I’m going to keep this one short and sweet. You know what the fuck it is. Football is back. Fantasy Teams have been drafted. Parlays have been placed. Doordash is downloaded. We are just hours away from hearing Scott Hansen giving us 7 hours of commercial free football. Everyone still believes there is a scenario where their team makes the playoffs. This is the best time of the year for the sport, even more than the last week and playoffs. Fighter jets will hit the timing perfectly, because we are Americans, of course they do. Let’s all celebrate, we made it to week 1. This is the only place here you will find the perfect NFL Preview, no mistakes here. Wrote my takes before Thursday and Friday’s games. so obviously the Love injury impacts my Packers predictions. I could have been a coward and changed my picks, but this is what I get for posting so late. I moved out this week, so I haven’t been as locked in to getting this one up as I needed to be. Took August and half of July off but will be back to posting regularly again, just wanted to enjoy the last bit of summer. Although shit, with this weather, it still feels like summer, but football season signals that fall is coming, more than the leaves changing, more than 9/11, and more than pumpkin patches. Now that I have set the scene and romanticized football to an almost horny level, please enjoy my NFL preview.

Arizona Cardinals

Bold prediction: Marvin Harrison is good… but Trey Mcbride will have the most catches on this team. Trey popped off the 2nd half of last season when Kyler Murray returned, and I believe he will be viewed as the top TE in the league by the end of the season.

X Factor: Kyler Murray. If he is truly healthy, this offense has a chance to be really explosive. Kyler has speed at the QB position that I have never seen before.

Player that will be missed the most: Hollywood Brown. He is a solid vet WR who would have made a great number 2 this year. They now will have to rely on 1 of Michael Wilson or Greg Dortch, and I’m not sure how confident I am in either of them.

New player that will make the biggest impact: Justin Jones. This team needs the defense to play better this next season, and Justin Jones should be a big part of that. The Cardinals had the worst run defense in the league last season, so adding a DT was the number 1 priority here. Jones should have a big impact in year 1 and could be a sneaky pro bowl candidate.

Overall team prediction: 9-8, 2ND in NFC West, just miss the playoffs

Atlanta Falcons

Bold Prediction: The Falcons defense will finish the season ranked higher than their offense. Kirk is coming off a major injury at 36 years old, and while he will be an upgrade over Ridder, I’m still not completely sold on his ability to lead a top 10 offense. Even with the weapons in Atlanta, Kirk will have to prove that he can play a full season. If he gets hurt, maybe Pennix is the guy and they end up okay? But even then, Pennix would lead them to average at best. On the other side of the ball, this is a revamped defense with a defensive minded head coach in Raheem Morris. Big time veteran additions were made late into August, with the Falcons trading for Matthew Judon and signing Justin Simmons. To me, I think the Falcons will be around league average on both sides of the ball, but this defense could be a sleeping giant.

X Factor: Matthew Judon. Coming off a major injury, a trade, and entering a  contract year, I think that we will see the best version of Judon we have ever seen. When healthy, he is up there with the best pass rushers in the entire league, and should help Atlanta force turnovers by getting after the quarterback.

Player that will be missed most: Cordarrelle Patterson. The Falcons didn’t lose anything too major, so  put Cordarrelle because it would have been very fun to watch him return kicks with the new kickoff format. It may be the only offense Pittsburgh gets this season.

New player that will make biggest impact: Kirk Cousins. If he works out, the Falcons will be a playoff team. If not, well, good thing they drafted Pennix.

Overall team prediction: 9-8, 1ST in NFC South

Baltimore Ravens

Bold prediction: The Ravens will finish with a top 10 defense despite losing Mike Mcdonald and multiple starters. Mike is a great defensive coordinator, and I really do expect help improve Seattle on that side of the ball. They also lost Patrick Queen, Jadeveon Clowney, Geno Stone, Ronald Darby, and Rock Ya-Sin. But trust me, this defense is still good! My main reasons for believing in this defense are that they may have the best secondary in the NFL and also Roquon Smith being one a monster who can single handedly take over a football game.

X Factor: Rashod Bateman. Is this finally the year for him? Probably not, but if he can finally show out this season, him working the middle of the field would open up deep shots for Zay Flowers

Player that will be missed most: Patrick Queen. He had an incredible season last year, and now leaves them for the division rival Pittsburgh Steelers. Queen was a great fit for Mike Mcdonald’s scheme, so maybe they were worried he wouldn’t play as well in new defensive coordinator and former Ravens player Zach Orr.

New player that will make biggest impact: Derrick Henry. I think there is a strong likelihood that Derrick Henry leads all non-quarterbacks in touchdowns this season. In the red zone, teams will have to decide whether they want to stop the bruising inside runs of Derrick Henry, or the explosive outside runs that Lamar Jackson provides. I think Henry could be the final piece that Baltimore needs to go over the top this season.

