The curious paradox that the return of the NFL leaves us

Atlanta Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals meet this Sunday (3:30 p.m.) at the Santiago Bernabéu. The game is generating much less noise than last year. And yet, on the pitch he promises much more. A year ago, the Dolphins and Commanders, two 3-7 teams with several of their big names out of action, scored 16-13 in overtime. This time the photography is different. Here we leave you five reasons, with data, why the 2026 clash is much better on paper.

1. More money, more talent: the top 5 salaries

If we add the average annual salary of the last contract of the five highest-paid players who stepped on the field in 2025 (Tagovailoa, Waddle, Tunsil, Chubb and Lattimore), the result is $147.75 million. The five scheduled for this Sunday (Burrow, Chase, London, Higgins and Bijan Robinson) total 184.25 million. There are 36.5 million more, a 24.7% difference. And the gap grows if adjusted to the salary cap, which has risen from 279.2 to 301.2 million. Those five players accumulate 61.2% of the cap, compared to 52.9% a year ago.

2. From 3-7 to the fight for the classification: the records

In 2025, Miami and Washington arrived in Madrid with the same record of 3-7, a 30% win rate between the two. This year, the Bengals come in at 5-2 and the Falcons at 3-5: a combined 8-7, 53.3%. Some Bengals with 5-2 and some Falcons who, despite being 3-5, are one victory away from leading their division. We are facing two teams with something real at stake, compared to two that were already traveling with the season half lost.

3. Four chosen in the top eight of the draft

Burrow was No. 1 in the 2020 draft, Chase was No. 5 in 2021, and Bijan Robinson and Drake London were both No. 8 in 2023 and 2022. This year's four star offensive players all went in the top eight. In 2025 there were two top-6 (Mariota, 2nd, and Tagovailoa, 5th), but Waddle (6th) coexisted with De'Von Achane, chosen in 84th place. The draft median is similar in both years; What changes is the regularity. This year there is no "drop-off."

4. Madden: almost twelve more points

If the video game is your thermometer, the difference is clear. In Madden 26 the offensive protagonists of that game averaged 83.3 overall average (Waddle 85, Achane 83, Tagovailoa 82). In Madden 27, this Sunday's averages 95.75: Chase has a 99, Burrow a 97, Bijan a 95 and London a 92. That's 12.4 points more.

5. Fantasy: who was chosen at the beginning of the league