Analysis

2026 NFC West Preview: Rams Favored Over Defending Champion Seahawks

The NFC West may feature the NFL’s most extraordinary contrast entering the 2026 season: the reigning Super Bowl champions are not favored to win their own division.

Seattle completed a remarkable 14-3 season by defeating New England 29-13 in Super Bowl LX. The Seahawks also eliminated San Francisco and Los Angeles during a dominant postseason run, but MyBookie lists the Rams as the clear 2026 NFC West favorite and the shortest-priced Super Bowl contender in the league.

That confidence reflects Los Angeles’ aggressive offseason. The Rams added record-setting pass rusher Myles Garrett, acquired All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie and brought three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald out of retirement. Those moves complement an offense led by reigning MVP Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.

Seattle remains a legitimate repeat contender behind Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Mike Macdonald’s defense. San Francisco hopes better health can restore a star-studded roster that won 12 games despite a punishing injury list, while Arizona begins another reconstruction under first-year coach Mike LaFleur.

Here is a team-by-team preview of the 2026 NFC West race.

MyBookie odds were listed on September 9, 2026, and remain subject to change.

Los Angeles Rams: A Super Team Built to Win Immediately

2025 record: 12-5
MyBookie odds to win NFC West: −105
MyBookie odds to win Super Bowl LXI: +500

The Rams have made their objective unmistakable: anything short of a Super Bowl appearance will feel disappointing.

Los Angeles reached last season’s NFC Championship Game before losing 31-27 to Seattle. The Rams responded by assembling one of the most intimidating defensive fronts in recent NFL history.

Myles Garrett arrives after recording an NFL-record 23 sacks last season with Cleveland. The Rams traded former first-round edge rusher Jared Verse as part of the deal, but Garrett represents a significant immediate upgrade and one of the league’s few defenders capable of changing an opponent’s entire protection plan.

Los Angeles then made the stunning decision to reunite with Aaron Donald, who ended a two-season retirement by signing a one-year contract. Donald will not travel to Melbourne for the season opener against San Francisco, giving him additional time to prepare for his return, but the Rams expect him to become a major part of their defense.

Donald and Garrett have combined for four NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards. No team has previously placed two players with their collection of individual defensive honors on the same front.

Kobie Turner, Byron Young and Braden Fiske give defensive coordinator Chris Shula additional interior and edge-rushing options. Young led the Rams with 12 sacks last season, while Turner added seven.

The Rams also strengthened their secondary by acquiring Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson from Kansas City. McDuffie gives Los Angeles a proven All-Pro cornerback capable of following top receivers or moving inside against slot-heavy offenses.

The concern is whether so many high-profile additions can quickly function as a cohesive unit. Donald is 35 and has not played a regular-season game since 2023. Garrett must adjust to a new scheme, while the secondary will require time to establish communication.

Offensively, Stafford returns after winning the 2025 NFL MVP award. He led the league with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdown passes, producing one of the finest seasons of his career at age 37.

Puka Nacua led the NFL with 129 receptions, establishing himself as one of the sport’s premier receivers. Adams caught 60 passes and led the league with 14 receiving touchdowns, giving Stafford two elite targets capable of dominating different areas of the field.

The receiving depth behind Nacua and Adams remains questionable. No other Rams receiver caught more than 18 passes last season. Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield and rookie CJ Daniels will compete for complementary roles.

Los Angeles may offset that concern through its extensive use of multiple-tight-end formations. Colby Parkinson, Tyler Higbee, Terrance Ferguson and rookie Max Klare give Sean McVay numerous personnel combinations.

The Rams also surprised the league by selecting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick. Simpson represents the franchise’s long-term plan behind Stafford, but using such a valuable selection on a backup rather than an immediate contributor increased the pressure on Los Angeles’ veteran roster.

The Rams possess enormous upside and few obvious weaknesses. Their greatest challenges may be managing age, expectations and the personalities attached to such a celebrated offseason.

Best-case scenario: Stafford remains an MVP-level quarterback, Garrett and Donald overwhelm opposing offensive lines and Los Angeles wins the Super Bowl.

Biggest concern: Age and injuries prevent the Rams from keeping their loaded roster intact through January.

Projected finish: 13-4, first in the NFC West.

Seattle Seahawks: Champions Enter Another Season with Something to Prove

2025 record: 14-3
MyBookie odds to win NFC West: +214
MyBookie odds to win Super Bowl LXI: +1200

Seattle enters the season in the unusual position of defending a championship while receiving less preseason attention than the team it eliminated in the NFC title game.

The Seahawks earned the right to be considered among the NFL’s elite. They finished 14-3, defeated San Francisco 41-6 in the divisional round, survived a 31-27 NFC Championship Game against Los Angeles and controlled New England in Super Bowl LX.