Overall team prediction: 13-4, 1ST in AFC North

Buffalo Bills

Bold prediction: The Bills will have a bottom 5 defense this year. They lost Leonard Floyd, Tre’Davious White, Linal Jospeh, and Jordan Powyer. Von Miller is entering his age 35 season and has played only 23 games over the last 2 seasons. Unless Bobby Babich is defensive coordinator Jesus, this unit should have more holes than Swiss cheese.

X Factor: Khalil Shakir. I expect him to be Josh Allen’s favorite wide receiver to start the season, and will be asked to do a lot of the things that Stefon Diggs was asked to do. If he can deliver, Buffalo’s offense will be more dangerous than previously expected. 

Player that will be missed most: Tre-Davious White. I know he hasn’t been as healthy lately, but he was one of the best corners in the league when healthy, and this defense now has nobody to clamp a team’s number 1 option.

New player that will make biggest impact: Keon Coleman. Again, it is all about the wide receiver room for Buffalo this year. If they can deliver, I expect the Bills to be a top team in the AFC yet again. Keon Coleman has showcased plenty of personality this offseason, but will this translate to on field production? 

Overall team prediction: 8-9, 2ND in AFC East

Carolina Panthers

Bold prediction: Bryce Young will show real growth and improvement in year 2. I’m not saying he will be elite, or even in the top half of the league when it comes to starting quarterbacks. I do think that he is similar to Trevor Lawrence in that they both had horrific circumstances they had to deal with in their first NFL seasons. With a new wide receiver in Diontae Johnson and an offensive minded head coach who just revamped a similar QB in Baker Mayfield, I think now would be a great time to buy Bryce Young stock.

X Factor: Dave Canales. If he can turn around Bryce Young like I think he can, he will be worth every penny and then some. Nobody had the Buccaneers as a playoff team last year, let alone winning a playoff game, and the reason why they did is mostly due to how much the offense overachieved expectations. This Panthers team is less talented, which is why I don’t have them finishing with a crazy record, but they will show subtle improvement on offense this season.

Player that will be missed most: Frankie Luvu. This defense already had a tough time last season, and that was before they decided to let go of their leading tackler. Luvu should make an immediate impact in Washington and will prove to be an even bigger loss than Brian Burns.

New player that will make biggest impact: Robert Hunt. This team needed to get better on the offensive line for Bryce Young to have any chance at improving, and they spent big money when they decided to bring in Robert Hunt. He comes from the Dolphins, where he was a big part in Tua having a healthy year last year and Raheem Mostert defying all expectations of how older running backs should play. If the Panthers can protect, we will finally be given a fair chance to evaluate Bryce Young.

Overall team prediction: 5-12, last in NFC South

Chicago Bears

Bold prediction: The Bears will have a top 10 offense and defense. The offensive case is obvious. Caleb Williams already is blowing minds in the preseason, Keenen Allen is one of the best in the league at creating separation with his route running, Rome Odunze is an explosive athlete, and D’Andre Swift is a 3 down back that Williams can utilize in the passing game. Despite all that, the defense might be even better. They allowed 20 or less points in each of their final 6 games last year, and 10 of their final 13. They traded for Montez Sweat at last year’s deadline, which added to an already talented core of T.J. Edwards, Tyrique Stevenson, Jaylon Johnson, and Kyler Gordon. This unite should pick up right where they left off last year

X Factor: D’Andre Swift. To me, Swift is a solid starter who doesn’t have any particular elite skill, but does a little bit of everything at a good skill level. He should be a 1’000 yard rusher if he can manage to stay healthy.

Player that will be missed most: Justin Jones. They still have solid options at defensive tackle, but I think that Justin Jones is better than a lot of people realize. If the Bears win as many games as I expect them to, it shouldn’t be a huge problem. But if this team disappoints this year, I think it will b e because they don’t have an elite run defense.

New player that will make biggest impact: Caleb Williams. Let’s not overthink this. Caleb is the best QB prospect since Trevor Lawrence and should succeed immediately due to the Bears surrounding him with all sorts of weapons and a good defense. This is going to be a lot of fun.

Overall team prediction: 10-7, 3RD in NFC North, Wild Card Team

Cincinnati Bengals

Bold prediction: Jamar Chase, if he plays the whole season, will get the wide receiver triple crown. Him and Burrow, to me, are the number 1 QB-WR duo in the entire league. Higgins is the only other guy competing for targets, and he appears to already be dealing with a hamstring injury. There is still no guarantee Chase plays week 1, but at the very least he should be back by week 2, which is enough for me to throw out this bold prediction (he’s also on my fantasy team in 1 of my leagues, so this may just be wishful thinking).

X Factor: Vonn Bell. Vonn had some good years in Cincinnati before, and could form the one of the best safety duos in the league with Geno Stone if he can return to form.

Player that will be missed most: Tyler Boyd. This team has no clear wide receiver 3 and might be missing their top 2 receivers in week 1. There is a chance that this gets ugly, and Boyd would have at least given Burrow someone who he has a good connection with. Now, he might have Trenton Irwin as his number 1 option.

New player that will make biggest impact: Sheldon Rankins. The Bengals had an atrocious run defense last year, and Sheldon Rankins should lead to them seeing major improvement in this area.

