The 2026 Los Angeles Rams are hoping to finish better than last year’s 12-5 record, which earned them the No. 5 seed in the NFC Playoffs. They won two close battles to start the postseason over the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears on the road, before falling short in a fantastic battle with the Seattle Seahawks.
The Rams enter 2026 as the favorite to win Super Bowl 61 with odds at +500, according to DraftKings sportsbook. This will now be Year 10 in the Sean McVay era, and the team is loaded with talent on both sides of the ball.
Stafford Still Playing At A High Level
This will be quarterback Matthew Stafford’s 18th season in the league, but he is coming off a career year, winning the league’s Most Valuable Player award, throwing for 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns. He will want to continue playing at a high level this season, especially with who he has on that offense.
Wide receiver Puka Nacua was a First-team All-Pro last season, having a career high in receptions (129), and yards per game (107.2). Los Angeles has Davante Adams as the second receiver option. He enters his second year in a Rams uniform. As long as both are healthy, they will get consistent targets out of Stafford, especially Adams in the red zone, who led the league in receiving touchdowns with 14 in 2025.
Running back Kyren Williams will be a big help in this offense. He’s had double-digit touchdowns in each of the last three seasons. Most of his touches are from the running game, but he can get some targets on the receiving end, averaging 6.7 yards per catch in his career.
The Defense Is Loaded With Top Talent
This off-season, the Rams went all in, making two big trades, getting Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns and Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs. Garrett is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, coming off a season where he recorded an NFL record 23 sacks. His acquisition prompted Aaron Donald to come out of retirement at age 35 for another Super Bowl run.
Donald has been out of the league since March of 2024, but brings a wealth of experience, including a Super Bowl ring from the 2021 season, eight first-team All-Pro selections, and a record three Defensive Player of the Year awards (2017, 2018, and 2020).
Defensive coordinator Chris Shula will return to the team for his ninth season (the last three as the DC). His defense finished at the top of the league in opponent rushing touchdowns allowed (8), third in opponent red zone efficiency (46.2%), and pressures (274). With the additions of McDuffie, Garrett, and Donald to the defense, he will look to have them play at a top level again.
The Entire League Will Be Watching
This season, Los Angeles will have seven games on prime time, which is the most in the NFL. It doesn’t matter what team anybody likes; the Rams are sure to be the top draw every week in 2026.
Los Angeles starts the season in Melbourne, Australia, against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1, before they host the New York Giants in Week 2 on Monday Night Football, then go on the road to face the Denver Broncos the following week on Sunday Night Football. Other matchups to look out for include Week 5 against the Bills, and both matchups against the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, including a Christmas Day primetime game.
Los Angeles is considered to have a middle-of-the-pack strength of schedule, but if they stay healthy and win their most important games, there is a great chance that this team comes out of the NFC.