Sam Darnold completed one of the league’s most dramatic career transformations. Once considered a draft disappointment, Darnold guided his fourth NFL team to a championship and enters 2026 seeking to prove that his performance was sustainable.

Darnold must adjust to another offensive coordinator after Brian Fleury replaced Klint Kubiak. Fleury’s system contains similarities to the offense Seattle used last season, but even subtle changes can affect timing, protection and quarterback decision-making.

Continuity at receiver should help.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the NFL with 1,793 receiving yards and earned Offensive Player of the Year honors. His route running, spatial awareness and ability to create after the catch made him the central figure in Seattle’s passing game.

Cooper Kupp provides experience, while Rashid Shaheed brings vertical speed and return ability. Jake Bobo and Tory Horton add depth, and tight end AJ Barner could become a larger part of the offense after recording 52 receptions, 519 yards and six touchdowns last season.

The backfield presents more uncertainty.

Kenneth Walker III signed with Kansas City, while Zach Charbonnet suffered an ACL injury and may not be available at the beginning of the season. Seattle selected Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price in the first round, but he exceeded 15 touches only once during his college career.

Price has the speed and vision to become an effective starter, although asking him to immediately replace Walker and Charbonnet would create a considerable burden. George Holani and Emanuel Wilson may share the workload.

Seattle’s offensive line improved last season but still has questions on the interior. Right guard Anthony Bradford started every game but remained one of the league’s lowest-graded qualifying guards. Rookie Beau Stephens could eventually challenge him.

Macdonald’s defense remains Seattle’s foundation. The Seahawks play with speed, disguise coverages effectively and rarely allow opponents to dictate favorable matchups. Devon Witherspoon leads the secondary, although his unresolved contract situation warrants attention.

Seattle lost edge defender Boye Mafe, cornerback Tariq Woolen and safety Coby Bryant during the offseason. Those departures should not be ignored, but general manager John Schneider retained most of the roster that delivered the Lombardi Trophy.

The Seahawks are unlikely to surprise anyone this year. Every opponent will study the championship film and treat Seattle as a measuring-stick game.

That challenge should not diminish what the Seahawks accomplished or what they retain. At +214, the defending champions may offer more division value than their more celebrated rival.

Best-case scenario: Darnold sustains his career resurgence, Smith-Njigba remains dominant and Macdonald guides Seattle to another deep postseason run.

Biggest concern: The running game regresses, forcing Darnold to carry a heavier offensive burden against a more difficult schedule.

Projected finish: 12-5, second in the NFC West and a wild-card team.

San Francisco 49ers: Health Could Restore a Championship Contender

2025 record: 12-5
MyBookie odds to win NFC West: +320
MyBookie odds to win Super Bowl LXI: +1900

The 49ers won 12 games and reached the divisional round despite losing many of their most important players for extended periods.

That accomplishment demonstrates both the depth of Kyle Shanahan’s system and the resilience of the roster. It also creates optimism that improved health could return San Francisco to the top of the NFC.

Nick Bosa missed 14 games after tearing his ACL. Fred Warner missed 11 games with a broken and dislocated ankle. George Kittle appeared in only 11 regular-season games before tearing his Achilles during the playoffs. San Francisco’s projected starters collectively missed more than 50 games.

Bosa has returned to full team practice and is expected to play in the season opener against the Rams in Melbourne. It will be his first game since suffering his third career ACL injury and his second involving his right knee.

Kittle was activated from the physically unable to perform list and also has a chance to play. Warner is expected to be fully available.

Those returns could transform a defense that finished last in the NFL with only 20 sacks. Garrett alone recorded 23 for Cleveland before joining the division-rival Rams.

Raheem Morris becomes San Francisco’s fifth defensive play-caller in five seasons after Robert Saleh left to become Tennessee’s head coach. Morris inherits a unit with established stars and several promising additions.

The 49ers acquired defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa from Dallas and brought linebacker Dre Greenlaw back after his injury-plagued season in Denver. Mykel Williams, Alfred Collins and rookie Romello Height provide additional developmental upside.

The offense still revolves around Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey and Shanahan’s ability to manufacture space.

McCaffrey led the NFL with a career-high 413 touches last season after missing 13 games in 2024. That workload demonstrated his value but also raises questions about whether San Francisco can continue relying on him so heavily.

The receiving corps has undergone substantial change. Mike Evans arrives after spending his first 12 seasons with Tampa Bay, while Christian Kirk gives Purdy another experienced target. Ricky Pearsall, Jacob Cowing and second-round pick De’Zhaun Stribling must establish larger roles.

Jauan Jennings signed with Minnesota, Deebo Samuel remained unsigned after a season in Washington and Brandon Aiyuk entered the year on the reserve/left squad list. Evans is a future Hall of Fame candidate, but he turns 33 and has missed 12 games over the past two seasons.