Overall team prediction: 12-5, 2ND in AFC North, Wild Card Team

Cleveland Browns

Bold prediction: Kevin Stefanski will get fired when the year is over since they can’t get rid of Watson. This is a shame if it does happen, because Stefanski can coach the hell out of a football team. However, if Watson has another bad year, I do believe that he will get blamed, even though Deshaun Watson just sucks at football now.

X Factor: Dalvin Tomlinson. The Browns defense is elite, but the one area they could improve is the run game. I have always been a Tomlinson fan; he should have a better year this season and so should this run defense.

Player that will be missed most: Joe Flacco. By no means was he great, but he at least provided some explosiveness down the field. Watson is cooked to me, and Flacco would legit be better than him if he were still the starter for this team.

New player that will make biggest impact: Jerry Jeudy. The Browns have a solid wide receiver room, with the newest addition being Jerry Jeudy. He never seemed to live up to the hype in Denver, but then again, they also never had a good quarterback. Not that he has one now, but at least the Browns have more weapons to worry about than the Broncos, which should in theory create more space for Jeudy to make plays.

Overall team prediction: 7-10, 4TH in AFC North

Dallas Cowboys

Bold prediction: Dak Prescott will play so well that he prices himself off the Cowboys for next season. I have been a big Dak believer for a while now, as he gets overly hated simply because he is a Dallas Cowboy. Dak is going to come out and have a monster season, with Dallas winning the division and losing again in the playoffs. Dak will be a Raider, Jet, or Giant if I had to guess, and Qwinn Ewers or Sheduer Sanders will be starting for this team after Jerry trades up in the draft to select one of them.

X Factor: Tyler Guyton. The Cowboys have a history of drafting really good offensive lineman, and I expect Guyton to be no different. How he and the rest of the offensive line play will play a big part  in the success of this offense.

Player that will be missed most: Stephon Gilmore. I know he is older now, but he is still a solid number 2 corner in this league. The Cowboys defense still projects to be a good unit, but they will need to figure out how to fill the hole left behind by Gilmore.

New player that will make biggest impact: Eric Kendricks. He gives Dallas a little more toughness at the inside linebacker position and should be the leading tackler on this team if he can stay healthy.

Overall team prediction: 11-6, 1ST in NFC East

Denver Broncos

Bold prediction:The Broncos offense gets even worse, and Bo Nix is not starting next year. I remember last year when Kenny Pickett and the Steelers were the talk of the preseason, and what did that lead to? Nix was picked as the 6th QB for a reason and will lose his starting job to Zac Wilson at some point this season.

X Factor: Javonte Williams. If he can finally live up to his potential, Denver has a chance to win a lot of low scoring games this year just by controlling the clock.

Player that will be missed most: Justin Simmons. He is probably a top 5 safety in the NFL and I don’t understand why Denver decided to let him go.

New player that will make biggest impact: Malcolm Roach. He is overlooked because he was a defensive tackle for one of the most mediocre teams in the league the past few years. But make no mistake, Malcolm Roach is going to be a key contributor to a Denver defense that has been solid for a few years now.

Overall team prediction: 4-13, last in AFC West

Detroit Lions

Bold prediction: The Lions offense finishes outside of the top 10 this season… but the defense does. I think everyone is high on Dan Campbell and Ben Johnson coaching aura, but this team is due for some regression on offense. Normally this would cost a team, but I think Detroit is going to surprise people on the other side of the ball. This defense is young and hungry, coming off a playoff appearance where they arguably cost the team a super bowl opportunity. The Lions will be much more balanced this year and should be among the top of the Contenders in the NFC.

X Factor: Jameson Williams. I think if he pops off this season, you can completely ignore my bold prediction. He has the ability to take the top off a defense that no other player has, which is what truly helps this team reach their ceiling. I saw it happen with the Chargers, who had Herbert, Williams, and Allen, but no speedster to send deep. If Williams comes through, Detroit has got to feel good about their super bowl chances.

Player that will be missed most: Jonah Jackson. Jared Goff is a much different quarterback when pressure. Luckily, he is returning all of the starters on the offensive line.. Except Jackson. Continuity is a huge part of how an offensive line communicates on every play, so even though 1 lineman missing dosen’t sound like a big deal, it can lead to a whole side of an offensive line playing worse. Jackson is legit, and the Lions will miss him.

New player that will make biggest impact: Marcus Davenport. This team needed someone opposite of Aiden Hutchinson to rush the passer, and Davenport should be able to make an impact on this defense right away.

Overall team prediction: 11-6, 2ND in NFC North

Green Bay Packers (all Packers predictions were pre-Love injury, if he doesn’t come back right then obviously my predictions change)

Bold prediction: The Packers will have the number 1 offense. They have depth at all the skill positions, a solid offensive line, and a quarterback who played like a franchise guy for the final 10 games last season. I am all in on this team

X Factor: Jeff Hafley, DC. Joe Barry was a terrible defensive coordinator last year, which is the reason why the Packers were barely a wild card team. Enter Jeff Hafley, the former Boston College head coach who led the Golden Eagles to top 25 defenses every season that he was there. The Packers are a defense away from being a super bowl contender, and this year they have it.

