​The AFC was loaded with strong teams last season, and while the usual contenders stood tall, there were a few surprising entrants who turned heads along the way. So, which teams in the conference could be sleepers this year and threaten a Super Bowl run? Here are four AFC squads that might surprise you.
First up, the Jacksonville Jaguars. They burst onto the scene by overtaking the Colts for the AFC South, flipping the script after a season where Indianapolis held the division for most of the year. Trevor Lawrence, who had an uneven start but finished strong, helped push Jacksonville into the spotlight. They were ultimately edged out by the Bills in a hard-fought battle, yet the Jaguars project as strong contenders again. Expect them to be favored once more this season, equipped with the pieces to mount a serious Super Bowl push if they can avoid self-imposed mistakes. In their loss to Buffalo, they coughed up the ball at pivotal moments, but they still remained in the mix. If Lawrence can begin fast and the defense tightens up in critical situations, Jacksonville could join the upper echelon of the AFC alongside a likely banner year for the Denver Broncos.
Turning to Cincinnati, quarterback Joe Burrow believes this Bengals team has Super Bowl credentials, and he may be onto something—provided several conditions align. Burrow’s health is at the forefront; when he’s on the field at peak form, this team can move mountains. It’s not long since Burrow helped the Bengals reach the big game, illustrating what is possible when he’s healthy. Beyond the quarterback, the defense has been a concern. Offensively, the Bengals have been potent, but their defense has lagged. They addressed some of those gaps by adding former New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, a move intended to bolster the front line. If that acquisition pays off and Burrow stays healthy, Cincinnati could push deep into the playoffs again.
The Los Angeles Chargers may not seem like a sleeper to everyone, yet their ascent last season did catch people off guard. Justin Herbert finally broke through to guide the Chargers into the postseason, where they were eliminated by the Patriots. The result offered renewed optimism for their fan base that a real breakthrough might be on the horizon and that they could make sustained noise in the AFC West. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Chargers and the Broncos battling for division supremacy late in the year, with both teams capable of making a run.
Lastly, the Las Vegas Raiders deserve a mention as a potential sleeper, even if it sounds bold. They came up short in several close games last season, and it often seemed like they needed a few key pieces to put it all together, particularly at the quarterback position. The addition of Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza, if it pans out, coupled with the return of Maxx Crosby on defense, could be the spark they needed to jump into serious contention this year. It’s not an outrageous leap to imagine the Raiders becoming a more competitive force in the AFC with the right combination of health and performance.
This piece originally appeared on Touchdown Wire as part of a look at four AFC teams that could surprise this coming season. While the question of which teams will rise is always speculative, these four squads offer legitimate pathways to sneaking into late-season contention and perhaps even securing a deeper playoff run than many expect.