Our 2026 NFL season picks: 61 experts predict MVP, both conference champs and Super Bowl LXI

The 2026 NFL season begins Wednesday with a Super Bowl LX rematch between the Seahawks and Patriots. Will Seattle repeat, or is another team destined to win Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium on Feb. 14, 2027? We asked ESPN's NFL analysts, writers, commentators, columnists and pundits to make their picks for the NFL season. More than 60 experts weighed in with their predicted winners for AFC conference champion, NFC conference champion, Super Bowl LXI champion and regular-season MVP. Here's a breakdown of their predictions. And check out all of our NFL season preview content for more news and analysis ahead of Week 1. Jump to: AFC winner | NFC winner Super Bowl LXI champ | 2026 MVP AFC winner Todd Archer, Cowboys reporter: Bengals Ben Baby, Bengals reporter: Patriots Bill Barnwell, NFL analyst: Chiefs Sarah Barshop, Rams reporter: Bills Michelle Beisner-Buck, NFL features reporter: Broncos Taylor Bisciotti, NFL Network anchor: Ravens Tedy Bruschi, NFL analyst: Patriots Joe Buck, commentator: Bills David Carr, NFL Network analyst: Chargers Rich Cimini, Jets reporter: Broncos Kevin Clark, NFL analyst: Bengals "Stanford Steve" Coughlin, commentator and betting analyst: Texans Courtney Cronin, Bears reporter: Ravens Turron Davenport, Titans reporter: Texans Rob Demovsky, Packers reporter: Broncos Michael DiRocco, Jaguars reporter: Bills Herm Edwards, NFL analyst: Bills Michael Florio, NFL Network fantasy analyst: Bills Jeremy Fowler, national NFL reporter: Texans Cynthia Frelund, NFL Network analytics expert: Broncos Alaina Getzenberg, Bills reporter: Chiefs Dan Graziano, national NFL reporter: Texans Mike Greenberg, host: Broncos Andrew Hawkins, NFL analyst: Bengals Jamison Hensley, Ravens reporter: Ravens Stephen Holder, Colts reporter: Bills Kalyn Kahler, national NFL reporter: Bills Mike Kaye, Panthers reporter: Texans John Keim, Commanders reporter: Bills Mina Kimes, NFL analyst: Broncos Mel Kiper Jr., NFL draft analyst: Bengals Jason McCourty, NFL analyst: Texans Ryan McFadden, Raiders reporter: Bills Tim McManus, Eagles reporter: Broncos Dan Orlovsky, NFL analyst: Bills Daniel Oyefusi, Browns reporter: Broncos Brooke Pryor, Steelers reporter: Broncos Jordan Raanan, Giants reporter: Texans Marc Raimondi, Falcons reporter: Broncos Adam Rank, NFL.com writer: Broncos Jordan Reid, NFL draft analyst: Ravens Louis Riddick, NFL analyst: Broncos Chris Rose, NFL Network host: Broncos Marc Ross, NFL Network analyst: Broncos Omar Ruiz, NFL Network reporter: Broncos Jeff Saturday, NFL analyst: Broncos Adam Schefter, senior NFL insider: Bills Peter Schrager, NFL analyst: Ravens Kevin Seifert, Vikings reporter: Broncos Ben Solak, NFL analyst: Ravens Marcus Spears, NFL analyst: Bengals Mike Tannenbaum, NFL analyst: Chargers Nate Taylor, Chiefs reporter: Texans Stan Verrett, anchor: Texans Nick Wagoner, 49ers reporter: Texans Seth Walder, NFL analyst: Ravens Josh Weinfuss, Cardinals reporter: Broncos Eric Woodyard, Lions reporter: Ravens Steve Wyche, NFL Network chief national reporter: Broncos Mike Yam, NFL Network anchor: Bills Field Yates, NFL/NFL draft analyst: Ravens Totals: Denver Broncos (19), Buffalo Bills (13), Houston Texans (10), Baltimore Ravens (10), Cincinnati Bengals (6), Kansas City Chiefs (2), Los Angeles Chargers (2), New England Patriots (2) NFC winner Archer: Rams Baby: Rams Barnwell: Eagles Barshop: Rams Beisner-Buck: Rams Bisciotti: Rams Bruschi: Cowboys Buck: Cowboys Carr: Rams Cimini: Lions Clark: Eagles Coughlin: Cowboys Cronin: Rams Davenport: Rams