Are the Chiefs Cooked? Way-Too-Early AFC West Predictions for 2026

We’re still four months away from the start of the 2026 NFL season, but with free agency effectively finished and the draft over, we have a good idea of how teams are going to stack up going into the campaign.

After ruling the AFC West for a decade, the Kansas City Chiefs took a massive step back this past season due to injuries and failed to make the postseason after three straight trips to the Super Bowl.

Can they return to the top of the West, or will they struggle to keep up? Here’s my way-too-early standings in one of the best divisions in football.

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1. Denver Broncos

Bo Nix should be fully healthy come training camp in the summer, and that’s big news for a team that felt they were one injury away from playing for the Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks.

2. Kansas City Chiefs

I might be wearing Chiefs rose-colored glasses, yet it’s difficult for me to see them missing the postseason again. As long as Patrick Mahomes can come back healthy sometime within the first month of the regular season, even with a mini rebuild, they’re too good and experienced to miss the postseason again.

3. Los Angeles Chargers

Although a third-place finish for the Chargers feels like I’m predicting doom for 2026, it’s more that I really value the AFC West in its present form and in the future.

For the Chargers, per usual, it’s going to come down to Justin Herbert, his offensive line protection, and how he performs when the stakes are ratched to their highest.

4. Las Vegas Raiders

The results in the field this year don’t matter for Las Vegas. As long as Ashton Jeanty has a few highlight-reel runs, Brock Bowers continues to evolve, and we get a few moments where Fernando Mendoza looks like “the guy,” Raiders fans will be extremely optimistic regardless of how they do.

Las Vegas has an extremely difficult non-division schedule and must play three possible playoff teams. But it’s alright, things (hopefully) will only get better from here.

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This story was originally published April 28, 2026 at 4:53 PM.