Sports
NFL.com Analysts Unveil Bold Forecasts for 2026 Season, Predicting Record-Breaking Performances
NFL.com analysts have released their bold predictions for the 2026 NFL season, spanning individual records, MVP contenders, and playoff pushes.
Senior editor Jeremy Bergman predicts Las Vegas tight end Brock Bowers will lead the NFL in receptions, becoming the first tight end to do so since Tony Gonzalez in 2004 and only the second since Todd Christensen in 1986. Bergman argues Bowers will be the top target for quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza given a lack of standout receivers on the roster.
Draft analyst Chad Reuter forecasts that Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor will rush for 2,000 yards, aided by a healthy Daniel Jones distributing to receivers Alec Pierce, Keenan Allen, Josh Downs and tight end Tyler Warren, which should prevent defenses from stacking the box against Taylor.
Mike Band, senior manager of research and analytics for Next Gen Stats, predicts Los Angeles Chargers receiver Ladd McConkey will win the NFL's receiving triple crown, leading the league in receptions, yards and touchdowns. Band cites coach Mike McDaniel's scheming, an improving Justin Herbert, and a pass-heavy schedule as factors, along with the 81 targets left vacant by Keenan Allen's departure.
Senior editor Dan Parr predicts Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams will win NFL MVP in his second season under coach Ben Johnson, becoming the franchise's first 4,000-yard passer and leading the Bears to a second consecutive NFC North title.
Digital content editor Grant Gordon predicts a wave of quarterback changes across the league, including Fernando Mendoza taking over as the Raiders' starter, Cade Klubnik starting for the Jets, and Taylen Green starting for the Browns. Gordon also forecasts that undrafted free agent Jack Strand will take over as the Atlanta Falcons' starting quarterback, finishing the season with more starts than both Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa, though not with enough success to prevent Atlanta from drafting a quarterback in 2027.
Next Gen Stats analyst Keegan Abdoo predicts Justin Herbert will throw for more than 5,000 yards in a season for the second time in his career, joining Drew Brees, Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to reach that mark multiple times, crediting new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel's system.
Digital content producer Bobby Kownack predicts that while Ben Johnson has publicly stated his goal of Chicago setting the NFL's all-time single-season scoring record, it will actually be the Detroit Lions who post the highest-scoring offense in the NFC North and potentially NFL history, needing to average more than 35.6 points per game to surpass the Denver Broncos' 2013 record of 606 points.
NFL research manager Ben McWilliams predicts Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray will exceed 5,000 total yards of offense under coach Kevin O'Connell in Minnesota, leading the Vikings back to the playoffs.
NFL and fantasy content contributor Matt Okada predicts Brock Bowers will break the NFL's single-season receptions record of 149, currently held by Michael Thomas since 2019. Okada notes Bowers already set the rookie receptions record with 112 catches in a season where teammate Jakobi Meyers caught 87 passes despite inconsistent quarterback play, and argues that with Cousins and Mendoza now throwing and no high-volume receiver competition, Bowers is positioned to set the new mark.
Seasonal fantasy football researcher Raza Umerani predicts Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase will become the first receiver in NFL history to surpass 2,000 receiving yards in a season, breaking Calvin Johnson's single-season record of 1,964 yards, assuming quarterback Joe Burrow remains healthy for the full season. Umerani also forecasts Chase will win Offensive Player of the Year, surpassing his 2024 triple-crown campaign.