Demovsky: Rams DiRocco: Rams Edwards: Rams Florio: Rams Fowler: Rams Frelund: Eagles Getzenberg: Rams Graziano: Lions Greenberg: Rams Hawkins: Rams Hensley: Lions Holder: Rams Kahler: Bears Kaye: Rams Keim: Rams Kimes: Rams Kiper: Cowboys McCourty: Rams McFadden: Rams McManus: Rams Orlovsky: Rams Oyefusi: Rams Pryor: Rams Raanan: Rams Raimondi: Rams Rank: Bears Reid: Rams Riddick: Rams Rose: Seahawks Ross: Lions Ruiz: Seahawks Saturday: Rams Schefter: Cowboys Schrager: Rams Seifert: Rams Solak: Rams Spears: Rams Tannenbaum: Rams Taylor: Rams Verrett: 49ers Wagoner: Seahawks Walder: Packers Weinfuss: Rams Woodyard: Rams Wyche: Seahawks Yam: Rams Yates: Rams Totals: Los Angeles Rams (42), Dallas Cowboys (5), Detroit Lions (4), Seattle Seahawks (4), Philadelphia Eagles (3), Chicago Bears (2), Green Bay Packers (1) San Francisco 49ers (1) Super Bowl LXI champion Archer: Bengals Baby: Rams Barnwell: Chiefs Barshop: Rams Beisner-Buck: Rams Bisciotti: Rams Bruschi: Patriots Buck: Bills Carr: Rams Cimini: Broncos Clark: Eagles Coughlin: Texans Cronin: Rams Davenport: Rams Demovsky: Rams DiRocco: Rams Edwards: Rams Florio: Bills Fowler: Texans Frelund: Broncos Getzenberg: Rams Graziano: Lions Greenberg: Rams Hawkins: Bengals Hensley: Ravens Holder: Rams Kahler: Bears Kaye: Rams Keim: Rams Kimes: Rams Kiper: Bengals McCourty: Rams McFadden: Rams McManus: Broncos Orlovsky: Rams Oyefusi: Rams Pryor: Rams Raanan: Texans Raimondi: Broncos Rank: Bears Reid: Ravens Riddick: Rams Rose: Broncos Ross: Broncos Ruiz: Seahawks Saturday: Rams Schefter: Buffalo Schrager: Rams Seifert: Rams Solak: Rams Spears: Rams Tannenbaum: Rams Taylor: Rams Verrett: Rams Wagoner: Seahawks Walder: Ravens Weinfuss: Rams Woodyard: Rams Wyche: Broncos Yam: Rams Yates: Ravens Totals: Los Angeles Rams (37), Denver Broncos (8), Baltimore Ravens (4), Buffalo Bills (3), Cincinnati Bengals (3), Houston Texans (3), Chicago Bears (2), Seattle Seahawks (2), Detroit Lions (1), Kansas City Chiefs (1), New England Patriots (1), Philadelphia Eagles (1) Regular-season MVP winner Archer: Joe Burrow Baby: Myles Garrett Barnwell: Josh Allen Barshop: Joe Burrow Beisner-Buck: Myles Garrett Bisciotti: Josh Allen Bruschi: Joe Burrow Buck: Joe Burrow Carr: Myles Garrett Cimini: Lamar Jackson Clark: Joe Burrow Coughlin: Will Anderson Jr. Cronin: Caleb Williams Davenport: Lamar Jackson Demovsky: Jordan Love DiRocco: Joe Burrow Edwards: Matthew Stafford Florio: Justin Herbert Fowler: Justin Herbert Frelund: Josh Allen Getzenberg: Josh Allen Graziano: Joe Burrow Greenberg: Dak Prescott Hawkins: Joe Burrow Hensley: Lamar Jackson Holder: Josh Allen Kahler: Josh Allen Kaye: Joe Burrow Keim: Lamar Jackson Kimes: Joe Burrow Kiper: Joe Burrow McCourty: Jordan Love McFadden: Lamar Jackson McManus: Trevor Lawrence Orlovsky: Joe Burrow Oyefusi: C.J. Stroud Pryor: Matthew Stafford Raanan: Josh Allen Raimondi: Patrick Mahomes Rank: Caleb Williams Reid: Lamar Jackson Riddick: Jordan Love Rose: Joe Burrow Ross: Lamar Jackson Ruiz: Patrick Mahomes Saturday: Drake Maye Schefter: Josh Allen Schrager: Caleb Williams Seifert: Joe Burrow Solak: Lamar Jackson Spears: Joe Burrow Tannenbaum: Matthew Stafford Taylor: Lamar Jackson Verrett: Drake Maye Wagoner: Joe Burrow Walder: Jordan Love Weinfuss: Matthew Stafford Woodyard: Lamar Jackson Wyche: Joe Burrow Yam: Lamar Jackson Yates: Lamar Jackson Totals: Joe Burrow (16), Lamar Jackson (11), Josh Allen (8), Jordan Love (4), Matthew Stafford (4), Caleb Williams (3), Myles Garrett (3), Drake Maye (2), Justin Herbert (2), Patrick Mahomes (2), C.J. Stroud (1), Dak Prescott (1), Trevor Lawrence (1), Will Anderson Jr. (1)