Week 1 NFL Power Rankings (2020)

After so much uncertainty, Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season is actually here. There was no preseason, which makes it a little bit more difficult to rank heading into the first week. What are we going to get from rookies? Which offseason acquisitions are clicking, and which aren't? We will just have to wait and see.

But for now, here is where every team in the NFL stands with the season-opener just days away.

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32) Jacksonville Jaguars

There is no doubt in my mind that the Jaguars are the worst team in the league heading into the season. Gardner Minshew is their starting quarterback, and while Minshew Mania was great for a period, there is no doubt that he got worse, not better, as the season progressed. In addition, Leonard Fournette was just cut, which means that Minshew won't be getting much help from the rushing attack. Only five teams in the NFL scored fewer points than Jacksonville did last season, but it may be even less this season.

31) Washington Football Team

The name is an improvement over the previous one, which tells you just how horrible that one was, but unfortunately for Washington, their roster is very much the same. Dwayne Haskins struggled in his rookie campaign, and even with Terry McLaurin, it's unlikely that one season will be enough to make him more NFL-ready. They did add Chase Young in the draft, and head coach Ron Rivera has proven that he knows how to win with the pieces he's given, but it's hard to imagine Washington making any real noise this season in a division with both the Eagles and the Cowboys.

30) Carolina Panthers

Speaking of Ron Rivera, his old team isn't in much better shape than his new one. The Panthers have Christian McCaffrey, and that's about it. Yes, they acquired Teddy Bridgewater, who is an absolute winner, but will it be enough? Bridgewater isn't the type of quarterback who will win you games; he's the type who will make sure you don't lose them when you shouldn't. I fear the Panthers need more than that.

29) New York Jets

The Jets finished a shockingly respectable 7-9 last season despite being one of the worst teams in the league when Sam Darnold wasn't under center. In their last eight games of 2019, they went 6-2, which may cause some excitement for their fans. I say not so fast. Those wins came against the Giants, Washington, a dying Raiders team, the Dolphins, Steelers, and playoff-resting Bills. Darnold's improvement will be key to any success the Jets are going to have this season.

28) Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals got their guy in Joe Burrow, and now it's time to see if he can make an immediate impact much the way that Kyler Murray did last season. The expectations in Cincinnati aren't high, but all eyes will be on Burrow as he navigates his rookie season after a record-breaking final year in college.

27) New York Giants

Giants fans are excited coming into this season, but then again, Giants fans are always excited. The team is Daniel Jones' now with Eli Manning retired, and there is reason to think that he can get the Giants some wins this season that just weren't realistic last year. If Saquon Barkley can stay healthy, the Giants could perhaps be a surprising team in the NFC East. But the offensive line is still a problem, and the defense is going to need to be much better than they were in 2019 if the Giants are going to make any real noise.

26) Los Angeles Chargers

Tyrod Taylor will get the nod as the starting quarterback as the Chargers begin life without Philip Rivers. The Chargers were two wins away from the Super Bowl two seasons ago, but rather than building off it, they proved to be one of the biggest disappointments of 2019. With Taylor under center, it seems unlikely this is going to be the year they turn things around.

25) Miami Dolphins

All eyes are going to be on Tua and how long the Dolphins want to wait before getting him on the field. Ryan Fitzpatrick played like a mad man at the end of last season, and despite how undermanned the Dolphins were all season, they played hard right to the finish line. Remember, they knocked off the Patriots in Week 17 when all New England needed was a win to get a first-round bye. Brian Flores has his guys believing. Unlike last season, this season won't be a waste for Miami.

24) Chicago Bears

Starting the season with a quarterback controversy is a surefire way to torpedo your season. In the offseason, the Bears brought in Nick Foles, and as soon as they did, the questions began. Mitchell Trubisky will likely be the starter for Week 1, but his leash is going to be extra short after his disappointing 2019. The defense is still solid, but will the offense be able to score enough to get them wins? My gut tells me it's not going to be a fun season in Chicago.

23) Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders start their first season in Las Vegas on the road, and then they go home to play in front of an empty brand new stadium. It's not ideal, considering that fans could have been awesome, and they may have been enough to propel the Raiders to a few extra wins. The Raiders were right in the hunt last season, but they fell apart in the second half of the year on their way to a 7-9 finish. Derek Carr will need to be much better this year if he expects to keep the starting job in 2021.

