The 2026 NFL season is right around the corner, and fans are desperate for more NFL action. The 2025 season was a season to remember. From blocked field goals to incredible storylines, the National Football League is filled with many memories and iconic moments. However, some underrated NFL storylines never make the headlines.
Most fans know each storyline that comes with their team. Underrated players, non-talked-about player arcs, and so many other details about each team. To the casual NFL fan, they may not know what is happening with different teams throughout the NFL. This is the article for them.
In this article, I am going to detail underrated NFL storylines and break down why they are important for the 2026 NFL season. These storylines may not break headlines, but I believe that during the season, mainstream media could start highlighting these stories. I am going to break down why these underrated NFL storylines deserve to have light shone on them.
*Research is coming from Pro Football Reference and other sites that will be provided throughout the article.
The Colts’ Make-or-Break Campaign
The Indianapolis Colts started the 2025 season on a historic path. New quarterback Daniel Jones broke every expectation, becoming one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL during the first half of the season. With Jonathan Taylor warranting MVP votes, the Indianapolis Colts looked unstoppable. However, after a brutal torn Achilles tendon to Daniel Jones, Indianapolis’ hopes for a playoff run dwindled. Head coach Shane Steichen could be on the hot seat throughout the 2026 season.
Steichen has been the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts since 2023, but has consistently been mediocre. Steichen has yet to lose more than nine games in a season, but has yet to win more than nine games in a season. Regardless of the success of the first half of last season, fans should still be worried about the ceiling of a Shane Steichen-led team.
Indianapolis was keyed in on resigning their top players from a season ago. Alec Pierce signed a long-term contract to continue developing in Indianapolis. Daniel Jones signed a make-it-or-break-it deal to prove he could be the future of the franchise. Along with the fact that the organization traded their next two first-round picks for superstar cornerback Sauce Gardner, this team is all in on the 2026 season.
If Indianapolis can replicate the first half of 2025 for the 2026 season, Shane Steichen and Daniel Jones will become the faces of the franchise for years to come. However, if Daniel Jones struggles coming back from injury and Steichen performs mediocre again, we could see a new era begin in Indianapolis. Heading into the season, this is one of the most underrated NFL storylines.
Securing the Carolina Panthers’ Future
The Carolina Panthers shocked the NFL world in 2025. They won a weak NFC South, but they did this in such a unique way. They defeated powerhouses like the Los Angeles Rams and Green Bay Packers; however, they were swept by the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Regardless of how they did it, they won the NFC South for the first time since their Super Bowl run in 2015. Head coach Dave Canales has changed the culture since becoming the head coach in 2024.
However, the ultimate question remains: is Bryce Young the Carolina Panthers franchise quarterback? He has struggled since entering the NFL and was benched in the middle of the 2024 season. After he would return as the starting quarterback, something clicked, playing up to the standards of the No. 1 overall pick. In 2025, he continued to improve, throwing a career high in touchdowns (23) and completion percentage (63.6). Questions still remain about his ceiling, and this could mean 2026 is a make-or-break year for Bryce Young.
Carolina made some incredible offseason additions for Young. They signed defensive monsters Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd to long-term deals, improving an already solid defense. With an offense built around Bryce Young, 2026 is the year for him to break out. The Carolina Panthers have been a headline team throughout the offseason, but one of the underrated NFL storylines is Bryce Young’s future with the organization.
But what if he doesn’t? If Young is stagnant and stalls in his development, could this mean the end of the Bryce Young era in Carolina? He is eligible for an extension and is in the last year of his rookie contract (if Carolina doesn’t pick up his fifth-year option). Unfortunately for the Carolina Panthers, this is a make-or-break year for their former No. 1 overall pick.
Why 2026 is the Ultimate Litmus Test for Justin Herbert
The Los Angeles Chargers drafted Justin Herbert in the first round of the historic 2020 NFL draft. Herbert was not slated to start early in the season; however, he gained the starting position due to injury, and the rest is history. He would go on to have one of the best rookie quarterback seasons of all time, throwing thirty-one touchdowns. He would follow up this season with another impressive one, throwing 38 touchdowns. Even with his incredible play, one thing looms over his career: playoff blunders.
Herbert has made the postseason three times in his NFL career. The first time was in 2022, Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers led 27-0 over the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, Jacksonville would come back and win the game, making this one of the biggest playoff comebacks in NFL history. However, the culture would change following the 2023 season.
Legendary coach Jim Harbaugh would become the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers in 2024. Los Angeles has made the playoffs the past two seasons with Harbaugh and Herbert, but they have yet to see success. Herbert struggled in the 2024 postseason, throwing four interceptions in a crushing loss. 2025 was no better. With an injured offensive line, Herbert threw just 159 yards and zero touchdowns in another postseason loss. Are the allegations true that Justin Herbert didn’t show up for the postseason?
Context is important. Herbert has played through injury, dealt with a completely injured offensive line, and has had a lack of weapons. Regardless, the stats do not lie, and Herbert has been dreadful during the postseason. If he struggles again, there could be talk of potentially finding another quarterback for the Los Angeles Chargers. Throughout the season, this could be one of the underrated NFL storylines.
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