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2026 Los Angeles Rams Predictions with Best Bets and Odds to Win the Super Bowl

by Spencer Toth - 8/20/2026

Los Angeles Rams predictions Matthew Stafford

The Los Angeles Rams enter the 2026 season as the Super Bowl favorites five years after they lifted the Lombardi Trophy over the Bengals. They bowed out of the playoffs last year against division rivals and eventual Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks, in overtime, but will be coming back with a vengeance this season. They went all-in and mortgaged their future to create a dominant defense to go along with their spectacular offense, leaving their Super Bowl window wide open in the twilight of reigning MVP Matthew Stafford’s career. Will the Rams live up to expectations and dominate the league, or will they stumble along the way and fall short of expectations?

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Los Angeles Rams Offseason Recap

The Los Angeles Rams made not one, but two incredibly impactful offseason trades on the defensive side of the ball. The bigger of the two was the acquisition of Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns. Garrett amassed a record-breaking 23 sacks last year with the Browns to claim his second Defensive Player of the Year award. His ability to rush the quarterback is second to none, and he joins an already terrifying Rams front seven. Not only did Garrett break the single-season sack record, but he did so with little help from his other defensive linemen and in losing game scripts as the Browns struggled to stay competitive. They had to give up a first, second, and third-round draft pick in addition to 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year winner Jared Verse, but this undoubtedly makes the Rams better not only this year, but for the next several seasons. Garrett was a seemingly immovable talent wasting his career in Cleveland, but after a drawn-out public dispute, the Browns finally let him go. 

Before trading for Garrett, the Rams made another move that has been overlooked in the wake of this seismic trade. Los Angeles traded for Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for four draft picks, including their 2026 first-round pick. McDuffie has been a cornerstone in the secondary throughout the Chiefs dynasty, winning two Super Bowls with Kansas City. He was a crucial part of their defense and will seamlessly slot in at cornerback in Los Angeles. His ball-hawking skills usually prevent quarterbacks from challenging his side of the field, which will allow Los Angeles to confidently leave him on an island against the league’s best receivers. 

On offense, the Rams didn’t make many changes other than drafting Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick. It came as a shock that the Rams drafted a quarterback on the back of Stafford’s MVP-winning campaign, but the reality is that the 38-year-old Stafford doesn’t have much left in the tank. Simpson is unlikely to see the field this year barring injury, but he does give the Rams a path to relevancy in the future. They otherwise held tight on offense, re-signing veterans who were already on the team and prioritizing an upgraded defense this offseason. 

2026 Los Angeles Rams Season Expectations

It is hard not to get excited about the Rams. They have an MVP-caliber quarterback in the pocket, two incredibly consistent running backs to hand the ball off to, an unmatched wide receiver room, and two excellent tight ends. On defense, they were already solid, but now they have the DPOY and a lockdown corner to add to their riches. It is clearly a Super Bowl or bust for Los Angeles, but anything can happen over the course of a grueling NFL season.

On offense, Matthew Stafford shattered his career highs with 4,707 passing yards, 46 touchdowns, and just eight interceptions. He may be getting up there in age, but he doesn’t rely on his physicality to succeed and instead thrives by staying in the pocket and finding the open targets. This has allowed him to stay elite at 38, and he could easily be near the top of MVP voting once again. 

In the backfield, Kyren Williams posted 1,533 scrimmage yards with 13 touchdowns, while only losing two fumbles on 259 carries. His ball security and ability to consistently pick up positive yardage give the Rams a balanced offense as they can confidently hand the ball off. Blake Corum could be the RB1 on many other teams, and his partnership with Williams keeps opponents guessing on what may come next. 

In terms of pass catchers, the Rams have one of the greatest receivers of all time in Davante Adams, alongside arguably the best receiver right now in Puka Nacua. Nacua logged a stunning 1,715 receiving yards to go along with 10 touchdowns, averaging more than 13 yards per reception. He can go up and make big plays with his verticality, but can also beat defenders for speed down the outside. Adams’ age and injury concerns are certainly a factor, but he has still suited up for 14 or more games in six straight seasons. His 12,633 career receiving yards have him fourth among active players. This doesn’t even account for Colby Parkinson and Tyler Higbee at tight end, both of whom are solid run blockers and have soft hands in the middle of the field. 

