The AFC North has historically been one of the most competitive divisions in the NFL.
That wasn’t the case in 2025, as the AFC North sent just one team to the playoffs, breaking a streak of five consecutive years with at least one wild-card representative.
Injuries to starting quarterbacks played a major factor, as 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers somehow started the most games under center (16) of any quarterback in the division.
As we get set for the 2026 campaign, let’s analyze the latest AFC North winner odds and make a division champion prediction.
AFC North Winner Odds 2026
These AFC North betting odds are current as of Wednesday, July 29, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Be careful, as many NFL odds may shift as we get closer to the 2026 NFL season.
- Baltimore Ravens (-112)
- Cincinnati Bengals (+184)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (+510)
- Cleveland Browns (+2100)
Keep track of pro football futures this offseason with our NFL futures odds comparison tool:
AFC North Standings 2025
Before we dig into my AFC North predictions, here’s how the division played out last season:
- Pittsburgh Steelers 10-7
- Baltimore Ravens 8-9
- Cincinnati Bengals 6-11
- Cleveland Browns 5-12
AFC North Winner Best Bet
Baltimore Ravens (-112)
The AFC North will look different this season without John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin, but I really like Baltimore’s decision to replace the former with Jesse Minter. The first-time head coach has been a stellar defensive coordinator under Jim Harbaugh at Michigan and with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Minter will try to turn around a unit that allowed the ninth-most yards in the NFL last season (354.5 per game) and tied for the third-fewest sacks (30). The offseason addition of Trey Hendrickson and return of Nnamdi Madubuike from injury should help the Ravens get after the quarterback.
On offense, Baltimore will still rely on the trio of Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, and Zay Flowers. However, there should be some new looks under offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, who worked under Ben Johnson in Chicago last season.
The Ravens have won the AFC North two of the past three seasons, and they’re the most balanced team in the division. At -112 odds, I’ll happily back Baltimore to reclaim the top spot in the division as my NFL pick of the day.
AFC North Winner Sleeper Pick
Cincinnati Bengals (+184)
The Bengals aren’t a sleeper pick to win the AFC North, but they’re the only other viable option. I don’t trust the Steelers to continue outperforming expectations without Tomlin, and the Browns’ quarterback situation remains in utter disarray.
We know that Cincinnati has a high ceiling when everything goes right. We saw that in the early parts of this decade when the Bengals went to back-to-back AFC Championship Games and reached Super Bowl 56.
To reach those heights again, Cincinnati needs quarterback Joe Burrow, who has missed 16 games over the past three seasons, to stay healthy. If he does, we know what he can do with weapons like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in tow.
However, for Zac Taylor’s squad to truly ascend again, it’ll need its marquee offseason acquisitions on defense (Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen, and Boye Mafe) to help that unit play at a respectable level once again.
AFC North Winner By Year
| Year | AFC North Winner | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 11-5 |
| 2017 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 13-3 |
| 2018 | Baltimore Ravens | 10-6 |
| 2019 | Baltimore Ravens | 14-2 |
| 2020 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 12-4 |
| 2021 | Cincinnati Bengals | 10-7 |
| 2022 | Cincinnati Bengals | 12-4 |
| 2023 | Baltimore Ravens | 13-4 |
| 2024 | Baltimore Ravens | 12-5 |
| 2025 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 10-7 |
