I'm back from my Honeymoon in Hawaii, and completely refreshed. Let's jump right into my Power Rankings...
PLEASE NOTE: I do NOT simply rank teams by current record. There would be no point in even doing this. I try to read between the lines and see where teams are headed as we move forward.
TIER 4: I Hope You Have Basketball or Hockey Teams to Watch
32. Oakland Raiders (1-5): Turmoil isn't even the word. Jon Gruden is cleaning house, but I wouldn't exactly say he's going about it the right way. Apparently he told his team Amari Cooper wouldn't be traded, and shortly after he was being yanked off the practice field. That doesn't inspire trust from your players. With Khalil Mack and Cooper gone, Derek Carr crying on the field and poor all-around personnel, these Raiders are currently the worst of the worst.
31. Arizona Cardinals (1-6): I thought things would get better with Josh Rosen in place of Sam Bradford, but then I watched that Thursday Night Game against Denver. The Broncos aren't good, and yet the Cardinals made them look like a dominant, Super-Bowl caliber team. Rookie HC Steve Wilks and former OC Mike McCoy (fired this week) have done a horrendous job, and this club is going nowhere fast.
30. Buffalo Bills (2-5): They looked a little more competent with rookie Josh Allen under center, but what can we really say about Derek Anderson and Nathan Peterman? Allen's elbow injury has him sidelined, and "Shady" McCoy picked up a head injury. This was already a piss-poor team, and now we're talking about two of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL, on top of a handful of key injuries. Every week I pick up the fantasy defense that is playing against Buffalo.
29. New York Giants (1-6): Anyone else getting the feeling that the Giants have absolutely no idea what they are doing? Last season Eli Manning bullied Bob McAdoo out of the logical decision to give Davis Webb a shot, and this season things are getting even worse. The Giants passed on Rosen, Allen and Sam Darnold for RB Saquon Barkley -- I'm sorry, this is not a running back-centric league -- because Eli convinced GM Dave Gettleman and HC Pat Shurmur that he had more left in the tank. He doesn't. That tank has been running on empty for quite a while. Now Gettleman traded CB Eli Apple, just as he was starting to come into his own. The Giants are a mess. There's no method to the madness. They'll need a new QB next year.
28. San Francisco 49ers (1-6): The Jimmy Garoppolo and Jerick McKinnon injuries were season-killers, but Kyle Shanahan keeps this team respectable. They may not win many games with C.J. Beathard calling the signals, but they only lost by two to the Chargers (who are 5-2) and they hung around with the Chiefs and Vikings, as well. They come to play every week. They are the most competitive club in Tier 4.
TIER 3: Mediocrity Reigns Supreme
27. Cleveland Browns (2-4-1): Baker Mayfield has given this lowly franchise a little spark, but they still have hapless Hue Jackson as their head coach, and now he's throwing OC Todd Haley under the bus. Talk about dysfunctional. Antonio Callaway has been a bust, and the Rashard Higgins injury certainly isn't helping Mayfield's development. The pair developed chemistry in the preseason, when Tyrod Taylor was running with the 1s. Good news for Cleveland is that Myles Garrett is panning out (7 sacks, 3 forced fumbles) and on the whole, Gregg Williams' D finds ways to create turnovers. There are some reasons for optimism, here.
26. Indianapolis Colts (2-5): Depending on the format you are in, Andrew Luck is the 3rd, 4th or 5th-best fantasy quarterback this season. Not half bad, coming off a major injury and playing without T.Y. Hilton most of the time. I've never been the biggest Luck fan, but I can certainly appreciate his leadership, energy and competitiveness. He's getting a lot out of a little this season. Marlon Mack looks ready to bring stability to Indy's rushing attack, as well.
25. Denver Broncos (3-4): If only they could play the Cardinals every game. Emmanuel Sanders and Phillip Lindsay went bonkers against Arizona, while the Denver D picked up two pick-sixes (Todd Davis and Chris Harris). The Broncos have some respectable vets - Sanders, Demaryius Thomas, Harris and Von Miller -- but on the whole this is a run-of-the-mill team. I wouldn't count them out week to week, but the Chiefs and Chargers are clearly far superior clubs in the AFC West.
24. Dallas Cowboys (3-4): Talk about a boring team. Most of the action comes from fans calling for Jason Garrett's head. We know who these guys are -- they wanna rush-protect, pound the rock with Ezekiel Elliott and play close, low-scoring games. It's the only way they can compete. They simply don't have the personnel.
23. New York Jets (3-4): The Jets' skill players are droppin' like flies. Quincy Enunwa, Sam Darnold's favorite target, is injured; Terrelle Pryor got hurt and released, and now it appears that Bilal Powell's career is over. GM Mike Maccagnan responded with the signing of free agent Rishard Matthews, but I still don't think Darnold has enough weapons to win consistently in his rookie season. I'm thinking more like 2020.