Player that will be missed most: Jon Runyan. Just like Jonah Jackson for Detroit, Runyan was a major part of the Packers offensive line last year. This team spent big money to bring in Josh Jacobs, should that money have been spent on the offensive line instead?

New player that will make biggest impact: Xavier Mckinney. He has quietly been one of the best safeties in the league the past few years, hiding away on some awful Giants teams. Having him on the back end should really help eliminate big plays, something the Packers had trouble with last season.

Overall team prediction: 13-4, 1st in NFC North, best record in NFC

Houston Texans

Bold prediction: Nico Collins proves to be a 1 hit wonder. I feel like if this team really believed in Nico Collins, they wouldn’t have traded for Stefon Diggs this season. With Dell filling the speedster role and Diggs being the wide receiver 1 in my mind, I just don’t see any world where Nico Collins is a top 20 wide receiver in yards.

X Factor: Will Anderson. He is coming off an excellent rookie year and may become a big time star in his second season. This Texans defense should be better this year, and the improvement of Will Anderson should be a big part of that.

Player that will be missed most: Sheldon Rankins. Rankins held down this team’s run defense last season and will be hard to replace. The Texans should be winning a lot of games so it shouldn’t be a big concern in the regular season, but I expect this decision to come back to haunt them in January.

New player that will make biggest impact: Stefon Diggs. I think Diggs is still a top 10 wide receiver in the league, why the Bills got rid of him I don’t know. Look for Diggs to have a huge year where he silences the doubters.

Overall team prediction: 11-6, 1ST in AFC South

Indianapolis Colts

Bold prediction: Anthony Richardson and Jonathon Taylor will miss at least 3 games this year…  but the Colts will still finish as a top 10 offense. Shane Steichen is probably the most under the radar coach in the league if you ask me. Bro had an offense led by Zack Moss and Gardner Minshew getting wins last season, like what?!?!?! I think he is a top 5 offensive play caller in the NFL and will absolutely cook if he has Richardson and Taylor for most of the year.

X Factor: AD Mitchell. Mitchell going to the Colts was such a beautiful thing to see. They have been longing for a consistent number 2 for years, and I believe Mitchell has superstar upside. If he can live up to his potential, the Colts just got a whole lot scarier.

Player that will be missed most: Zack Moss. I like Trey Sermon, but it has been all hypothetical at this point. Zack Moss was phenomenal last season when filling in for Taylor, although I personally believe that was due to Steichen more than anything. As long as Taylor is healthy this year, they should be fine, but I don’t think they have as much wiggle room as last year.

New player that will make biggest impact: Laiatu Latu. The Colts got one of the best defensive players in the draft at pick 15 due to the first 14 picks being offense, a new record. Latu comes with an injury history, but if he can be healthy, he has a chance of being a top 5 player from this draft class.

Overall team prediction: 10-7, 2ND in AFC South, Wild Card Team

Jacksonville Jaguars

Bold prediction:  Press Taylor gets fired 5 games into the season. I think the Jaguars are going to start out slow this season, forcing Pederson into job saving mode with him deciding to take over offensive play calling. With w new receivers, 1 of them being a rookie, this will take time to gel. Unfortunately, the Jaguars don’t have time due to the nig contract they just signed Lawrence to.

X Factor: Trevor Lawrence. I think the hate on Trevor Lawrence this offseason has gotten a bit extreme. That being said, I would like for him to have a top 10 QB season this year considering he was the best prospect since Andrew Luck coming out of college. They reshuffled the wide receiver room, so it really is on Lawrence to produce.

Player that will be missed most: Another reason why the Jaguars have a lot of pressure is they are returning a lot of players from the disappointing team last year. If they don’t produce, I expect both coordinators to be fired and for the team to revamp the defense completely.

New player that will make biggest impact: Brian Thomas. Overlooked because he shared the field with Nabers, Thomas is an elite wide receiver prospect. If he can get 1,000 yards this year, the Jaguars need to be looked at as a potential top 5 offense.

Overall team prediction: 8-9, 3RD in AFC South

Kansas City Chiefs

Bold prediction: Chiefs defense takes a step back but is still top half of league. They were so good on defense this year, and teams are going to be giving them their best plays all season long. They also lost Sneed, a lockdown corner who played outstanding in the super bowl. They should still be good; I just don’t see them as elite this season.

X Factor: Samaje Perine. A late addition after the surprising release by Denver, the chiefs now had the Jerrick Mckinnon role filled again. Perine is an elite pass catcher for the running back position and offers a lot of lighting to Pacheco’s thunder. The chiefs will be one of the most fun teams to watch run the ball, as odd as that sounds.

