans | No. 27 Raiders | No. 26 Falcons | No. 25 Giants | No. 24 Saints | No. 23 Panthers | No. 22 Bucs | No. 21. Colts | No. 20 Steelers | No. 19 Vikings | No. 18 Commanders | No. 17 Bengals | No. 16 Jaguars | No. 15 Packers | No. 14 Chargers | No. 13 49ers | No. 12 Chiefs | No. 11. Bears | No. 10 Texans | No. 9 Eagles

(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

The term "Year Zero" has been used by college football writer Bill Connelly, referring to a new coach who takes over a total and complete rebuild and is given the grace to survive a brutal season in which a win or two with some progress shown by the end is the only reasonable expectation. This is Year Zero for new head coach Jeff Hafley and new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan. They understood the assignment. They're in for a rough season, but with hopes of better days down the road.

(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

A significant turnover on the roster and coaching staff gives Aaron Glenn a chance. Last season was his first as a head coach, and while the learning curve was steeper than anyone expected, perhaps he learned some lessons. Maybe taking back defensive play-calling — "To me, play-calling is my superpower, really," Glenn said — with a more experienced staff and an infusion of talent will turn things around. But given how the 2025 season ended, Glenn starts this season in a big hole.

(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

The Cardinals went 3-14 last season, practically had the last pick among the 10 teams trying to fill a head-coaching vacancy, did nothing of note to fix their quarterback dilemma and have a roster that includes some exciting skill-position players but needs multiple offseasons to fill all the other holes. In the NFLPA's 2025 report card, the Cardinals ranked dead last in their overall grade among all 32 teams. Nobody was surprised.

(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

The Browns are still in a multiyear rebuild. They hired Todd Monken to be their next head coach and perhaps boost the offense around the quarterback mess. The core of the team is young, now includes the promising Jared Verse, who they got in return for trading superstar Myles Garrett, and is adding a promising 2026 rookie class. If the Browns nail their quarterback pick in 2027, all of a sudden, they will get very interesting. But until then, expect more of the same.

(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

The 2026 Titans are practically starting at square one, and that includes their second-year quarterback Cam Ward. They did almost nothing well last season in a 3-14 campaign that could've been worse. This time around, there's a new head coach in Robert Saleh, new coordinators and at least 10 new additions projected to start on offense or defense. It's close to a brand-new team.

Advertisement

(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

The Raiders clearly tanked late in the season to get the top pick in this year's NFL Draft, and it worked. They drafted Fernando Mendoza first overall, hoping the magic he displayed in leading Indiana to a miraculous national championship rubs off on a franchise that doesn't know what it's like to win anymore. Every downtrodden team that lifted itself out of the abyss had to start somewhere. This offseason felt like progress in Las Vegas.

(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

The Falcons are a conundrum. Are they the team that went 4-0 to end last season or the one that was 4-9 to start it? Are Bijan Robinson, Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. enough to lead a better offense, or will lack of depth and quarterback issues drag them down? Is Kevin Stefanski the answer at head coach? What's the ceiling for the defense? How do things get better on a roster level after practically sitting out the offseason? With all those questions, it's a good thing the Falcons don't play in a better division.

Advertisement

(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

A core of young players gave Giants fans hope. QB Jaxson Dart needs to protect himself better to stay healthy, but he had some thrilling moments as a rookie last season. Running back Cam Skattebo and receiver Malik Nabers have also shown a lot of promise, though both are also coming off serious injuries. It's possible that by brining in John Harbaugh as a massive upgrade at coach, the Giants could have a dramatic improvement.

(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

The Saints went 5-3 down the stretch last season after the emergence of rookie QB Tyler Shough under first-year head coach Kellen Moore. They will have to show they are capable long-term solutions and didn't just catch a heater for a half season against a soft schedule. The roster still has plenty of issues; it was never going to be a one-offseason rebuild. But the Saints hope they have the two most important pieces in place, and finally have some salary cap flexibility for 2027 as well.

Advertisement

(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

Winning a bad division was progress for a franchise that had lost double-digit games in each of the previous six seasons, even if it did so with an 8-9 record. The Panthers spent big on their defense this offseason, signing pass rusher Jaelan Phillips to a huge $120 million deal over four years and also grabbing linebacker Devin Lloyd. It's a young team that took tangible steps forward and added two impact defenders, but by most metrics was one of the 10 worst teams in the NFL last season with a quarterback in Bryce Young who still hasn't solidified himself as a top-end starter.

