Our Consensus 2020 Season Kickoff NFL Power Rankings
Written by: Greg Lehr | @greglehr3
Power Rankings by: The Blitz Team | @Blitzalytics
After an oddly quiet training camp throughout the NFL, mostly due to no preseason games and more restrictive media rules, it almost seems too hard to believe that football is finally back. With the Houston Texans visiting the Super Bowl Champs in Kansas City on Thursday night to kick off the 2020 season, check out how your team stacks up in our consensus NFL power rankings entering Week 1. The top ten are widely viewed as contenders for good reason, but the league is bound to be wide open to change as the season goes on. We will wait and see who jumps into the top ten by the quarter-mark of the season.
1. Kansas City Chiefs - Everything seems to come easy for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, but nothing is harder than defending a championship. Andy Reid’s squad should continue being the most entertaining team in the league as they try and do just that this coming season.
2. New Orleans Saints - A bumpy road at times this offseason off the field, but this should remain one of the most well-oiled machines on it. There are little concerns with this talented, veteran-heavy team.
3. Baltimore Ravens - No team or individual player is out to right the wrongs of the 2019 playoffs more than the Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson. Despite the departure of Earl Thomas, this team is still full of premier talent on both sides of the ball. Watch out, AFC.
4. San Francisco 49ers - Outside of a pesky preseason injury bug, the 49ers remain one of the most loaded rosters in the league. Another hungry contender, but the division will be tougher. Can Garoppolo elevate his game (and team) to get them over the top?
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - We all know that the Bucs hit the lotto when Tom Brady chose to play in Bruce Arians’ offense with an incredible array of pass-catchers. Will Brady and Gronk provide enough championship magic for the Bucs to be the first-ever home team Super Bowl champion?
6. Seattle Seahawks - As long as Russell Wilson remains at the helm, this franchise will be in playoff and/or championship contention. In a brutally tough division, Wilson will need his weapons and his defense to step up around him to go deeper than last year's divisional-round loss.
7. Buffalo Bills - Quite possibly the only city happier than Tampa when Tom Brady decided to leave New England. Brady notoriously owned the Bills while inside the division, but those days are officially over. Buffalo has all the right pieces in place to take the next step, but can they deliver on their highest expectations in years?
8. Dallas Cowboys - A new, veteran coaching staff hopes to breathe fresh life into a franchise that has stalled in recent years. Their young core, led by Dak and Zeke, are primed to hit the accelerator on their championship aspirations. There is no time to waste for Mike McCarthy.
9. Indianapolis Colts - Frank Reich is happy to once again have a veteran quarterback behind center in Philip Rivers. A strong offensive line and running game should allow Rivers to play much more comfortably than he had become accustomed to in recent years. Indy is poised to bounce back and challenge for the division title.
10. Tennessee Titans - Speaking of the AFC South, the division champ from a year ago is hoping to ride the same train to success in 2020. And that train’s name is Derrick Henry. This week’s addition of Jadeveon Clowney should bring an added edge (literally and figuratively) to the defense as Mike Vrabel looks to build upon a strong 2019 campaign.
11. Pittsburgh Steelers
12. Philadelphia Eagles
13. Green Bay Packers
14. Minnesota Vikings
15. Houston Texans
16. New England Patriots
17. Arizona Cardinals
18. Cleveland Browns
19. Las Vegas Raiders
20. Denver Broncos
21. Los Angeles Chargers
22. Atlanta Falcons
23. Los Angeles Rams
24. Detroit Lions
25. Chicago Bears
26. Carolina Panthers
27. New York Giants
28. Miami Dolphins
29. Cincinnati Bengals
30. Washington Football Team
31. New York Jets
32. Jacksonville Jaguars
*For more detailed outlooks on all 32 NFL teams, be sure to check out the newly released Blitzalytics’ Prospect Enclyclopedia 2020.