The New York Giants are a serious threat to win the NFC East division in 2026.
Pro Football Focus’ Bradley Locker has the Giants ranked No. 3 among the eight NFL teams with a chance to go from worst to first in their division next season.
The NFC East may be a gauntlet, but the Giants should still grow in John Harbaugh’s first season.
On the heels of three straight seasons winning no more than six contests — including sitting 27th in overall PFF grade last year — New York hired the veteran Harbaugh to bring stability to the franchise. The former Ravens guide has no shortage of talent to work with on both sides of the ball, with most effort needed to better a defense that ranked 27th in EPA per play and 22nd in secondary coverage grade.
The Giants have the tough task of competing with the Eagles and Cowboys, who each look formidable going into this season. But if Jaxson Dart improves upon his 67.9 overall PFF grade — and if first-round picks Francis Mauigoa and Arvell Reese become instant playmakers — Harbaugh’s bunch could be feisty.
The Giants play in a competitive NFC East division that tends to produce a new winner each season. In 2025, the Giants finished with a 4-13 record, behind the division champion Eagles (11-6), the Cowboys (7-9-1), and the Washington Commanders (5-12).
With or without A.J. Brown, the Eagles possess a wealth of talent on both offense and defense and are positioned to contend for the Super Bowl. The same is true for the Cowboys, while the Commanders are expected to be more competitive with Jayden Daniels returning from injury.
Nevertheless, the Giants have the talent to finish above .500 against their divisional opponents next season, as well as against non-playoff teams from 2025. They could also pull off an upset or two against playoff teams, resulting in a season of double-digit wins and a potential NFC East crown.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants named a worst-to-first candidate
Reporting by Matt Legros, Giants Wire / Giants Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