22. Tennessee Titans (3-4): Boring.
21. Miami Dolphins (4-3): DeVante Parker's agent has been ripping HC Adam Gase to shreds in the media, but I still think Gase does a decent job with what he has. Was anyone really expecting these 'Phins to make a lot of noise this season? The fact is that Gase scrapped together four wins with a less-than-stellar personnel group.
20. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4): Ah, how the mighty have fallen -- and yet, should we really be surprised? Doug Marrone's Jags were an easy regression candidate because of Blake Bortles, and the simple reality that they won a lot of close games last year. That's difficult to repeat; just ask the Panthers, who went 15-1 and then 4-12 the following year with essentially the same team. In addition, Jalen Ramsey did an awful lot of yappin' during the offseason, and that generally doesn't turn out well.
19. Houston Texans (4-3): HC Bill O'Brien has admitted that Deshaun Watson is playing hurt, but somehow these Texans have strung together four consecutive victories. J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney have led the way with inspiring defensive play. Regardless of the extent of Watson's injuries, you can never sleep on DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller through the air.
18. Tampa Bay Bucs (3-3): They can't stop a high school team defensively, but ya know what? This is an offense-driven league, particularly this season, and Dirk Koetter's squad has talent with Jameis Winston, Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson and Chris Godwin. Winston has been better than expected since returning, so for this team to win going forward, they'll just need to have the ball last. They ain't makin' any stops.
17. Chicago Bears (3-3): I really, really like rookie HC Matt Nagy, but I think the early-season Hype Train got a little too hot, here. These young Bears are in an experienced division with Aaron Rodgers, Matt Stafford and a Vikings team that reached the NFC Championship Game last season, so I don't think it's quite their time, yet. I'm thinking 7-9 for Chicago, as the Packers and Vikings duke it out for the division title.
16. Detroit Lions (3-3): Rookie HC Matt Patricia's tenure got off to a rocky start with a shellacking at the hands of my Jets (on national TV, no less), but he has since righted the ship. These Lions are who we think they are -- they will end up around 8-8 -- but at least they have strong receiving talent with Kenny Golladay, Golden Tate and Marvin Jones. Stafford makes you competitive, generally speaking.
15. Philadelphia Eagles (3-4): Maybe I'm being a little too generous here, but I love these guys because they shocked smug Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the annoying Pats in the Super Bowl, with a back-up QB at the helm, no less. Look, let's be real, the Eagles aren't the team they were last year. Carson Wentz still needs a lot of time to get right physically, and RB1 Jay Ajayi is out for the season. They blew a three-score lead this weekend against the Panthers. Doug Pederson's saving grace is that the Redskins are not a scary division leader.
14. Cincinnati Bengals (4-3): Kind of like the Lions, in that we know who they are. They aren't going anywhere in the long run, but at least they have a nice offensive foursome of Andy Dalton, Joe Mixon, A.J. Green and Tyler Boyd. The Tyler Eifert injury was a killer, though.
13. Washington Redskins (4-2): These 'Skins are mimicking last year's Jags in some ways -- they're winning the close ones against mediocre teams with some underwhelming offensive outputs, while losing to clearly superior squads. The way the NFC East looks right now, you can win the division with that pattern. Jay Gruden's boys don't do anything special, but they have a shot to squeak this division out.
12. Baltimore Ravens (4-3): John Brown (and the drafting of Lamar Jackson) has lit a fire under Joe Flacco, but these are mostly the same ol' Ravens. They aren't that dissimilar from the Lions and Bengals, in that we know what to expect from year to year. I think Baltimore is a bit better offensively with Brown, Michael Crabtree and Willie Snead, but I don't see a postseason threat here. I like John Harbaugh and their experience in tight games, though.
11. Seattle Seahawks (3-3): Things were looking awfully shaky early, but Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson have steadied the boat since. These aren't the "Legion of Boom" dominant Seahawks, but when you're toiling in mediocrity, sometimes all ya need is a strong coach-QB combo. Seattle has that, and Doug Baldwin's presence in the passing game is a boost.
22. Tennessee Titans (3-4): Boring.
21. Miami Dolphins (4-3): DeVante Parker's agent has been ripping HC Adam Gase to shreds in the media, but I still think Gase does a decent job with what he has. Was anyone really expecting these 'Phins to make a lot of noise this season? The fact is that Gase scrapped together four wins with a less-than-stellar personnel group.
20. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4): Ah, how the mighty have fallen -- and yet, should we really be surprised? Doug Marrone's Jags were an easy regression candidate because of Blake Bortles, and the simple reality that they won a lot of close games last year. That's difficult to repeat; just ask the Panthers, who went 15-1 and then 4-12 the following year with essentially the same team. In addition, Jalen Ramsey did an awful lot of yappin' during the offseason, and that generally doesn't turn out well.