(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

If we could trust the Buccaneers to play to their talent level, they would rank higher on this list. They play in the NFC South, which in 2025 became one of five divisions in NFL history to send a losing team to the playoffs. They have the type of team that should win the division by multiple games, and be a potential problem in the playoffs.

Advertisement

But after how last season ended, it's hard to count on the Buccaneers taking advantage of the talent they have on hand.

(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

This ranking could look silly early this season. The Colts weren't just getting lucky and winning close games against bad teams; they looked great. And while that run might be impossible to recreate this season, it wasn't an illusion either. But overall, there are too many questions to predict a double-digit win season, starting with how Daniel Jones looks coming off a serious injury.

(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

Is it possible to talk ourselves into the Steelers being a championship contender? It would require Aaron Rodgers having an improvement, which is historically unlikely at his age, Mike McCarthy giving the team new life after Mike Tomlin was there for a long time, an expensive defense performing up to its salary level and other players, like DK Metcalf, playing closer to their best. That's a lot to ask.

Advertisement

(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

The Vikings have a reasonable floor and a pretty high ceiling, too. But the optimism about Kyler Murray is rooted more in blind faith and trust in Kevin O'Connell's coaching than anything tangible on Murray's NFL résumé. There is a chance that a team that won nine games with awful quarterback play last season gets to double-digit wins with below-average quarterback play.

(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

Wasghinton's unlikely success in 2024, when QB Jayden Daniels was a rookie, might have changed their mindset. They made moves to improve right away, which is a reason their roster was the oldest in the NFL last season. The aggression of this offseason, including a spending spree on defense, indicates the Commanders believe they can turn things back around quickly.

Advertisement

(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

Joe Burrow hasn't given any signs that his mid-career crisis is still an issue after his odd comments late last season, though we'll see how this season plays out. The Bengals wasting years of Burrow's prime (and future Hall of Famer Ja'Marr Chase's prime too) is becoming impossible to ignore. The Bengals are trying. But something needs to change. Quickly.

(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

When a team has a big breakout season like the Jaguars just did, with a quarterback like Trevor Lawrence having arguably his best season and improvement in practically every area across the roster, it usually gets aggressive the following offseason. And then the Jaguars decided to re-do it all with all the same, same, same, same, at least in terms of roster construction.

Advertisement

Any team that is capable of being in the 11-win range, as the Packers were in 2024 and could have been last season if Micah Parsons didn't get hurt, should be able to make a deep playoff run. Maybe Green Bay can, with Jordan Love continuing to play good football and plenty of talent around him, and the defense playing well late in the season with a healthy Parsons. It's just getting harder to envision that playing out.

Had the Chargers' offensive line been even adequate last season, maybe L.A. would have won a few more games and been in contention for the AFC's No. 1 seed. Los Angeles would have ranked even higher had it been more aggressive in free agency with all its salary cap space, but its offseason wasn't terrible. There's enough talent to be one of the AFC's best teams. However, we've heard that before.

Advertisement

(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

In another division, the 49ers' outlook might be different. This is no surprise, but it will be a while before we see the Rams and Seahawks appear on this countdown. San Francisco is a very good team in a division with two great teams. That's tough. The 49ers should be optimistic about what might happen with a healthy season, but realistically they're probably stuck in third place in the NFC West.

(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

Putting the Chiefs at No. 12 is uncomfortable. They could be far better than that. Patrick Mahomes has never been more motivated, and that's a good reason to fear ranking Kansas City too low. But suddenly there are questions. There's no bankable player in the Chiefs' offense aside from Mahomes. KC's defense has to be much better and is relying on rookies to fill key roles.

Advertisement

(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

Caleb Williams is going to be better in Year 3, and while plenty of rookie head coaches have one big season and fade, Ben Johnson looks like a great hire. Still, those regression factors are real and numerous. Also, the defense is a major question mark. There will be some pullback. Yet, Chicago still has a good shot at a playoff berth and keeping their momentum going beyond this season, even if it doesn't come with a second straight division title.

There's still the dream that the defense maintains its elite level while QB C.J. Stroud rediscovers his rookie form. The Texans don't need Stroud to be 1989 Montana or 2007 Brady with the defense they have. But they do need him to be a little better. A top-10 Texans offense paired with their scary defense can win a Super Bowl. But the team and everyone else is waiting for the rookie version of Stroud to show up again.

Advertisement

(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

The last time the Eagles were coming off a miserable finish to a season, they rebounded to win a Super Bowl. There's enough talent on hand where that's a realistic goal this time around as well. A lot of it will come down to how QB Jalen Hurts adapts to new coordinator Sean Mannion’s offense, especially after star receiver A.J. Brown was traded away.