1. Kansas City Chiefs (1): Fresh off of their second Super Bowl win back in February via an overtime TD that will forever live in the memory books, QB Patrick Mahomes, TE Travis Kelce, and Company have already cast their eyes on becoming the first to pull off a three-peat. And with new acquisition Hollywood Brown and major addition Xavier Worthy, the Chiefs perhaps will be more dynamic than ever.
To pull off this historic three-peat, though, they will need to clear a few major hurdles: replacing significant cogs on defense, weathering any possible legal developments for WR Rashee Rice, and being certain that rookie LT Kingsley Suamataia can hold up in protection for Mahomes.
2. Detroit Lions (4): Remember, WR Jameson Williams nearly single-handedly swung the balance of the 2023 NFC Championship game against the 49ers. If he's able to be a real threat from start to finish in this season, this could be an unbeatable team:.
3. Green Bay Packers (5): Like their fellow NFC North residents in Detroit, the Packers nearly beat the 49ers on the road last postseason, but ultimately blew a second-half advantage. But if QB Jordan Love keeps improving, free agents Josh Jacobs and Xavier McKinney produce, and this defense reaches its ceiling, the Packers could have more upside than any of the league's top-shelf clubs.
4. Baltimore Ravens (3): Last season's No. 1 playoff seed in the AFC has fortified their roster by adding RB Derrick Henry in hopes his bludgeoning running style complements the dynamic, elusively magnetic MVP game of Lamar Jackson. The bigger problem for the Ravens, however, is significant losses on defense - including the departure of coordinator Mike Macdonald. Those concerns are compounded by the recent death of longtime O-line coach Joe D'Alessandris, adding an extra layer of concern about the neck injury to Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum. Adversity sometimes provides the igniter to light a fire under a team, while at other times it's a complete disaster.
5. San Francisco 49ers (2): The reigning NFC champions possess what is arguably the league's most complete roster. Yet even as their issues with WR Brandon Aiyuk were resolved, the financial complications with LT Trent Williams-one of their best players-continue. It has helped a first-team offense that has mostly struggled to find its rhythm in preseason. Injuries to key players like S Talanoa Hufanga, LB Dre Greenlaw, G Jon Feliciano, and CB Ambry Thomas only raise more red flags. Even worse, the recent shooting of first-round WR Ricky Pearsall further muddies matters. The 49ers can very well face a hard time right at the beginning of the season.
6. New York Jets (10): The Jets stay relevant with a top-ranked defense, star RB Breece Hall, and head coach Robert Saleh. For the majority of 2023, they've had everything against them and should be given more credit. QB Aaron Rodgers doesn't have to lock up a fifth MVP award for this richly talented team to get over the Super Bowl drought; he only needs to stay healthy and keep the once longtime poor link of the franchise strong. So equipped are the Jets that the absence of holdout OLB Haason Reddick is apt to be more minor concern than major issue.
7. Houston Texans (8): The only franchise never to reach a conference title game, the Texans seem positioned to take that next step this season as standout second-year QB C.J. Stroud takes firm reins. Of course, there is no guarantee that they will retain the AFC South title in question until the final weeks of last season or that all of the new pieces fit together perfectly out of the gate. Still, the Texans are less encumbered by disruptive factors than many other AFC hopefuls.
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8. Philadelphia Eagles (6): The Eagles aren't letting up on the roster-building fervor with EVP/GM Howie Roseman as super talent scout in chief. His pick-up of WR3 Jahan Dotson, who had a forgettable career stanza in Washington, might just prove an inspired one. Dotson was a first-round bust in D.C., but could become a real factor in Philadelphia where his on-field assignments would often find him lined up against the opponent's fourth cornerback.
9. Cincinnati Bengals (9): The Bengals have their share of distractions-WR1 Ja'Marr Chase intermittently practicing while negotiating a new contract, WR2 Tee Higgins unhappy with his franchise tag, and DE1 Trey Hendrickson asking for a trade before retracting his request. All these may take a backseat to the return of QB Joe Burrow, who has led the Bengals to the AFC Championship in both seasons he started at least 16 games.
10. Los Angeles Rams (12): Life without Aaron Donald off to a bit of a concerning start with the key offensive pieces - QB Matthew Stafford, RB Kyren Williams and WR Puka Nacua - battling a variety of different injuries as of late. When healthy, however, the Rams' offense should be one of the more exciting groups across the league.
Indianapolis Colts (14): Second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson is something of an enigma after he missed 13 games of his rookie season because of a shoulder injury that required surgery. But with Richardson back in action, along with a fully healthy running back Jonathan Taylor and head coach Shane Steichen dialing up his signature thrilling plays, the Colts can end up as a wild-card competitor.