San Francisco still possesses enough talent to win this division. The +320 price reflects the team’s health risk and the quality of the Rams and Seahawks more than any absence of championship ability.

If Bosa, Warner, Kittle and McCaffrey remain available, the 49ers can challenge anyone in the NFC. Recent history makes that “if” impossible to overlook.

Best-case scenario: San Francisco’s stars remain healthy, Bosa restores the pass rush and the 49ers win 12 or 13 games.

Biggest concern: Older veterans and players returning from major injuries cannot remain on the field through the demanding NFC West schedule.

Projected finish: 10-7, third in the NFC West and a wild-card contender.

Arizona Cardinals: A New Era Begins Around Jeremiyah Love

2025 record: 3-14
MyBookie odds to win NFC West: +10000
MyBookie odds to win Super Bowl LXI: +50000

Arizona enters 2026 with the longest division odds in the NFL and a roster focused more on long-term development than immediate contention.

The Cardinals moved on from head coach Jonathan Gannon after three seasons and hired former Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. Kyler Murray was released after seven years with the franchise and later joined Minnesota.

Jacoby Brissett is expected to open the season as Arizona’s starting quarterback after producing a career-high 3,366 passing yards in 12 starts last season. Brissett replaced an injured Murray and never relinquished the job, but his offseason contract dissatisfaction complicated the installation of LaFleur’s offense.

Gardner Minshew and rookie Carson Beck provide alternatives. Neither changes the broader reality that Arizona must eventually identify a long-term quarterback.

The most exciting player in the rebuilding plan may be rookie running back Jeremiyah Love.

Arizona selected Love third overall and gave him more guaranteed money than any running back in league history. His explosiveness, receiving ability and open-field creativity make him one of the most anticipated rookies in football.

The selection was unusual because running back was not Arizona’s greatest need. The Cardinals had already signed Tyler Allgeier and retained James Conner, creating an extremely crowded backfield.

Love is talented enough to justify a major role, but Arizona must balance immediate production against the physical demands placed on a young back during a rebuilding season.

Marvin Harrison Jr. remains the focal point of the passing game. Through his first two seasons, Harrison has recorded 103 receptions for 1,493 yards and 12 touchdowns in 29 games. Those numbers are respectable, but they fall below the expectations attached to a receiver selected fourth overall and widely regarded as a generational prospect.

A more structured offense could help Harrison. LaFleur’s system should create defined reads and use motion to produce favorable matchups. Brissett must give Harrison catchable opportunities instead of relying exclusively on contested throws.

Arizona also needs more from recent defensive investments. Darius Robinson and Walter Nolen have struggled to stay healthy and have combined for only four sacks. Their development is essential for a defense that lacks established difference-makers.

The Cardinals are not realistically built to survive a division containing three potential playoff teams. Their season should be evaluated through player development, offensive progress and the emergence of a young defensive core.

The +10000 division price is enormous for a reason. Arizona would need its young stars to develop immediately while all three rivals suffered significant regression.

Best-case scenario: Love becomes an instant star, Harrison flourishes in LaFleur’s offense and Arizona establishes a credible foundation for 2027.

Biggest concern: Quarterback uncertainty limits the offense while the young defensive core fails to make meaningful progress.

Projected finish: 4-13, fourth in the NFC West.

Predicted 2026 NFC West Standings

1. Los Angeles Rams: 13-4
2. Seattle Seahawks: 12-5
3. San Francisco 49ers: 10-7
4. Arizona Cardinals: 4-13

Final NFC West Prediction

Los Angeles enters the season with the NFL’s most imposing roster on paper.

Stafford, Nacua and Adams lead an offense that finished first in the league last season. Garrett, Donald, Turner and Young could create an overwhelming pass rush, while McDuffie gives the secondary a proven shutdown cornerback.

That combination makes the Rams the logical division choice, although their −105 price leaves little room for value or unexpected adversity.

Seattle presents the stronger betting value at +214. The Seahawks are the defending champions, return the core of Macdonald’s defense and possess the league’s reigning receiving-yardage leader in Smith-Njigba. Questions in the backfield and along the offensive line prevent Seattle from becoming the preseason selection, but another division championship would not be surprising.

San Francisco is the wild card. If Bosa, Warner, Kittle and McCaffrey remain healthy, the 49ers could outperform both Los Angeles and Seattle. Their recent injury history and defensive instability make them more difficult to trust over 17 games.

Arizona remains several steps behind its rivals. Love gives the Cardinals a potentially electrifying building block, but the roster lacks the quarterback certainty and defensive depth required to contend in this division.

The final choice is Los Angeles. The Rams have assembled a roster designed to win immediately, and anything less than a deep playoff run will make their spectacular offseason feel incomplete.

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