Player that will be missed most: L’Jarius Sneed. This dude is an elite corner who is young, something that doesn’t grow on trees. The Chiefs are like the Patriots to me though in that I trust any move they make, even the ones that look questionable on paper. I learned this lesson the hard way with J.C. Jackson on the Chargers, something I still have nightmares about. So, like all things lately, this will seem to work out for Kansas City. But if it doesn’t everybody will be wondering why the Chiefs didn’t bring him back

New player that will make biggest impact: Xavier Worthy. The Bills really did this to themselves, very much the Plaxico Burress of draft day trades. Worthy ran the fastest 40 in NFL Combiner history, and now you just gave that man to Mahomes. Last time the Chiefs had a fast receiver…

Overall team prediction: 14-3, 1ST in AFC West, best record in AFC

Las Vegas Raiders

Bold prediction: Brock Bowers sets the rookie TE yards and touchdowns. I could have easily been a hater with this one, being that I’m a Chargers fan. But if I’m being honest, I wouldn’t have been too upset if Bowers got picked by us at 5. Dude has a knack for the game and has really elite speed for a tight end. I think he is the number two option for this team and this team will be creative in finding ways for him to get the ball.

X Factor: Jakobi Meyers. He played great in the raiders final 8 games last year. If he can prove to be an elite number 2 receiver, this Raiders team might make the playoffs.

Player that will be missed most: Josh Jacobs. I don’t even think Zamir White can be %75 percent of what Jacobs was. This team needs the run game to be good this year since they have a below average starting quarterback, so why would they decide to let Jacobs go?

New player that will make biggest impact: Christian Wilkens. Maxx Crosby finally has another player who can rush the passer! I think Wilkens has been the 2nd best defensive tackle of the past 5 years and will help this Raiders defense be a top 10 unit this coming season.

Overall team prediction: 5-12, 3RD in AFC West

Los Angeles Chargers

Bold prediction: The Chargers offense finishes top 5 in rushing yards, attempts, and touchdowns. They went Alt over Nabers, Odunze, and Bowers.  They signed 2 running backs in free agency and drafted another. They traded Keenan Allen and cut Mike Williams. The Chargers don’t give a shit that their QB is Justin Herbert. They want to run the rock the same way Whitney Houston wants to dance with somebody. Edwards, Dobbins, and Vidal will all play plenty this year, and the Chargers will play Harbaugh football.

X Factor: Denzel Perryman, The former Charger comes back after a pro bowl stint with the Raiders and being a huge part of the improved Texans defense from last year. The Chargers have been trying to fill the middle linebacker spot for over a decade now, and Perryman may be the best player they’ve had at the position coming into the year since Stephon Cooper in 2009.

Player that will be missed most: Keenan Allen. The best wide receiver in Franchise History if you ask me. He had a special knack for getting open and Herbert will surely miss having someone who can get as much separation as him.

New player that will make biggest impact: Joe Alt. Like I said, this team will run the football. I think Alt and Rashawn Slater could be the best tackle duo in the NFL for the next decade if Alt pans out and Slater stays healthy, the talent is there.

Overall team prediction: 11-6, 2ND in AFC West, Wild Card Team

Los Angeles Rams

Bold prediction: The Rams finish with a top 5 offense… and a bottom 5 defense. The Rams have a healthy Cooper Kupp now and also drafted Blake Corum in the draft to give them another option outside of Kyren Williams. This offense should be truly fantastic next season. However, this defense lost Ernest Jones, an elite linebacker about to enter his prime. Oh, and this little-known defensive lineman named Aaron Donald. I think teams are going to be able to run the ball all over this team, it could get ugly in some of these games.

X Factor: Cooper Kupp. This guy was the best receiver in football a couple years ago. Now one injured year and everyone is off him? Kupp even has a number two guy who can take away attention now! Kupp is primed for an absolute monster year and should remind everyone why he is so good.

Player that will be missed most: Aaron Donald. At the very least the best defensive lineman of the 2000s, if not all time. Enough said.

New player that will make biggest impact: Jonah Jackson. Jonah Jackson was a big reason why the Lions were so good at running the football. The Rams drafting Blake Corum signals to me that they want to run the ball even more this year, and Jonah Jackson will be a great addition for that.

Overall team prediction: 8-9, 4TH in NFC West

Miami Dolphins

Bold prediction:  Jaylen Wright is the leading rusher on this team. Raheem Mostert is old and highly unlikely to repeat last season’s success. Devon Achane is small and got injured last year. The Dolphins drafted Wright for a reason, this dude is immensely talented, and the front office felt like they needed to have insurance for their current running back room.

X Factor:  Jalen Ramsey. This defense lost Wilkens, which means quarterbacks will have more time to throw the ball this season. Ramsey will need to lock up the opposing team’s number 1 receiver in order for this defense to have any chance at being good this year. I think Ramsey is still a top 5 corner in the league, so this should be a huge test for him.

Player that will be missed most: Christian Wilkens. Dude is a savage who outside of Aaron Donald has been the best defensive tackle in the league for a few years now.

New player that will make biggest impact: Jordyn Brooks. Brooks is going to fill the role left by Andrew Van Ginkel, but I think he will actually be an upgrade. Brooks is very versatile and has untapped potential blitzing out of zone defense to me.