22) Detroit Lions

The Lions were arguably the best bad team in league history last year. Granted, they're not exactly giving out Lombardi trophies for that feat, but up until Matthew Stafford's injury, the Lions were right in every game and very nearly knocked off the Packers in Lambeau and the future Super Bowl champion 49ers. Many are writing them off because of their record last season, but they could be the surprise of the NFC if they can stay healthy. They also just signed Adrian Peterson as they look to prove to the NFL that they have a real rushing attack. Peterson joins Kerryon Johnson, Bo Scarbrough, and rookie D'Andre Swift.

21) Cleveland Browns

There is no denying that the Browns were the biggest disappointment in the NFL last season. They brought in a whole slew of talented players but managed to do nothing with them. Baker Mayfield will have to be much better in his third season if he wants to have any type of career in the NFL, and he will look for help from his wide receiving corps that let him down in 2019. Also, Myles Garrett is back on the field after his incident against the Steelers. There may be hope in Cleveland, but I won't be tricked into putting them in the top half of the league again until they prove something.

20) Denver Broncos

Drew Lock looks to build off a successful rookie season and turn the Broncos into contenders in the AFC. Prior to Lock taking over at quarterback, the Broncos were a team that managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory on multiple occasions. They started the season 3-7, and only two of those losses came by more than one possession. Lock started the last five games of the season, leading the Broncos to a 4-1 record over that span and an improbable second-place finish in the AFC West. Was it just end of the year luck, or can the Broncos build off this into something meaningful for 2020? Only time will tell.

19) New England Patriots

This is the lowest I've ever had the Patriots in a ranking, and I feel like it won't be long before I'm moving them up. For the first time since 2000, Tom Brady is not on the Patriots' roster, but Bill Belichick didn't exactly go out and replace him with a slouch. Instead, he landed MVP Cam Newton, who will look to revamp his career as the Patriots look for their 12th straight AFC East title.

18) Houston Texans

The Texans lost DeAndre Hopkins in the offseason, and they will now try to stay healthy on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball as they look to win their third straight AFC South title. Will Deshaun Watson's talent alone be enough to get the Texans back into the playoffs? The AFC South is crowded, and most sportsbooks have the Texans as only the third favorite to win the division, a long way behind the Titans and the Colts. Unfortunately for Houston, that sounds about right.

17) Arizona Cardinals

There is a lot of excitement around the Cardinals after their signing of DeAndre Hopkins in the offseason. Hopkins will just be the latest weapon for second-year starter Kyler Murray, as he joins Christian Kirk, future Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald, and running back Kenyan Drake. It seems the only problem for the Cardinals' offense is that there is only one football.

16) Los Angeles Rams

The Rams had a disappointing 2019 and will look to get back to their 2018 success in a very crowded NFC West. Many are expecting them to roll over and die, but what is most interesting is that even with how bad they were last season, had the new playoff format been in effect, the Rams would have been the seventh and final seed in the NFC playoffs. Don't count this team out after what could have simply been a Super Bowl hangover.

15) Atlanta Falcons

Can the Falcons stay healthy? It seems like they run into the same problem every season. Defensive injuries have made it impossible for them to compete at a high level like they did back when they made it to the Super Bowl. But with Matt Ryan under center and Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley as his weapons, it wouldn't be shocking to see the Falcons hang around in the very competitive NFC South.

14) Tampa Bay Buccanneers

No offseason was more exhilarating than the one the Bucs just had. They signed Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, and just days ago, they added Leonard Fournette to back up Ronald Jones II. If Brady still has something left in the tank, Tampa's offense is going to be absolutely electric this year. And what about defensively? Last season, the Bucs had the 15th best overall defense and the number one rushing defense in the league. They did give up 28.1 points per game, though it's not fair to put all the blame on them. Jameis Winston threw an NFL record seven pick-sixes and 30 interceptions. Brady won't do that, meaning the Bucs are a serious contender this year.

13) Tennessee Titans

If Derrick Henry runs the ball as well as he did at the end of last season, and Ryan Tannehill can play at the same caliber he did in 2019, the Titans are going to win the AFC South with ease. They are coming off an AFC Championship Game appearance and even held a 21-0 lead in that game. Was it all a fluke, or is this team really that good? Betting markets like the Colts to win the AFC South at the moment, but after a few weeks, the Titans could prove to be the class of the division.

12) Philadelphia Eagles

Can the Eagles stay healthy? It's been their biggest problem since their Super Bowl victory, and already this season is off to a shaky start. Carson Wentz is dealing with a soft-tissue injury, which is worrisome for a signal-caller who has yet to make it through an entire season. And then there is the first-round pick Jalen Reagor, who injured himself trying to make a tackle in practice. Remember, he's a wide receiver. If they stay healthy, then they can take the division; otherwise, they're not going to be able to compete with Dallas, and they likely won't find their way into the playoffs in a crowded NFC.

