American Football
2026 AFC West division preview: Overview and predicted winner
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The AFC West is always one of the more exciting divisions in the NFL, and 2026 will be no different.
The Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, and Los Angeles Chargers all have realistic playoff expectations, and the Las Vegas Raiders are heading into the new season with genuine optimism about where they're headed.
What were last year's final standings? Which team improved the most? And who wins the division this year? Here's our full 2026 AFC West breakdown.
2025Â AFC West division standings
| Team | W | L | T |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 14 | 3 | 0 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 11 | 6 | 0 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 6 | 11 | 0 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 3 | 14 | 0 |
2026 AFC West outlook by team
Denver Broncos
Patrick Surtain, a year removed from winning the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year award, anchors a Broncos defense that should be just as dominant as the one that delivered divisional glory last season.
Justin Edmonds / Stringer
Edge rusher Nik Bonitto, defensive tackle Zach Allen, safety Talanoa Hufanga and Surtain give Sean Payton's unit the personnel to make life miserable for opposing offenses.
Denver's trade for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle adds real juice to the offense and gives Bo Nix the kind of weapon he needs to take that all-important next step.
And the offensive line, one of the best in the league last year, comes back entirely intact.
Kansas City Chiefs
Andy Reid's Chiefs are eager to reclaim the first-place spot they held for the best part of a decade, and they've got the pieces to do it.
Most importantly, Patrick Mahomes appears on schedule to return for Week 1 and mount what could be a Comeback Player of the Year campaign.
The biggest offseason addition was Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker, who gives Kansas City's offense a pedigree it has lacked at the position for years.
And Travis Kelce is back for another season, which Reid will be even more grateful for given Rashee Rice's latest off-field problems.
Justin Edmonds / Stringer
Defensively, the departures of Trent McDuffie and Bryan Cook were a huge loss in the secondary, leaving rookie Mansoor Delane and Co. with big shoes to fill.
Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert's Chargers are always dangerous, but despite having one of the better rosters in the league for years, they're still waiting for their first divisional title since 2009.
The offensive line was abysmal in 2025, but Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt are back from injury, so even after losing Cole Biadasz for the season, the unit should be improved.
Keenan Allen is gone, and Herbert's top wide receivers are young, but David Njoku adds experience at tight end, and running back Omarion Hampton should take some pressure off the passing game.
Sarah Stier / Staff
Defensively, it all comes down to Khalil Mack, Tui Tulipulotu and Derwin James again. Keep that trio fit and firing, and the Chargers should be in decent shape.
Las Vegas Raiders
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, center Tyler Linderbaum, and a wave of defensive additions give Klint Kubiak's Raiders a real reason to believe they won't be propping up the division much longer.
Whether new arrival Jalen Nailor or Tre Tucker emerges as the top wideout, Mendoza's primary weapons will be dynamic running back Ashton Jeanty and supremely talented tight end Brock Bowers.
David Becker / Stringer
Linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker should bring real energy to the second level defensively, but the biggest win of the offseason was simply holding on to Maxx Crosby after his failed trade to the Ravens.
A winning season might be a stretch, but a big improvement on last year's 3-14 record is well within reach for this group.
2026 AFC West predicted winner
NFL writer Jason Abbey weighs in
Walker was a smart pickup for the Chiefs, but with McDuffie gone and Kelce entering the final chapter of his career, Mahomes would need to be at his very best to give Kansas City a chance.
The Chargers have the roster to compete, but the guard situation still worries me, and the lack of experience at wideout could hurt them when it matters most.
The Raiders aren't ready to win it yet, but they'll make their presence felt in divisional games and could yet play spoiler.
That leaves Denver. It may be closer than last year, but if Waddle is the missing piece that unlocks Nix's next level, the Broncos are my tip to win it again.
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