The final stretch before the regular season is upon us, and that means it’s time for predictions, previews and rankings from around the NFL world for the upcoming 2026 campaign. We’ll start with a fun series of rankings, taking a look at the best QB-RB-WR trios by division, starting with the AFC East.
This division made some noise this offseason with big trades, signings and extensions at the three positions across all four teams. That means no trio is exactly the same as last season. The Miami Dolphins lead the way with two new additions featured in their trio. There’s excitement, questions and concerns for every team involved, but in terms of these rankings, it’s one of the most interesting divisions to look at. Here are the best trios in the AFC East.
Best QB-RB-WR Trios in the AFC East
Â
1. Josh Allen-James Cook-D.J. Moore (Buffalo Bills)
The best QB-RB-WR trio in the AFC East resides with the Buffalo Bills, headlined by whom many believe has taken over the crown as the best quarterback in the NFL, Josh Allen. His dual-threat prowess is what makes him special, winning the MVP award in 2024 and finishing as a finalist several times before. Last season was no different, as he finished third in voting. His overall passing numbers were slightly down last season as he threw for his second fewest yards (3,668) and touchdowns (25) since becoming a full-time starter in 2019, while also throwing double-digit interceptions, but his rushing game made up for it.
His slight dip in numbers through the air could be attributed to a lack of a WR1, which he now has in the form of D.J. Moore, who the Bills traded for in the offseason. Yes, Moore is coming off the fewest yards in his career, but many factors played into that, including a crowded wide receiver room in Chicago and the inaccuracy of Caleb Williams. Now, the former 1,000-yard receiver joins an offense led by not only Allen but also his former offensive coordinator in Carolina, Joe Brady, the first-year head coach of the Bills.
You can’t forget about James Cook in the backfield, who is coming off a career year with 1,621 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. He also amassed just over five yards per carry, while averaging over 95 yards per game. Cook has quickly become one of the most dynamic backs in the NFL.
Already having Allen and Cook was enough for people to believe in the Bills, but adding Moore makes Buffalo even more of a threat.
2. Drake Maye-Rhamondre Stevenson-A.J. Brown (New England Patriots)
Sophomore slumps can be a common theme in the NFL but not for Drake Maye, who made a huge leap in year two to lead the New England Patriots to the Super Bowl after the team went 4-13 in 2024. Last season. Maye threw for 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns to only eight interceptions. His performance had him as the runner-up for the MVP award and already named a top quarterback in the league by many outlets.
The Patriots want to make sure Maye builds off his year-two success, and that’s exactly what they had in mind when they made the trade for A.J. Brown. He’s shown to be one of the best wide receivers in the league, and with Maye’s downfield vision and arm, it’s promised to be a special connection between the two that elevates this offense even more.
Whether Rhamondre Stevenson stays as the number one running back or TreVeyon Henderson takes over, the trade for Brown makes the Patriots’ trio one of the best in the entire league.
3. Geno Smith-Breece Hall-Garrett Wilson (New York Jets)
It’s a true full-circle moment for quarterback Geno Smith, who spent his first four seasons with the New York Jets from 2013-2016. He started under center in those first two seasons and never saw the field as a full-time starter again until reinventing himself with Seattle in 2022, having by far his best year yet, winning Comeback Player of the Year. He had another Pro Bowl season in 2023 and a 4,000-yard season in 2024 before being shipped off to the Las Vegas Raiders, where he had his worst year since that great three-year stretch with Seattle.
His 2025 performance is what’s holding the Jets back from having a rising trio in the league. The Raiders’ environment didn’t help Smith one bit, but he will be 36 years old in October. What’ll be intriguing is whether Smith can bounce back with the weapons he has at his disposal, having Breece Hall in the backfield and Garrett Wilson as his WR1.
Hall was one of the few bright spots last season for the Jets, rushing for the first 1,000-yard season of his career while Wilson accumulated a 1,000-yard receiving season in his first three seasons in the NFL, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2022. The star wide receiver had an injury-riddled season in 2025, only playing in seven games, but when healthy, has shown to be one of the best wideouts in the league.
The Jets might have the third-best QB-RB-WR trio in the AFC East, but it might be one of the most intriguing heading into the upcoming campaign.
4. Malik Willis-De’Vone Achane-Malik Washington (Miami Dolphins)
Not only do the Dolphins have the worst QB-RB-WR trio in the AFC East, but they have one of the worst in the entire league. What might have kept them from being last in the NFL is the speed and explosiveness of De’Von Achane at the running back position. He mustered up his first 1,000-yard season, earning him a new four-year, $64M contract extension. Altogether, he rushed for 1,350 yards with eight touchdowns at almost 85 yards per game. He’s the “pillar” of this Dolphins team.
There’s one man who could change the narrative of this trio and that’s Malik Willis, who Miami signed to a three-year, $67.5M deal in free agency to replace Tua Tagovailoa. He was going by the waste side in Tennessee before being traded to the Green Bay Packers, where he shined in a backup role and filled in nicely as a starter when needed. Because of his bounce-back, he earned himself a big starting contract to lead Miami into their next phase. Many attribute his success to working with Matt LaFleur, but if he can show even more than he did as a backup in Green Bay, these rankings could change.
Willis will have to make it work with what he has at wide receiver, as the Dolphins don’t have the likes of Jaylen Waddle or Tyreek Hill to rely on. In fact, they don’t have much to rely on downfield as the number one target. Miami has the likes of Malik Washington, Jalen Tolbert, and Tutu Atwell leading the group of wide receivers. This is vastly different from their receiving cores of the past.
Upcoming: AFC West | AFC North | AFC South | NFC East | NFC West | NFC North | NFC South
Main Image: David Butler II-Imagn Images