11) Green Bay Packers

So many people are writing off the Packers. This feels really dangerous, especially considering that Aaron Rodgers is still under center and badly wants another Super Bowl ring. Many are probably just remembering their abysmal performance in last season's NFC Championship Game, but the 49ers were simply a bad matchup for them. The Vikings are favored to take home the NFC North, but until Rodgers retires, the Packers are always going to have a chance to make some noise.

10) Indianapolis Colts

Philip Rivers under center will be a welcome sight for Colts' fans who had to endure shaky quarterback play last season after Andrew Luck's unexpected retirement. Frank Reich still managed to lead the team to a 7-9 record and kept them alive in the playoff hunt for most of the season after many had written them off. Now with an experienced veteran quarterback and an exciting rookie running back in Jonathan Taylor, the Colts will look to take home the AFC South title and perhaps surprise a lot of people in a top-heavy AFC.

9) Pittsburgh Steelers

Mike Tomlin did a great job with this team last season, considering how much of an issue the quarterback position was for them. Big Ben's arm looks great, and Pittsburgh fans should find comfort in the fact that the Steelers waived Duck Hodges. The Steelers would have made the playoffs last season with Mason Rudolph as their starter for a majority of the campaign if the new playoff format was in play.

8) Minnesota Vikings

Kirk Cousins and the Vikings are favored to win the NFC North in 2020. They made it into the playoffs as the sixth seed last season, and they knocked off the Saints in an exciting Wild Card weekend matchup. The question surrounding the Vikings will be whether or not Cousins is the guy to actually bring them a Lombardi Trophy. Until he either leaves Minnesota or the Vikings win a Super Bowl, it's unlikely this story will change.

7) Dallas Cowboys

Jason Garrett is out, and Mike McCarthy is in. Most in Dallas are excited about this because Garrett simply couldn't get the job done despite having a never-ending lineup of talent. But is McCarthy the best fit? There is one thing that is certain, and it’s that the Cowboys have one of the most talented rosters in the league. Now they just need to put it all together and win a division that they should have easily won a season ago. 

6) Buffalo Bills

The Bills have made the playoffs two out of three years. Think about that. They hadn't made it since the 1999-2000 season, and now they've made it twice since 2017. Even crazier than all of that, the Bills are favored to win the AFC East this season. You did not read that wrong. With a great defense, phenomenal coaching, and Josh Allen under center, making the playoffs won't be enough for the Bills this year. This year they'll want to win some games once they get there.

5) Seattle Seahawks

Russell Wilson makes it impossible to bet against the Seahawks, which is why many think that they can overthrow the 49ers and reclaim the NFC West title. My biggest concern with Seattle actually isn't in their roster, but it’s that they’ll be without fans in the stands for their first three home games. No one wants to play the Seahawks in Seattle, but suddenly it doesn't feel nearly as intimidating without the 12th man. If any team is going to suffer because of the lack of fans in the stands, the Seahawks are my bet to be most prone to losses in games they otherwise would have won.

4) New Orleans Saints

The story has been the same for the Saints over the last three years. How can they rebound off a heartbreaking postseason loss and get Drew Brees one more ring before he retires? This year, the road is going to be much more difficult — the Bucs made a ton of offseason moves, and if the Falcons can stay healthy, they can compete with anyone. The good news for the Saints is that they will only be without fans in the Superdome for the first game of the season. The bad news is that game is against Tom Brady and the Bucs.

3) San Francisco 49ers

If it wasn't for a fourth-quarter meltdown, the 49ers would be the reigning Super Bowl champs and would be right at the top of this list. The 49ers come into this season with the second-best rushing attack from a season ago led by Raheem Mostert, Tevin Coleman, and the now-departed Matt Breida, and they will look to shut down opposing quarterbacks with their secondary that gave up just 169.2 passing yards per game last season.

2) Baltimore Ravens

If Lamar Jackson's post-game press conference after last year's playoff loss is any indication, then the Ravens are on a mission this year. Jackson was devastated during the entire presser, as he answered every question without letting his emotions take over. He's the most exciting player in the league and the reigning MVP but has yet to win a playoff game. He's going to want to get that asterisk away from him as soon as possible.

1) Kansas City Chiefs

There is no reason not to put the defending Super Bowl champs at number one. Patrick Mahomes has shown no signs of slowing down, and after adding Clyde Edwards-Helaire, it seems that the offense has only gotten better. The AFC West has some teams with potential, but it would be shocking to see the Chiefs not come away with the division title this season. Right now, they are the clear favorite to get the only bye in the AFC playoffs.

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