Five NFL teams stand out as best bets to turn “worst-to-first” into reality in 2026, Aaron Leming lists a mixed field

The NFL’s version of a fairy tale is rare enough that it becomes part of the league’s annual offseason mythology. Still, it is not unheard of. In 20 of the past 23 seasons, at least one team has gone from worst to first in its division, a pattern the NFL itself has highlighted as part of why summer optimism persists long enough to survive the first weeks of training camp. On July 6, 2026, Yahoo Sports columnist Aaron Leming published a list focused on teams that missed the playoffs in 2025 and fit the “could improve fast” profile for 2026.

Leming’s list begins with the Raiders, framing Vegas as a club that finally swung at its long-running quarterback question. The argument in the piece is that the Raiders paired a new, younger offensive coaching direction with a veteran quarterback solution, after what it described as a failed “pairing” involving Geno Smith and Pete Carroll in a previous context. In Leming’s breakdown, the offseason emphasis was also on structural reinforcement up front, with the column pointing to center Tyler Linderbaum as a key name at a position that can stabilize both pass protection and the run game.

The next team on the list is the New York Jets, presented as another candidate for a rapid climb if the offense comes together quickly. While the Yahoo Sports writeup uses broader “improvement blueprint” language rather than claiming certainty, it places the Jets in the same category of clubs that can realistically shorten the gap to division rivals with improved quarterback play, better offensive efficiency, and a defense that can limit explosive plays. The underlying premise mirrors a common worst-to-first recipe: if a team’s ceiling catches up with its talent on paper, the division standings can change faster than fans expect.

From there, Leming turns to the New York Giants, describing a path that relies on a similar mix of offense-first progress and overall roster balance. In the NFL’s worst-to-first framing, the league’s schedule and division dynamics matter as much as personnel. The Giants’ inclusion reflects the idea that one year is sometimes enough to turn early-season competitiveness into end-of-season results, especially in divisions where all teams have room to improve and where a single stretch can flip the standings picture.

Leming also lists the Tennessee Titans, another team positioned in the argument as capable of moving up quickly if it avoids the slow starts that often doom rebuilding seasons. The “worst-to-first” concept is partly statistical chance, but it also depends on avoiding the common failure mode of offseason optimism not translating into consistent execution. In this case, Leming’s selection suggests that the Titans have the kind of roster and developmental runway that can produce a meaningful leap during a single season.

Finally, the Saints round out the five-team group. Here, the turnaround case is tied to division context and internal reset. has noted that the NFC South has seen significant room for growth in recent seasons, emphasizing that preseason hope is fueled by how quickly teams can move when financial and roster questions get addressed. In the Yahoo Sports column, New Orleans is treated as a club that could translate offseason work into a top-half finish and, if the bounce goes right, a run to first in the division.

Taken together, Leming’s list is less a promise than a map of what “credible” turnaround looks like: a clear quarterback direction, coaching changes that align with the offensive identity, and meaningful roster upgrades in high-leverage areas such as the line of scrimmage. The league-wide historical context matters too, because worst-to-first is not a once-a-decade event. The challenge for each of these clubs will be consistency once games begin. The most important question to watch through training camp and the early regular season is whether these teams can keep their improvement from stalling after the opening results.

If you are trying to separate “best bet” from “wishful thinking,” the cleanest bar is year-over-year performance stability. One strong month is rarely enough to move from worst to first, especially in a division race where multiple teams must come down instead of up. Leming’s five-team set gives fans names to track, but it also underscores that the NFL’s turnaround stories still demand all the ingredients working at once.