NFC West Predictions & Best Bets 2026: Rams, Seahawks, 49ers & Cardinals
With the Patriots and Seahawks set for a Wednesday night kickoff on September 9, the 2026 NFL regular season is almost upon us. The marathon battle for the Lombardi Trophy will get underway before we know it, and our experts are building up to the new season with a ton of content in our NFL futures guide — which includes our Super Bowl winner picks, MVP best bets, player award predictions and much more.
For now, our handicapping team is breaking down every division with in-depth team analysis and best bets. Let’s dive into the NFC West, which will generate plenty of headlines all season long as the home of the defending champion Seattle Seahawks along with the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers. Here are the NFL odds and our expert NFL picks for this fascinating division.
Find out Chris Farley’s Super Bowl 61 best bets and breakdown of all the main contenders
2026 NFC West Odds
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook and available at time of publishing
- Los Angeles Rams (+100)
- Seattle Seahawks (+205)
- San Francisco 49ers (+305)
- Arizona Cardinals (+10000)
Los Angeles Rams (+100)
At this point in the offseason, there isn't much more to say about the Rams that hasn't already been said. If not for a small handful of plays, Los Angeles could have easily hoisted the Lombardi Trophy a season ago, and head coach Sean McVay's group is now the clear Super Bowl favorite heading into the 2026 campaign. With Matthew Stafford surely in his twilight years as an elite NFL quarterback, the Rams went all-in this offseason and completely revamped their defense in the process. The defensive line already boasted some compelling young talent with Kobie Turner and Byron Young, but the addition of Myles Garrett -- arguably the best defensive player of his generation -- adds an entire new dimension to this unit. Add in the fact that Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson are now leading the secondary, and this has all the makings of one of the best defenses in football. If Aaron Donald ends up coming out of retirement to play on this loaded defensive line, things get even more terrifying for opposing offenses.
On the other side, the effectiveness of the Rams offense shouldn't be a concern heading into this season. Stafford is as good as it gets at the quarterback position, and his connection with Davante Adams and Puka Nacua should be absolutely lethal -- provided that the former stays healthy and the latter stays out of trouble off the field. The running back duo of Kyren Williams and Blake Corum is an extremely efficient machine in McVay's system, and the tight end room is probably the best in football on paper. The schedule is no picnic, but there are a couple of much-needed easier spots in between this gauntlet of games. Ultimately, I'll trust the staff and quarterback en route to 12+ wins.
Los Angeles Rams best bet: Rams over 11.5 wins (-115)
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Seattle Seahawks (+205)
For a team that is defending its Super Bowl title, there sure isn't much hype surrounding the Seahawks; perhaps they prefer it that way. Putting their lack of hype aside, head coach Mike Macdonald is arguably the top head coach in the league at age 39 and there's nothing out there that suggests his team will suffer the dreaded "Super Bowl hangover". Seattle did suffer a significant loss at offensive coordinator with Klint Kubiak leaving to be the coach of the Raiders, but Brian Fleury has over a decade of experience in the NFL and he's very familiar with this division, having come over from the 49ers. It remains to be seen if Sam Darnold will take to the new offense following the best season of his career, but there are plenty of good players to give this unit a pretty high floor. As long as the ground game doesn't fall off a cliff without Kenneth Walker III, this should be another productive season for the Seahawks offense.
Regardless of how the offense responds to the new system, the Seattle defense was absolutely dominant a season ago, and there's no indication that we see any changes in that department this fall. A couple of notable contributors are gone in the secondary, but the Seahawks should be able to withstand those losses via their additions in the draft and the continued strength of their defensive line. This is an elite unit, and even with a more difficult schedule in the cards, it's hard to see Seattle taking a step back on this side of the ball, especially with Macdonald at the controls. This NFC West division race should come down to the wire, so I'll target the Rams and Seahawks to finish in the top two positions at plus money.
Seattle Seahawks best bet: Rams/Seahawks division dual forecast (+110)
San Francisco 49ers (+305)
The 49ers are among the most frustrating teams to handicap every preseason because a lot of what they do in the offseason doesn't matter as much as it does for other organizations. At this point, their success or failure each season will depend on what the injury report looks like by November. Head coach Kyle Shanahan is arguably the best offensive mind in the sport, and he's proven himself to be an elite floor-raiser over the years. With that said, San Francisco has been known to turn in a very poor season every couple of years, and it's typically due to injuries. While it's fair to assume that Shanahan will keep this offense productive regardless of who misses time, there are major questions on the offensive line and the skill position group is mostly aging and/or returning from significant injuries. With the 49ers already suffering a few key injuries in training camp — most notably losing Ricky Pearsall for the season -- it's hard to project just how effective the offense will be this fall.