Overall team prediction: 7-10, 3RD in AFC East

Minnesota Vikings

Bold prediction: Sam Darnold still gets benched after 5 weeks, despite JJ McCarthy being out for the year. People love this guy, and I don’t understand. I have never seen an impressive Sam Darnold NFL game. At best, he has been average. I know they planned on having McCarthy take the job at some point this season, but he suffered a torn ACL in the preseason. So now, they need to rely on Sam Darnold to be the full-time starter. I think Jefferson will get tired of the inaccurate throws pretty quickly and Kevin O’Connell will be forced to pull the plug. 

X Factor: Aaron Jones. The only way I can see this Vikings offense working is if Aaron Jones plays like a top 5 running back this season. It is in the realm of possibilities to me, as he showed toward the end of last season that he can still produce at a truly elite level.

Player that will be missed most: Kirk Cousins. The drop off at quarterback is the biggest across the league. Cousins had this team humming until he tore his achilles, and while I get why you couldn’t pay him, the other side of it is having a bottom 5 starting quarterback on a roster that is ready to win now. If I’m them, I don’t even bring back Hockenson this year, not worth the risk of reinjury.

New player that will make biggest impact: Andrew Van Ginkel. Van Ginkel is a perfect fit for Brian Flores’ defense and will force a lot of turnovers with his great blitzing ability.

Overall team prediction:  5-12, 4TH in NFC North

New England Patriots 

Bold prediction: Antonio Gibson gets 1,000 rushing yards this year. I think Gibson was on his way to becoming a household name until the Commanders decided to take Brian Robinson. Gibson is a really good pass catcher, and ran the ball well on a Commanders team that never had a good quarterback. I think Maye and Gibson become starters around the same time, and the Patriots finish the year 3-2 in their final five games.

X Factor: Jerod Mayo. As Benny The Butcher put it, Jerod Mayo has Shaq sized souls to fill following Bill Belichick in New England. Mayo was an elite player for New England, and the defense has been the highlight of the team the past few seasons. I don’t expect him to turn things around in year 1, but this team should improve as the year goes on, and so should Mayo.

Player that will be missed most: Trenton Brown. This offensive line looked absolutely disgusting in the preseason. Trenton Brown is exactly the type of lineman you would want on your team when drafting a quarterback with the 3rd overall pick. 

New player that will make biggest impact:  Drake Maye. He looks like one of them ones to me. I like Daniels, but Maye was the 2nd best quarterback prospect to me this year. When he finally gets a chance at some point this season, Patriots fans will see they finally found their new franchise quarterback.

Overall team prediction: 6-11, 4TH in AFC East

New Orleans Saints

Bold prediction: Derek Carr finishes this year 3rd in snaps taken among QBs. Spencer Rattler will be starting for this team no later than week 10. Taysom Hill will play in all 17 games, getting about 25% of all quarterback snaps. Derek Carr is cooked. Unfortunately, he has entered Wentz territory.

X Factor: Taysom Hill. So, as I said above, I think Hill plays 25% of his snaps this year at quarterback. I think he plays 25% at tight end. I think he plays 25% at fullback and the other 25% at running back. This will make up 80% of all snaps, with him taking off every 5th play due to workload. My point is, I think the saints have realized that Carr is not going to work this year and are going to try to use Taysom Hill in all sorts of positions to try to squeeze out offense.

Player that will be missed most: Andrus Peat. Peat was a unit on the offensive line and with a quarterback in Carr who has an injury history, you have to wonder if this is on purpose.

New player that will make biggest impact: Chase Young. Chaser Young had moments during the super bowl where he showed flashes of why he was drafted so high. I think he realizes that this is a make or break year for him and has the best year of his career.

Overall team prediction: 6-11, 3RD in NFC South

New York Giants

Bold prediction: Malik Nabers looks like the better pick over Marvin Harrison. NFL athletes are in the top .1% of all humans athletically on earth. And Malik Nabers to me is in the top 5% of that group. He is a special athlete and will be the number 1 source of offense for this team. They will throw it to him deep. They will throw it to him short. They will throw it to him in the middle of the field. They will throw it to him outside. They will give him reverses. They will give him screens. He is going to be their new Odell, now if they can just get a good quarterback.

X Factor: Joe Schoen’s patience level. If they play the way I think they will, this team will be forced with 2 different ways to view the season. One could frame it as Daniel Jones 1 year off an injury. Or one could say that Danile Jones is a bad quarterback and that they need to blow it up. If they get the top pick in the draft, will they get rid of both Daboll and Jones, or will they take, I don’t know, let’s say Travis Hunter, and run it back one more time, with Jones having a healthy off-season and two elite weapons for the first time in his career. 

Player that will be missed most: Saquan Barkley. Award for worst move of the off-season goes to… the New York Giants. This was so insane. They not only lost Barkley. They not only lost him to an in-division rival. They recorded the whole process for an HBO show!!! The Giants have to have the least amount of top end premiere talent in the entire league and will get dominated by Barkley for the next 3-5 years.

