Hope springs eternal with each new NFL season.
Translation: Could a team that had a lackluster 2025 turn it all around in 2026?
Here’s a look at the odds for which teams will turn it around in division this season, at DraftKings Sportsbook as of July 21.
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Any team to go from worst to first in division
Yes: -210 (bet $10 to win $14.76 total)
No: +170 (bet $10 to win $27 total)
Here’s what to know regarding each last-place division finisher last season:
Jets (3-14 overall, 0-6 AFC East): New York was one of five teams that finished with the worst record in football last season. It picked what many believed to be the best pass rusher in the 2026 NFL Draft, Texas Tech’s David Bailey. Why? Well, the Jets had the second-fewest sacks in the NFL last season (26), along with the fewest hurries (31) and fewest pressures (87) of any team. On top of that, they finished the season with zero interceptions, likely due to their inability to pressure the opposing quarterback.
Browns (5-12 overall, 2-4 AFC North): Who will the Browns start at QB next season? All signs point toward Deshaun Watson reentering the fray, after missing all of 2025 due to injury and having played just 19 games in four years with the Cleveland franchise. If he is the starter, can he somehow return to the Pro Bowl form he found in Houston? His return to under center, should he win the job over Shedeur Sanders, will be a major storyline this NFL season.
Titans (3-14 overall, 0-6 AFC South): One of the five teams that finished with the league’s worst record, the Titans and their fans will look for last year’s No. 1 pick, Cam Ward, to have a breakout season in his sophomore campaign. They gave him some reinforcements at wide receiver, taking Ohio State’s Carnell Tate with the fourth pick. Ward started 17 games last season, tossing 15 touchdowns and seven picks. He only completed 59.8% of his passes and was the most-sacked QB in the league (55).
Raiders (3-14 overall, 1-5 AFC West): Another squad that finished with just three wins, the Raiders landed Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, will Mendoza even start to begin the season? Las Vegas signed veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins to a two-year deal, and all reports are that he will start under center, while Mendoza is brought along slowly. What will Raiders fans make of that? Las Vegas had the second-most interceptions thrown last season (19), along with the fewest rushing yards (1,317) and fewest rushing touchdowns (5). In other words, that offense needs help in multiple areas.
Giants (4-13 overall, 2-4 NFC East): The Giants finished just a single loss behind Washington in the division last season, and this year, they are officially turning over their program to new head coach John Harbaugh. Harbaugh spent the last 18 seasons as head coach of the Ravens, making 12 playoff appearances and winning Super Bowl XLVII. This past season was only the third time he finished below .500 as a head coach, but he and the Ravens still decided it was time for a change. His new QB, Jaxson Dart, went 4-8 in 12 starts last season, throwing for 2,272 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Lions (9-8 overall, 2-4 NFC North): The shocker of the bunch. After going a combined 27-7 in 2023 and 2024, which included back-to-back NFC North titles, Detroit finished last in the division in 2025. The Lions didn’t get off to a bad start, going 5-2 in the first seven weeks, before losing six of their last 10.
Saints (6-11 overall, 3-3 NFC South): Although a non-factor last season, the Saints weren’t that bad of a team. All four teams in the NFC South finished 3-3 in the division, and New Orleans won four of its last five games. Now, two of those wins came against Tennessee and the Jets, but the other two were against Tampa Bay and Carolina, the two teams that finished atop the NFC South. QB Tyler Shough went 5-4 in nine starts as a rookie and completed 67.6% of his passes.
Cardinals (3-14 overall, 0-6 NFC West): Last season almost wasn’t fair to Arizona, considering it shared a division with 14-3 Seattle, the 12-5 L.A. Rams and 12-5 San Francisco. All three of those teams made the playoffs, the Seahawks and Rams faced off in the NFC title game, and Seattle eventually won the Super Bowl. In short, there had to be a bad team in this division. However, things don’t seem to be looking up for the Cardinals, who will likely enter this season with Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew or Carson Beck starting under center, after they released longtime starter and former No. 1 pick Kyler Murray back in March. Arizona picked Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love fourth overall, as it looks to rebuild its offense going forward.
