1. Chiefs: The champs stay the champs until someone beats them.
2. Lions: It’s safe to say this is the highest the Lions have ever started a season. Can they stay in that stratosphere?
3. Packers: If Jordan Love’s trajectory continues, they could win their fifth Super Bowl.
4. 49ers: Contract issues aren’t a good problem; they’re just a problem. And the 49ers still have two of them.
5. Ravens: The biggest questions for Baltimore will be answered in the postseason, not the regular season.
6. Eagles: The roster is stellar. The coaching concerns linger.
7. Bengals: The Ja’Marr Chase contract issue was avoidable. Will it keep them from being all they can be?
8. Bills: If they pick up where they left off last year, they could be in the mix for their first Super Bowl visit in 31 years.
9. Buccaneers: Everyone is overlooking them, and they surely love it.
10. Texans: Will their new additions (Stefon Diggs, Joe Mixon, Danielle Hunter) move the needle?
11. Dolphins: The owner calls them a Super Bowl contender. What happens if they aren’t?
12. Browns: Will Deshaun Watson ever play again like he did in Houston?
13. Bears: Caleb Williams is the real deal.
14. Jets: They’re pinning their offensive hopes to plenty of veterans with injury issues. Still, with that defense, they don’t need a whole lot on the other side of the ball.
15. Steelers: Russell Wilson seems poised to get a chance to turn the clock back to pre-Let’s Ride.
16. Falcons: There’s still a weird vibe at the quarterback position, but they’ve made some interesting moves on the defensive side of the ball.
17. Rams: The injury bug could be an issue this year. It already has been.
18. Chargers: The franchise has figuratively been trapped in an elevator for years. Can Jim Harbaugh rescue it?
19. Cowboys: At this rate, they’ll have their contract issues solved by 2030.
20. Jaguars: Brian Thomas Jr. could do a nice job of replacing Calvin Ridley. If so, they’ll climb.
21. Colts: Anthony Richardson’s lost rookie reason puts even more pressure on him for 2024.
22. Seahawks: The defense should be fine. How will the offense perform?
23. Broncos: Bo Nix looks great so far. If he can keep it up during the grind of the regular season, the Broncos will climb.
24. Saints: It seems like the franchise is stuck in a vat of molasses.
25. Vikings: Losing J.J. McCarthy for the year won’t make it any easier to navigate a very difficult division.
26. Titans: If Will Levis can overachieve, the team will, too.
27. Commanders: A bump will be in order if they can land Brandon Aiyuk before next week.
28. Raiders: How long until Davante Adams wants out, again?
29. Giants: Daniel Jones knows where he stands. Which likely makes him wonder when he’ll be sitting.
30. Cardinals: Kyler Murray, if he discovers his pre-ACL form, will lift them a lot higher than No. 30.
31. Patriots: It could be a long season.
32. Panthers: It could be another long season.