12. Atlanta Falcons (19): The recent additions of outside linebacker Matthew Judon and safety Justin Simmons have given the Falcons a significant boost. It's difficult to consider a team that has improved its roster more over the past month, particularly for a team that was already considered one of the more solid NFC South contenders.
13. Buffalo Bills (7): While much has been made of WR Stefon Diggs' departure, the Bills have largely overhauled both sides of their roster since that excruciating playoff loss at Kansas City. Making matters worse, the extended possible loss of All-Pro linebacker Matt Milano (biceps) might be a devastating blow to Buffalo's recent ascendance.
14 . Jacksonville Jaguars (21): Owner Shad Khan has doled out the cash this offseason in a big way, but most of the talent on a team that barely missed a second straight AFC South title in 2023 was already in Jacksonville. The Jaguars could be a dark horse in a very competitive division.
15. Cleveland Browns (11): RB Nick Chubb's lingering knee injury will keep him out until sometime in the middle of the season. This isn't the best development for a team that has failed to maximize its talent and investment in QB Deshaun Watson, himself recovering from a shoulder injury suffered in 2023. Neither is the offseason release of veteran backup Joe Flacco.
16. Miami Dolphins (17): OLB Bradley Chubb's knee injury will keep him out of action for a while longer. Not good news for a team that has far too often been more flash than substance, especially as the season wears on.
17. Chicago Bears (15): Coming off an encouraging end to last season, during which a maturing defense was instrumental in facilitating that momentum, the infusion of attacking talent, headlined by first-round QB Caleb Williams, can bring the franchise its first postseason win in 14 years.
18. Dallas Cowboys (18): Now that WR CeeDee Lamb has signed, it's checkmark time for the 2023 NFC East winners. But they might wind up being a lesser version than 2023's edition.
19. Los Angeles Chargers (16): The Chargers enter a new season, with a different head coach, hopeful for better results, although early injuries to stars like QB Justin Herbert (foot) and OLB Joey Bosa (hand) could challenge that. Both players seem set to return by Week 1, providing some optimism that new HC Jim Harbaugh can indeed shift the fortunes of this team.
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (20): The Buccaneers have invested big - nearly $300 million in free agents this offseason alone - in keeping the roster intact, including locking up Pro Bowl LT Tristan Wirfs with a five-year, $140.6 million extension. Yet they're just 18-19 over the past two seasons.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers (13): QB2 Justin Fields lost out in a position battle he was favored to win and the team also weren't successful in their pursuit of Aiyuk. It feels like "close but no cigar" is becoming a defining theme for this squad.
22. Arizona Cardinals (22): WR Marvin Harrison Jr. needs 106 catches and just under 1,500 receiving yards to set new rookie records in those categories. If any player is capable - and considering his upside, it would seem well within reach.
23. Washington Commanders (26): As good as Arizona's "Maserati Marv" will be - and he might just be the betting favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year - the top dog could be No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels. Yes, Caleb Williams has loads of upside, but Daniels is the far better runner and his role in the Commanders' offense figures to be more significant out of the gates.
24. Minnesota Vikings (23): You can't sugarcoat just how big of a blow the season-ending knee injury to rookie J.J. McCarthy is. But with some stability at quarterback, the addition of CB Stephon Gilmore and low expectations, the Vikings could be more formidable than many might anticipate.
25. Seattle Seahawks (25): Hard to get a read on 'Hawks with so many schematic changes. But the recent addition of C Connor Williams could be key to revitalizing a running game that managed to only rank 28th in 2023.
26. Denver Broncos (29): I know, I know-it's only preseason. Still, one can't help but notice how much smoother HC Sean Payton's offense was rolling with rookie QB Bo Nix versus what we saw a season ago with Russell Wilson.
27. New Orleans Saints (27): Could we see rookie QB Spencer Rattler start games by the end of the year? Derek Carr has been shut down before in order to avoid triggering future contract guarantees.
28. Tennessee Titans (28): Smell of Mayonnaise? You can bet we aren't buying into the prospects of the 2024 Titans, regardless of what their potentially whimsical and flashy free agency additions might suggest.
29. Las Vegas Raiders (24): All-Pro WR Davante Adams can have a substantial impact on the trajectory of the franchise's future - if he's productive enough to command an attractive return at the trade deadline.
30. New England Patriots (30): Without Judon and Aiyuk—which, seemingly, the Patriots did covet—the reason for panic is nil. After all, QB Jacoby Brissett does boast a .500 record with the Patriots. even if it was only via two rookie starts eight years ago.
31. Carolina Panthers (32): How much worse can it get, right? There's some optimism that things should get better with the hiring of rookie head coach Dave Canales and how well he did recently in the past with quarterbacks such as Wilson, Geno Smith, and Baker Mayfield.
32. New York Giants (31): The optimism created by the offseason "Hard Knocks" series quickly dissipated with the preseason return of quarterback Daniel Jones, whose less impressive form came out.