New player that will make biggest impact: Brian Burns. This was a good move though! Any time you can trade with the Panthers, you do it. They stink and will stink for years to come more than likely. Burns will help this defense make the leap from average to good, being fringe top 10.

Overall team prediction: 4-13, 4TH in NFC East

New York Jets

Bold prediction: Breece Hall leads the league in rushing yards and touchdowns. This is the year. He finally has a quarterback who is a real threat. The Jets added lots of talent and depth on the offensive line. Breece is coming off a healthy offseason. It’s all adding up. This man is a special talent and is set up to have an all-time season.

X Factor: Aaron Rodgers. Last year was supposed to be this year. Cue the Aaron Rodgers American flag meme. Now this year is this year. And they are even more all in than last year. They added Bryce Huff, Tyron Smith, Mike Willaims, Morgan Moses, Haason Reddick, Solomon Thomas, Javon Kinlaw, Olu Fashanu, Malachi Corley, and Braelon Allen. But none of this matters if Rodgers isn’t at least 80% of his MVP self, none of this matters. This team gets broken up. The Jets rebuild again. Rodgers needs to deliver.

Player that will be missed most: Bryce Huff (if Reddick keeps holding out) So Reddick went to the Jets and Huff went to the Eagles. Sounds like a win for the Jets, right? Well, it is Sunday morning at 6 AM, and it looks like Reddick is going to hold out and miss week 1. If this continues, you can bet that the Jets would have much rather have just kept Huff.

New player that will make biggest impact: Tyron Smith.  Tyron Smith is the 2nd most important player on this roster, as he protects the 1st most important player. Smith is going to be a hall of famer when it is all said and done, but does he have enough in the tank to be elite this season?

Overall team prediction: 10-7, 1ST in AFC East

Philadelphia Eagles

Bold prediction: Saquon saves this team from collapsing like they did last year, leads the league in scrimmage yards from week 10 until end of season. So, that looked Pretty sick huh? Barkley was one of the best signings of the entire offseason and will save this team and catapult them to a playoff spot. 

X Factor: Cam Jurgens. I can guarantee you that he is the only center X-factor. But replacing a first ballot hall of famer is no small feat. He looked really rough on Friday, and if the Eagles can’t do the Tush Push, I have to wonder how their offense will perform late in games and in the red zone.

Player that will be missed most: Should there be an injury to Hurts (knock on wood hoping not), Marcus Mariota. Pickett is not it. The former first round pick has statistically been one of the worst quarterbacks in the league so far in his career. If anything happens to Hurts, the Eagles are absolutely screwed. Mariota has big game experience and still allows you to run read option plays. Getting rid of him to save some money may come back to haunt them.

New player that will make biggest impact: Devin White. This team has arguably the best front 7 in the entire NFL with the addition of White, and I expect them to return to defensive dominance this year.

Overall team prediction: 11-6, 2ND in NFC East, Wild Card Team

Pittsburgh Steelers

Bold prediction: Assuming Russ misses the 1st week of the season, he makes zero starts this year. I am a Fields believer. Should Russell Wilson miss this first game, I think Field plays great against the Falcons and they have no choice but to stick with him for the rest of the season. I am going to start him in a dynasty league where I have Herbert and Williams, so that should show how much I believe in him.

X Factor: TJ Watt’s health. This team has been a top 5 defense with Watt and bottom half of the league without him in his career. The only way this team can make the playoffs is if they get at least 15 games out of him. He is so special, that he might be even better than his brother was.

Player that will be missed most: Dionte Johnson. Who is the Steelers number 2 receiver? The options are looking like the last 5 minutes at a buffet. This team will struggle to throw the ball, which is exactly why I think they will just end up playing Fields Since he will improve the run game.

New player that will make biggest impact: Patrick Queen. Patrick Queen is coming off a career year and now gets to play for a Mike Tomlin defense, where he will still get to face the Ravens twice a year? Sign me up for a pro bowl years.

Overall team prediction: 7-10, 3RD in AFC North

San Francisco 49ers

Bold prediction: Josh Dobbs is starting by the end of the season *whispers* or Tom Brady. This one is probably the least likely of all my bold predictions, but the most fun! I just don’t believe in Purdy long term, and the 49ers are going to be looking for any excuse not to pay him. Dobbs showed some flashes with Arizona last season and swapped him out for Darnold with the Vikings. That should tell you all you need to know about those 2 quarterbacks. As for Brady, what if he sucks at announcing? I don’t think he will, but what if he does? Kyle Shannahan gives him a call from Shannahan to start for a team with real super bowl aspirations. This would be the greatest sports story in years, and I am totally rooting for it.

X Factor: Mental Health after getting that close to a super bowl win. It is so rare that teams go back to the super bowl after losing. To get so close and lose really does scar some of these players, and it would be totally possible that the 49ers falter and have a bad season.

Player that will be missed most: all the DL that people talked shit on last year (it will be even worse this year) This team completely revamped the defensive line, but I think it will have worse results.

New player that will make biggest impact: Leonard Floyd. He is a solid pro and should be able to get plenty of 1 on 1 opportunities this season.