On defense, the Rams turn a good unit into a great one with their two high-profile additions, making this a well-rounded team on both sides of the ball. Sean McVay is one of the brightest head coaches in the league, making it hard to pick out flaws with this roster. The Rams put the league on notice last year as Super Bowl favorites, and they are once again entering 2026 as the clear favorites to win the league's most coveted prize. 

2026 Los Angeles Rams Schedule Breakdown

This is where things get tricky. The Rams have an average schedule in terms of last year’s winning records, but the 2026 projected win totals have them with the fifth-hardest schedule. The NFC West is a battleground with the reigning champions, Seattle, and the always dangerous 49ers, meaning even all this perceived dominance doesn’t make them a sure thing to host a playoff game. They open up the year with a game in Australia against San Francisco, adding extra travel before the year has even begun. After a home game against the Giants, the Rams then take on the Broncos and Eagles on the road before hosting the Bills. No easy wins there. Their Week 11 bye is ideal, but closing out the season against the Packers, Chiefs, 49ers, Cowboys, Seahawks, Buccaneers, and the Seahawks again means they need to take care of business early to avoid facing an uphill battle to the playoffs. 

2026 Los Angeles Rams Odds

The Rams are the outright Super Bowl favorites with +500 odds to win, while the next closest team is sitting at +1000. The oddsmakers have made it clear that Los Angeles is the team to beat, but that doesn’t mean they will rack up regular season wins. They are one of two teams with an 11.5 win total, but with seven others at 10.5, the best regular season record is far from a lock. In the division, Los Angeles has -110 odds to claim the NFC West title, with the Seahawks (+210) and 49ers (+320) not far behind. 

Looking at the individual awards, the Rams have plenty of contenders. Matthew Stafford has +1100 odds to repeat as the MVP, but that feels like a stretch in the end stages of his career. However, his star receiver Puka Nacua has +1200 odds to win Offensive Player of the Year, and has a real shot at claiming the award. On defense, Myles Garrett is the favorite to repeat as DPOY with +425 odds, while McDuffie is a long shot alongside Byron Young at +8000 odds each. 

2026 Los Angeles Rams Season Predictions and Best Bets

I am not doubting the Rams this season, but I don’t know how we can make money on this team. Their 11.5 win total is untouchable given their difficult schedule, and I also don’t like the idea of tying up our bankroll at +500 for the Super Bowl. Even if the Rams dominate the regular season as expected, I don’t foresee their Super Bowl odds dropping too much before the playoffs, giving us little upside in locking them in now. One injury could see the Rams’ Super Bowl odds plummet, so even if you want to tail the Rams, it is better to wait. 

I would lean towards the under on their win total if forced to pick, but the best pick to make comes in the awards category. Los Angeles will likely be leading a majority of the time, which will give Myles Garrett even more opportunities to rack up sacks. Breaking the single-season sack record is impressive enough, but doing so when the opponent was usually running out the clock against Cleveland in the second half makes the feat even more remarkable. Now Garrett will face teams desperate to throw in the second half of games, and I could see him breaking his own record this year. He has +135 odds to log 20+ sacks and +440 odds to break the record again with 23.5 sacks or more. While these are certainly fun bets, why would we take them when we can get DPOY at +425? If Garrett runs away on the sack leaderboard, he will win the award again, and he might only need 20 or more to be the clear top guy. The sack odds look like sucker bets to me, while I anticipate many people shying away from his DPOY odds since he won it last year. Only 14 players have recorded 20+ sacks in NFL history, with Aaron Donald, TJ Watt, and Garrett being the only ones in the last 12 years. With this in mind, even as the favorite, Garrett to win DPOY is the best bet to make on this team. 

Top Pick: Myles Garrett to Win Defensive Player of the Year +425

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