The 2026 playoff picture is going to be a moving target, and that’s exactly why the most interesting teams to watch are the ones that missed out last season. In a league where the margins stay razor-thin, it doesn’t take much for a club to go from out of the bracket to back in the mix.
That’s the thinking behind this look at the six non-playoff teams most likely to reach the postseason in 2026, ranked from least likely to most likely.
- Kansas City Chiefs
Even with Patrick Mahomes on the field for part of the 2025 season, Kansas City looked like an ordinary team with real questions on offense. The offseason addition of running back Kenneth Walker helps, but the rest of that side of the ball still comes with plenty of uncertainty. The wide receiver group and tight end room are both major question marks, and the offensive line doesn’t look like much more than average right now.
There are also some losses to deal with on defense after the offseason departures. Still, the Chiefs carry the kind of reputation that keeps them in the conversation. They’ve spent years proving people wrong, and that matters.
The AFC West won’t make life easy, especially with the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos both coming off double-digit win seasons. Even so, Kansas City controlled that division for years before 2025, and a return to the playoffs in 2026 is hardly out of the question.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Todd Bowles’ Buccaneers haven’t been a dominant team, but they have been a familiar one in the NFC South race. Tampa Bay has won the division often during the Bowles era and came close again in 2025 despite finishing 8-9. The title instead went to the 8-9 Carolina Panthers.
What gives the Bucs a real path back is Baker Mayfield, who remains the best quarterback in the division. They also have history on their side, having already shown they can pull this off.
This doesn’t look like a team built for a deep postseason push. But if Tampa Bay puts the right pieces together, a 2026 division title wouldn’t come out of nowhere.
In Other News...
Mike Evans Is Giving Buccaneers Fans A Familiar Worry Again
Mike Evans first training camp with the 49ers has already brought a little too much familiar discomfort, as the veteran wide receiver has been dealing with a string of minor injuries that have interrupted his preparation. The latest issue is a groin injury that has kept him from practicing, adding another layer of concern for a player the team brought in on a three-year contract with guaranteed money and per-game roster bonuses.
For a player whose availability has long mattered as much as his production, even these early camp setbacks are enough to make fans uneasy about what the season might look like. The 49ers are counting on Evans to settle in quickly and be a reliable part of the offense, but the recurring nature of these injuries has left his status and workload worth watching closely as camp moves on. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Pass Rush Plan Just Hit A Worrying Rueben Bain Snag
Rueben Bain Jr.s first summer with the Buccaneers has already hit an unexpected pause. The first-round pick suffered an AC sprain during a joint practice against the Jacksonville Jaguars, a setback that briefly disrupted what had been building into an important stretch for Tampa Bays pass rush plans.
The good news for the Buccaneers is that the injury is not considered serious, and Bain is expected to be ready for Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals. He sat out the next days practice and is likely to spend the rest of the offseason focused on recovery, but the team appears to have avoided anything that would threaten his early-season availability. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Receiver Battle Just Got More Interesting After Mike Evans Exit
Mike Evans is gone after 13 seasons, and the Buccaneers are suddenly looking at a receiver room that has a very different feel to it. For a team that spent years leaning on one of the leagues most reliable targets, the focus now shifts to the pieces still in place, with Baker Mayfield already signaling confidence in Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan and rookie Ted Hurst as Tampa Bay sorts out how to replace Evans production and leadership.
Godwin brings the most proven track record, while Egbuka and McMillan are expected to have bigger roles as the Bucs reshape the passing game around them. Health and experience will matter as camp and the season unfold, and Hurst adds another layer of intrigue as a rookie trying to earn his place in the mix. The challenge is obvious enough, but so is the opportunity, because this could be the group that determines how smoothly Tampa Bay moves into life after Evans. [Read more 🡒]