The 2025 NFL season validated our exercise of searching for turnaround candidates. In last year’s guide, we identified the Bears, Jaguars, Panthers, and Patriots as teams with sleeper appeal.
Identifying these teams isn’t as hard as you think. So, we’re running it back in 2026. We’ll apply the same criteria: teams that finished at or near the bottom of their division in 2025, with a coaching upgrade, a new-look roster, a favorable schedule, or better roster-wide circumstances that suggest a real turnaround.
Here are the two best candidates for 2026. Do with them what you will. Division prices, win total Overs, alt Overs, and loftier futures are all in play.
New Orleans Saints
New Orleans actually enters this season with some legitimate buzz. Not many people were paying attention to the Saints last year, but they were second in the NFL in EPA per play allowed (-0.178) from Week 10 until the end of the 2025 regular season. Defensive coordinator Brandon Staley did a remarkable job turning that unit around, and he’ll have more toys to work with this season.
The offense is what needs to take a major step forward, but there were signs last year. After making the change from Spencer Rattler to Tyler Shough, New Orleans’ offense looked much better. Rattler probably wasn’t as bad as the public thinks, and Shough wasn’t quite as good, but the overall unit clearly improved. The Saints went 5-4 in Shough’s final nine games under center in 2025, plus his combination of size and speed gave him more upside than Rattler flashed.
All in all, Shough threw for 2,384 yards with 10 touchdowns and six picks on the season, and he also added three scores on the ground. In year 2 in Kellen Moore’s system, the expectation is that Shough will look even sharper.
New Orleans also did great work providing Shough with help. The team signed Travis Etienne Jr. as a versatile weapon out of the backfield. They also used the No. 8 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Jordyn Tyson, who has the potential to be a true No. 1 wideout.
The tight end room was also upgraded, as the Saints signed Noah Fant and added Oscar Delp in the third round of the draft. Even the offensive line was addressed, as New Orleans signed guard David Edwards away from Buffalo.
The Saints enter 2026 with some serious momentum, and they have Warren Sharp’s second-easiest strength of schedule for 2026. We could see a major turnaround here.
Tennessee Titans
On the surface, hiring Robert Saleh may not seem like the most inspiring move. His stint with the Jets was extremely disappointing, and it’s not yet clear he can handle the responsibility of being in charge of a whole team. However, Saleh sure knows how to coach a defense, and he was able to bring Brian Daboll in as his offensive coordinator, giving Tennessee a clear offensive identity. That makes this coaching staff way more appealing for a roster that is looking to make a jump in 2026.
Tennessee actually scored at least 24 points in the final six games of the 2025 season, and Cam Ward’s strides as a passer played a big role in that. Well, Ward now has a much better group of weapons to work with. The Titans used the fourth pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Carnell Tate, who looks like a future stud at wideout. They also signed Wan’Dale Robinson, one of Daboll’s favorites, to be their receiver out of the slot.
With a solid offensive line, a great group of pass-catchers, and some good rushers out of the backfield, the Titans could flirt with being a league-average offense.
The Titans also completely overhauled their defense. Not only did they hire Saleh, but big moves were made to address the talent up front. It started with Tennessee swapping T’Vondre Sweat for Jermaine Johnson, giving Saleh a strong pass-rushing threat on the edge. The Titans also signed another Saleh favorite, bringing John Franklin-Myers in on a big three-year deal. Tennessee also happened to address the secondary, signing Alontae Taylor and Cordale Flott to give the team a new set of starters at corner.
If things click faster than expected, there’s no reason Tennessee can’t turn heads. The Titans have a reasonable schedule, and they play in the weakest division in the AFC. They’re exactly the type of team bettors should look to target.
