Separating the NFL’s contenders, pretenders and draft-pick dreamers — and what’s ahead in unpredictable season

Source: New York Post

As we head into the Week 9 midway turn of another NFL season, the league has been filled with surprise storylines in both directions. Look no further than the first-place, deadline-buyer Giants and the already-out-of-it Jets, landing on clearly divergent paths. Here is a breakdown of every NFL team, sorted into four distinct categories, and what their status is as they head into the back nine in 2026.