Despite a disappointing 2025 season, things are looking up in Tampa Bay. Emeka Egbuka emerged as an elite wide receiver and the future No. 1 in Tampa Bay. Zac Robinson joined the Bucs as a potential offensive-savior for Baker Mayfield and Co.
With free agency and the NFL Draft right around the corner, the Bucs are only going to improve, and finally, people are noticing. DraftKings Sportsbook dropped its' betting lines for NFL win totals for 2026, and the Bucs certainly got a morale boost.
The Buccaneers have the highest line in the NFC South at 8.5. Second is the Saints at 7.5, and the final two spots are held by the Falcons and Panthers at 6.5. While the numbers are all intentionally low, being projected first in the division is exciting.
At 8.5 wins, the Bucs have one of the best betting lines in the NFL. The highest teams only received a line of 10.5, just ahead of the Bucs.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are predicted to win the NFC South in 2026
Looking back at previous seasons, DraftKings has been pretty accurate in relation to the Bucs. Entering 2025, the Bucs had a 9.5 win line and wound up winning eight games. In 2024, the Bucs were predicted to win 8.5 games but won 10.
While the last two years have been pretty accurate, 2023 was just hilarious. The Bucs were predicted to have the third-lowest win total in the NFL, the first season after Tom Brady retired, but the Bucs didn't cave. They won 10 games that year and the division.
They even won a playoff game 32-9 over the Eagles.
An 8.5 win projection is no playoff lock, but it's an exciting thing to look at. The 2026 season will be exciting as ever, and the new faces haven't even shown up yet. With Robinson in the building, Egbuka with a year under his belt, and Bucky Irving finally healthy, the offense has an elite ceiling.
If Mike Evans returns, the offense will easily be an elite force yet again. The only question mark looking forward to is the defense. Thankfully, with the 2026 NFL draft only a couple of months away, there will be an opportunity to fix it. Mock drafts are flying all over the place, but there will be talent galore for the Bucs brass to choose from.
The 8.5 wins are just a projection, and should be treated as such, but it's still a good reason to get excited about the Bucs 2026 season.