Overall team prediction: 12-5, 1ST in NFC West

Seattle Seahawks

Bold prediction: Geno Smith finishes top 5 in passing yards and touchdowns, leads league in completion percentage. I can’t believe some people are talking about Sam Howell taking his place mid-season. Geno Smith is an elite thrower of the football and is sneaky good at moving within the pocket. JSN is in year 2 and should get 1,000 yards this season. Metcalf will go back to double digit touchdowns. Kenneth Walker prevents teams from just playing the pass. And new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb will improve the pace of this team, leading to a career year from the former Mountaineer.

X Factor: Devon Witherspoon. I think this is the breakout year for Witherspoon, who should be playing the Kyle Hamilton role for Mike Mcdonald.  Witherspoon is someone who can blitz off a zone or lockdown a team’s number 1 offensive threat.

Player that will be missed most: Bobby Wagner. Wagner is back in Seattle and is going to actually make an impact on this team despite his age. He brings a nice veteran presence and should help shore up the defense against the run, as he is still 1 of the best tacklers in the league.

New player that will make biggest impact: Jonathan Hankins This is the final part of improving this defense: getting a defensive tackle to stop the run. Hankins is as solid as they come and should help lead Seattle to a much-improved defense.

Overall team prediction: 8-9, 3RD in NFC West

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bold prediction: Bucky Irving leads all rookie non-QBs in touchdowns. I think Bucky has been impressive so far in camp and the preseason, and White was very mediocre last year. This run game will improve immensely once Irving plays, and he will have the best rookie season of any running back.

X Factor: OC Liam Coen. This team lost Dave Canales and replaced him with someone from the McVay tree in Liam Coen. If he can keep finding ways to put Baker in position to succeed, this team could easily win the division this year. Personally, I don’t think he will be able to do so.

Player that will be missed most: Devin White. Devin White was a pretty damn good linebacker and there is not 1 single player on this roster who can replace him. Hopefully it can be more of a group effort, but this defense should be worse next year.

New player that will make biggest impact: Graham Barton. Okay, I know I mentioned that there wouldn’t be another center. But Barton was a center picked in the 1st round, which doesn’t happen as often these days. To me, that implies that this dude has to be good.

Overall team prediction:6-11, 2ND in NFC South

Tennessee Titans

Bold prediction: Will Levis will have the lowest completion percentage among qualified starters. This is more about his play style than it is his accuracy, although it is a little bit about his accuracy. He throws the ball deep, and completion percentage lowers the further down the year you throw it. I’m not completely sold on Will Levis… but I’m not completely out on him either.

X Factor: DeAndre Hopkins. This offense needs him to be a top 10 receiver if they want to have any chance at making the playoffs this year. Does he still have that in him?

Player that will be missed most: Derrick Henry. A true legend, Derrick Henry is going to go down as one of the best running backs of all time. There is a literal mountain size hole to fill in the backfield.

New player that will make biggest impact: Ernest Jones. This is the final touch on a defensive unit that I expect to finish in the top 10 this season. Ernest Jones is just entering his prime and I was very confused on why the Rams let him go.

Overall team prediction: 4-13, 4TH in AFC South

Washington Commanders

Bold prediction: Luke Mccaffrey finishes the season with 1,000 yards. This may or may not be influenced by me having him in fantasy football. But after drafting him, I watched some tape. Damn, this dude is nice. He is super quick and has really solid hands, should get lots of opportunity out of the slot, and is getting to play with a fellow rookie, which I think should help with the connection.

X Factor: Jer’Zhan Newton. The Commanders had 1 of the best drafts to me, and this pick was a huge part of it. I thought that Jer’Zhan was going to be a 1st round pick, but he fell all the way to pick 36. Dude is going to be a stud and will contribute day 1 to an improved Commanders defense.

Player that will be missed most: Kendall Fuller. Kendall Fuller quietly has been one of the better corners in the league the past 5 years. This team isn’t contending this year regardless, so I guess it doesn’t matter, but I do wonder how the secondary will perform this year.

New player that will make biggest impact: Austin Ekeler. With Ekeler, I believe that he was not being used correctly in LA. He is best when he is a third down back, a role he should be returning to his year playing behind Brian Robinson. Look for him to have some huge multi touchdown games again this season.

Overall team prediction: 6-11, 3RD in NFC East

AFC:

1. Chiefs

2. Ravens

3. Texans

4. Jets

5. Bengals

6. Chargers

7. Colts

NFC:

1. Packers

2. 49ers

3. Cowboys

4. Falcons

5. Detroit

6. Eagles

7. Bears

AFC championship: Ravens over Chiefs 

NFC Championship: Packers over Bears (replace Packers with Lions if Love isn’t the same post injury)

Super bowl: Ravens over Packers (replace Packers with Lions if Love isn’t the same post injury)

Regular Season MVP: Patrick Mahomes

OROY: Caleb Williams

DROY: Dallas Turner

OPOY: Bijaan Robinson

DPOY: Micah Parsons

COY: Matt LaFleur

CPOY: Joe Burrow