Carter Bahns#18 of 87 NFL pundits · Sep 1, 2026
A CBS Sports tier list of 2026 Super Bowl contenders places the Rams and Seahawks in the top tier (expecting a possible third playoff meeting), says the nine B-tier teams should all make the playoffs, sees Caleb Williams as a potential All-Pro, and pegs the Dolphins and Cardinals as No. 1 pick contenders.
Published in writing · CBS SportsRead the original
What Carter Bahns said
Los Angeles has the shortest odds to win the Super Bowl, and it is not close.
- Where it was published
- CBS Sports
- The piece
- 2026 Super Bowl tiers: Ranking all 32 NFL teams by their chances to win it all
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
Box score, by kind
HitCloseMissWaiting| Group | Hits | Close | Misses | Waiting | Calls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playoff Picks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | |
| Pro Bowl and All-Pro Calls | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Team Draft Slot Calls | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| All | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
How each call scored
11 checkable claims — 8 playoff picks, 2 team draft slot calls and 1 pro bowl and all-pro call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 11 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
Their call against the record
Their call against what actually happened last time. Not yet settled.
Playoff Picks8 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Los Angeles Chargers to make the playoffs
“B Tier ... They should all expect to make the playoffs ... The Chargers should be better now that their offensive line is not entirely decimated”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Kansas City Chiefs to make the playoffs
“B Tier ... They should all expect to make the playoffs ... the Chiefs must rely on Patrick Mahomes recovering fully from his torn ACL”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Seattle Seahawks to make the playoffs
“That the Rams and Seahawks will square off twice in the regular season is a treat, and it would be no surprise if, like last year, they met for a third time in the playoffs.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Baltimore Ravens to make the playoffs
“B Tier ... They should all expect to make the playoffs ... The AFC North battle between the Ravens and Bengals is especially compelling.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Chicago Bears to make the playoffs
“B Tier ... They should all expect to make the playoffs ... A step forward for Chicago would come in the form of Caleb Williams emerging as a superstar.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Los Angeles Rams to make the playoffs
“it would be no surprise if, like last year, they met for a third time in the playoffs”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Cincinnati Bengals to make the playoffs
“B Tier ... They should all expect to make the playoffs ... Cincinnati is also better defensively, at least on paper.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
San Francisco 49ers to make the playoffs
“B Tier ... They should all expect to make the playoffs ... the 49ers will be in the thick of the NFC West race”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Pro Bowl and All-Pro Calls1 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Caleb Williams to make All-Pro
“With the way he performed in Year 1 under coach Ben Johnson's tutelage, it is no stretch to imagine him climbing into the All-Pro category.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Team Draft Slot Calls2 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Arizona Cardinals to pick “No. 1 pick contenders”
“F Tier: Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals ... F: No. 1 pick contenders ... There is nothing to play for here except the No. 1 pick.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Miami Dolphins to pick “a top-two pick” (picks 1–2)
“allowing the Dolphins to use what should be a top-two pick on something other than quarterback”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Chris Clark · Trade and Signing Calls · Nikko Remigio · Miss 0
Clark expects the Chiefs to bring back exclusive-rights receiver Nico (Remigio) and long snapper James Winchester, to re-sign JuJu Smith-Schuster as a cheap veteran fifth receiver, and not to bring back Hollywood Brown, Josh Dobbs-type depth, Gardner Minshew, Janarius Robinson or Mike Caliendo; they also say the Chiefs will not use a franchise tag and believes Bryan Cook won't return.Nate Gosney · Trade and Signing Calls · Daiyan Henley · Miss 0
After the Broncos rescinded the trade, Gosney expects Daiyan Henley to remain with the Chargers for the rest of the 2026 season, but believes the awkward fallout has effectively killed any chance of them signing a new contract with Los Angeles after the season.Gilberto Manzano · Trade and Signing Calls · Josh Downs · Hit 100
Previewing the trade deadline, he expects Justin Herbert to stay in Los Angeles despite the Chargers' 0–7 start, thinks the Jets will keep Garrett Wilson and pair him with their young weapons, expects a receiver-hungry Kansas City to be aggressive with Josh Downs the likeliest target, and suggests expiring Eagles contracts Moro Ojomo and Riq Woolen could be dealt for mid-round picks.Joshua Poniatowski · Trade and Signing Calls · Josh Downs · Hit 100
Poniatowski names several trade targets, predicting Malik Willis underperforms this week against New England, that Omarion Hampton could become a viable RB2 if Adam Gase takes over play-calling, that Josh Downs gets traded (ideally to Kansas City, where they'd be a top-24 WR), that Brian Thomas Jr. could be dealt to the Rams or 49ers, and that Travis Kelce remains a consistent weekly TE.
More playoff picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Ross Jackson · Playoff Picks · New Orleans Saints · Miss 0
Jackson projects a big sophomore jump for Saints QB Tyler Shuck, laying out a Drake May-style stat line (17 starts, 72% completions, ~4,601 passing yards, 24 TDs, 9 INTs) or a Bo Nix-style consistency line (over 4,000 yards, over 20 TDs, ~10 INTs), and says either path means a playoff season for New Orleans in 2026.Rich Eisen · Playoff Picks · Minnesota Vikings · Miss 0
Eisen argues Ohio State will produce multiple top-10 picks — Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese and Caleb Downs — becoming the first school with three defensive players in the top 10, and that Styles will not be available at No. 12 to the Cowboys. He also thinks Fernando Mendoza is worthy of the No. 1 overall pick and expects the Raiders to draft him, and picks Trey Lance over Anthony Richardson to start a game first, Micah Parsons to fetch a bigger trade return than Maxx Crosby, Kirk Cousins as the released QB most likely to reach the playoffs, and J.J. McCarthy as the Vikings' Week 1 starter.Rich Eisen · Playoff Picks · Carolina Panthers · Hit 100
Eisen forecast the Week 18 results and the entire wild-card field: Buccaneers over Panthers but Carolina still gets in as the 5 seed when Atlanta beats New Orleans, 49ers over Seahawks, Ravens over Steelers, Jaguars beating Tennessee to win the AFC South, and six wild-card matchups (Seahawks-Panthers, Bills-Jaguars, Texans-Ravens, Packers-Bears, Chargers-Patriots, Rams-Eagles), with Houston upsetting Baltimore. They also tabbed Saints rookie Tyler Shough as a possible Offensive Rookie of the Year.Chris Brockman · Playoff Picks · Pittsburgh Steelers · Hit 100
Brockman argued the road to the Super Bowl in the AFC goes through Foxborough, meaning the Patriots will finish as the No. 1 seed, and called their shot that the Chargers beat Denver in Week 18. They also declared the Bears a team of destiny who will win the NFC, said the Steelers will end their playoff win drought, and that Trevor Lawrence is playing like a top-five quarterback.Rich Eisen · Playoff Picks · Green Bay Packers · Hit 100
Eisen agreed the Bears are a team of destiny who will win the NFC, insisted the Packers will make the playoffs and won't lose at home to the Ravens, said the Steelers should make the playoffs, and endorsed the view that Trevor Lawrence is playing like a top-five quarterback.