The 2025 season saw the 49ers defense somehow stay afloat under the tutelage of Robert Saleh, despite being completely ravaged by injuries at nearly every position group. With Saleh off to Tennessee, it's fair to wonder if this unit will take a minor step back, especially given the injury histories of a number of key players in the two-deep. With Fred Warner back in the fold, a secondary that could be very good and the addition of Osa Odighizuwa up front, there is real potential here. However, it's hard to count on the 49ers to stay healthy -- and that makes them a candidate to be combustible this fall. I can only look toward the under at the current number.
San Francisco 49ers best bet: Under 10.5 wins (-150)
Don't miss our expert's NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year predictions, including a +4500 longshot!
Arizona Cardinals (+10000)
To round out the NFC West, the Cardinals are projected to finish well outside of the playoffs for yet another year. It's expected to be a long season ahead in Arizona, and it's hard to see head coach Mike LaFleur's team winning a single game in a division this loaded. The first-year head coach certainly has his work cut out for him, and the front office and ownership certainly seem to be leaning into punting on this season in the hopes of acquiring one of the top quarterbacks in next year's loaded NFL Draft. At the very least, there are some interesting pieces on this roster for Arizona to build around in the years to come. Rookie running back Jeremiyah Love leads a surprisingly deep backfield group, while the pass catchers still include Trey McBride, Michael Wilson and a possibly rejuvenated Marvin Harrison Jr. Even with a slightly improved offensive line, this unit will likely go as far as Jacoby Brissett goes (25th in EPA per dropback in 2025), so it's difficult to see the Arizona improving all that much from a season ago.
On the other side of the ball, this defense is not one that I'm all that optimistic on, but there could be a case for the Cardinals to bounce back if they can avoid the injury bug that bit this unit in 2025. Ultimately, that probably won't even matter when looking at this schedule. Arizona faces the daunting task of playing six games against the other teams in this division, and it also drew the Chargers, Chiefs, Broncos, Lions and Cowboys all within the first 11 weeks of the season. If the Cardinals can't find a way to knock off the Giants in Week 4, they might not win a game until after Thanksgiving. This is certainly a more talented team than the Dolphins or even the Browns, but I can't fault anyone who takes a shot on the Cardinals to be the last winless team given the grueling schedule in front of them.
Arizona Cardinals best bet: Last Winless Team (+225)
Now check out our NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year predictions and best bet, featuring picks at +1600 and +3500 odds!
NFC West division predictions
- Los Angeles Rams
- Seattle Seahawks
- San Francisco 49ers
- Arizona Cardinals
NFC West best bet: Rams/Seahawks division dual forecast (+110)
Not only are the Rams and Seahawks the top two teams in this division for my money, they are likely the two best teams in football heading into this season. I respect what the 49ers have on paper, but it's hard to get there with San Francisco given its tumultuous injury history and the reports coming out of training camp. With that in mind, I'll bank on Los Angeles and Seattle finishing in the top two positions of this division come January, regardless of the order.
NFL Division Predictions & Team-by-Team Guide
Want more NFL division predictions? We've covered all the other 7 divisions and given our best bets for EVERY team! Check 'em out below:
- AFC East Predictions & Best Bets 2026 - will it be the Buffalo Bills or New England Patriots that win the division?
- AFC North Predictions & Best Bets 2026 - get our top pick for the division featuring the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers
- AFC South Predictions & Best Bets 2026 - can the Jacksonville Jaguars repeat, or will the Houston Texans or Indianapolis Colts dethrone them?
- AFC West Predictions & Best Bets 2026 - will the Kansas City Chiefs bounce back? Will the Denver Broncos stay on top? Or can the LA Chargers pull through?
- NFC East Predictions & Best Bets 2026 - our expert's best bets for the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles & Washington Commanders
- NFC North Predictions & Best Bets 2026 - check out our +930 pick on a team in this division
- NFC South Predictions & Best Bets 2026 - who will be the best in the worst division in football?
