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2026 New Orleans Saints Predictions with Best Bets and Odds to Win the Super Bowl

by Spencer Toth - 8/26/2026

New Orleans Saints predictions Tyler Shough

The New Orleans Saints are trending in the right direction after missing the playoffs in five consecutive seasons, but there is still plenty of work to do before they are back in Super Bowl contention. Tyler Shough has been given the keys to the franchise while the Saints front office has prioritized explosive offensive talent around him. A wide-open NFC South means a .500 record could be good enough to steal the division, but will the Saints have enough in the tank to get over the line?

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New Orleans Saints Offseason Recap

The New Orleans Saints are looking to emerge from their rebuild with a competitive roster, and did exactly what they needed to do in the offseason. They started by breaking the hearts of Saints fans by letting Demario Davis walk, who was the heart and soul of the Saints defense for nearly a decade. Letting a franchise cornerstone like Davis leave for nothing may seem like bad business, but the 37-year-old has his best days behind him. This was a strategic move for the Saints to set up both their present and future. They also lost cornerback Alontae Taylor to the Titans, but with no shortage of depth in the secondary, New Orleans should be able to pick up the slack. 

On offense, the Saints got a complete overhaul. They revamped their tight end room with Noah Fant taking the place of Taysom Hill behind the rapidly rising Juwan Johnson. Hill was a fan favorite and had more uses than a Swiss Army Knife, but the duo of Fant and Johnson will help ease the pain. Fant posted 400 or more yards in each of his first six seasons split between the Broncos and Seahawks before having a down year with the Bengals in 2025. 

At running back, the Saints have been spoiled with a dominant decade from Alvin Kamara, and they will be hoping they found their next superstar in Travis Etienne. Etienne has gone over 1,000 rushing yards in three of his four NFL seasons, all with the Jaguars, and can also play a role in the receiving game. He’s caught 35 or more passes every year, including a career high of 58 receptions in 2023. His efficiency has been questioned in the past, but he is durable, is effective in nearly every scheme, and can withstand the heavy workload expected from him in New Orleans. 

New Orleans also took a swing in the 2026 NFL Draft by taking Jordyn Tyson with the 8th overall pick. A wide receiver inside the top-ten will always come with high expectations, but Saints fans will need to wait a couple of months before they see Tyson on the field. A training camp hamstring injury will delay his debut, but his midseason arrival could give the Saints the lift they need. Tyson can line up anywhere on the field, as he can find separation down the sideline or across the middle of the field. 

2026 New Orleans Saints Season Expectations

For the last several years, the expectations have been low in New Orleans. The failed Derek Carr experiment left the Saints in cap space hell, but they are finally getting over that bad contract. They didn’t have the money to make the moves they wanted; they didn’t have the draft capital to build a roster, and there was truly no hope in New Orleans. Now, that has all changed. 

There is reasonable optimism that Tyler Shough could be the quarterback of the future for the Saints. Shough led the Saints to a 4-1 record in the last five games of the season with a respectable 91.3 QBR. His 5-5 record with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions is not eye-popping, but considering the lack of talent he had to work with, it is certainly respectable. Shough is tall, has a fast release, and has already shown incredible maturity in the pocket. His seven years in college gave him plenty of experience with different offensive schemes, and once that is coupled with his accuracy, it is obvious why he rarely turns the ball over. 

On the other side of the ball, the Saints had a top-ten defense last year. While losing Davis and Taylor will sting, the Saints scooped up defensive tackle Christen Miller in the second round to create pressure up front, and still have both Chase Young and Cameron Jordan in the mix. Jordan has already announced that this will be the final season before he hangs up his cleats, but he has proven to still be effective in the twilight of his career. If the Saints are once again a top-ten defense with an improved offense, they could certainly defy the odds and win the NFC South for the first time since 2020. 

2026 New Orleans Saints Schedule Breakdown

The New Orleans Saints have one of the easiest, breeziest schedules in the league. They have the second-easiest schedule based on both the 2025 combined records and the 2026 projected win totals. The NFC South has been, and will continue to be, a joke, giving the Saints six winnable matchups. They do have to go through the physical AFC North and the well-rounded NFC North, but they also have three extra games against last-place teams such as the Raiders, Giants, and Cardinals. The Saints are taking a trip to Europe in Week 8 to take on the Steelers before their Week 9 bye, and then have a pair of winnable home games against the Browns and Panthers. Five of their last eight are then on the road, but as mentioned, the quality of opposition is far from elite. 

2026 New Orleans Saints Betting Odds

The Saints are expected to jump back into playoff contention with a win total of 7.5 this season. That gives them +185 odds to make the playoffs and +260 odds to win the NFC South, just trailing the Buccaneers for the top spot in the division. Looking ahead to the playoffs, the Saints have +3500 NFC odds and +8000 Super Bowl odds. On the other end of the spectrum, New Orleans has +2500 odds to finish with the worst overall record and the first overall draft pick that goes with it. In terms of individual awards, Jordyn Tyson was an Offensive Rookie of the Year frontrunner at +600 before his injury dropped his odds to between +3500 and +7500 depending on your book. It would take a remarkable second half combined with other rookies falling short, but Tyson is built to succeed with the setup in New Orleans. Instead, head coach Kellen Moore has the team's shortest odds to win silverware, with +1200 odds for Coach of the Year. 

2026 New Orleans Saints Season Predictions and Best Bets

The New Orleans Saints are trending up and have a very easy schedule, but is it too much to ask for them to post a .500 record? I don’t think so. This offense is stacked with developing talent, and I am a big believer that Tyler Shough could be the real deal. His reputation as a longtime college veteran combined with his second-round draft pick status has allowed the pressure to stay off his shoulders. His prime may not be very long, but Shough has demonstrated the poise and accuracy in the pocket needed to succeed. If the Saints' defense can hold up, this team could not only eclipse 7.5 wins but could even dash into the playoffs. The NFC South is expected to suck, but I can’t justify the +260 division odds over the +185 playoff odds. Maybe the Saints and one other team do better than expected, and the Saints sneak into the Wild Card with a 9-8 or 10-7 record, and the minimal price difference doesn’t offset the added risk. Take over 7.5 wins, but also take the plus money on a playoff berth too. 

For a real longshot, let’s sprinkle on Jordyn Tyson to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. Tyson is out for two months, but since that clock started in the middle of August, he should be back in Week 5 or Week 6 this season. That still gives him plenty of time to rack up impressive numbers, and the setup couldn’t be better in New Orleans. Chris Olave is the WR1 with Tyson listed just behind, but Olave is far from a target hog, and there is minimal competition further down the depth chart. Additionally, I don’t believe in frontrunners Jeremiyah Love (the Cardinals suck and he has injury concerns) or Fernando Mendoza (isn’t starting the season either), making this a wide-open race. Tyson has plenty of upside, and at this price, you shouldn’t need too much convincing. 

Top Pick: New Orleans Saints Over 7.5 Wins +100

Pick: New Orleans Saints to Make the Playoffs +185

Pick: Jordyn Tyson to Win Offensive Rookie of the Year +7500

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