NFL Execs Rank AFC's Top Teams in Poll Ahead of 2026 Season, Where Do Patriots, Bills, Chiefs Rank?

NFL executives shared mixed opinions on whether Drake Maye will be able to lead the New England Patriots back to another Super Bowl in a new survey published by The Athletic's Mike Sando .

The Buffalo Bills performed the best in Sando's survey, with four of six participating NFL executives ranking Josh Allen's squad as the best team in the AFC.

The Denver Broncos (second overall) and Houston Texans (third overall) also received votes as the conference's best team, according to Sando.

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The Patriots averaged fourth place overall but received a wider range of rankings, with one executive ranking the team third in the AFC and another sliding the team all the way down to ninth.

Multiple executives speaking with Sando pointed out the Patriots' favorable schedule last season as a reason to expect Maye and his team to take a step back in 2026.

One executive described the Patriots to Sando as "the No. 1 regression team."

The Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs were ranked fifth and sixth overall, respectively, according to Sando. Executives speaking with Sando expressed doubts about the health of both Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes.

The choice for the lowest-ranked club in the AFC was almost unanimous, per Sando. Five out of six executives surveyed by Sando expect the Miami Dolphins to be the worst team in the conference after coach Jeff Hafley told reporters he won't measure success this season by winning.

The Patriots will get the chance to improve their championship odds when opening the season on the road next Wednesday against the defending champion Seattle Seahawks.

C.J. Stroud and the Texans are set to open their own campaign the following Sunday against the visiting Bills, the day before Bo Nix and the Broncos visit the Chiefs in what could be Mahomes' return from knee surgery.