19. Houston Texans (4-3): HC Bill O'Brien has admitted that Deshaun Watson is playing hurt, but somehow these Texans have strung together four consecutive victories. J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney have led the way with inspiring defensive play. Regardless of the extent of Watson's injuries, you can never sleep on DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller through the air.
18. Tampa Bay Bucs (3-3): They can't stop a high school team defensively, but ya know what? This is an offense-driven league, particularly this season, and Dirk Koetter's squad has talent with Jameis Winston, Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson and Chris Godwin. Winston has been better than expected since returning, so for this team to win going forward, they'll just need to have the ball last. They ain't makin' any stops.
17. Chicago Bears (3-3): I really, really like rookie HC Matt Nagy, but I think the early-season Hype Train got a little too hot, here. These young Bears are in an experienced division with Aaron Rodgers, Matt Stafford and a Vikings team that reached the NFC Championship Game last season, so I don't think it's quite their time, yet. I'm thinking 7-9 for Chicago, as the Packers and Vikings duke it out for the division title.
16. Detroit Lions (3-3): Rookie HC Matt Patricia's tenure got off to a rocky start with a shellacking at the hands of my Jets (on national TV, no less), but he has since righted the ship. These Lions are who we think they are -- they will end up around 8-8 -- but at least they have strong receiving talent with Kenny Golladay, Golden Tate and Marvin Jones. Stafford makes you competitive, generally speaking.
15. Philadelphia Eagles (3-4): Maybe I'm being a little too generous here, but I love these guys because they shocked smug Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the annoying Pats in the Super Bowl, with a back-up QB at the helm, no less. Look, let's be real, the Eagles aren't the team they were last year. Carson Wentz still needs a lot of time to get right physically, and RB1 Jay Ajayi is out for the season. They blew a three-score lead this weekend against the Panthers. Doug Pederson's saving grace is that the Redskins are not a scary division leader.
14. Cincinnati Bengals (4-3): Kind of like the Lions, in that we know who they are. They aren't going anywhere in the long run, but at least they have a nice offensive foursome of Andy Dalton, Joe Mixon, A.J. Green and Tyler Boyd. The Tyler Eifert injury was a killer, though.
13. Washington Redskins (4-2): These 'Skins are mimicking last year's Jags in some ways -- they're winning the close ones against mediocre teams with some underwhelming offensive outputs, while losing to clearly superior squads. The way the NFC East looks right now, you can win the division with that pattern. Jay Gruden's boys don't do anything special, but they have a shot to squeak this division out.
12. Baltimore Ravens (4-3): John Brown (and the drafting of Lamar Jackson) has lit a fire under Joe Flacco, but these are mostly the same ol' Ravens. They aren't that dissimilar from the Lions and Bengals, in that we know what to expect from year to year. I think Baltimore is a bit better offensively with Brown, Michael Crabtree and Willie Snead, but I don't see a postseason threat here. I like John Harbaugh and their experience in tight games, though.
11. Seattle Seahawks (3-3): Things were looking awfully shaky early, but Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson have steadied the boat since. These aren't the "Legion of Boom" dominant Seahawks, but when you're toiling in mediocrity, sometimes all ya need is a strong coach-QB combo. Seattle has that, and Doug Baldwin's presence in the passing game is a boost.
TIER 2: Six Quality QBs with Incomplete Teams
10. Atlanta Falcons (3-4): Obviously they have the worst record in my top 10, but the key is that the high-powered Atlanta offense is back this season. Matt Ryan has returned to elite form, spreading the ball around to Julio Jones, stud rookie Calvin Ridley and a handful of others. Kyle Shanahan was clearly missed last year, but the Falcons have made critical offensive adjustments in their second season without him calling the plays. Sure they have a losing record at the moment, but I expect the Falcons to reach the postseason for the third consecutive year. They'll outscore teams the rest of the way out.
9. Carolina Panthers (4-2): I don't consider them a Super Bowl threat, but ya gotta like the toughness in leadership with Ron Rivera and Cam Newton. These Panthers don't quit, and they'll grind until the final whistle blows.
8. Minnesota Vikings (4-2-1): In a vacuum, we all think Kirk Cousins is a better quarterback than Case Keenum, but something just doesn't feel right about this year's Vikings. Sure, they should have another in the win column -- since-released kicker Dan Carlson imploded against the Packers -- but things aren't really flowing on either side of the ball. We all remember the shocking loss to the Bills, and I wouldn't say Minnesota was very convincing against the young Jets this past weekend. Mike Zimmer's team is clearly talented, but his personnel needs to mesh better as the season progresses.
7. Green Bay Packers (3-2-1): If you wanna say Aaron Rodgers isn't 100 percent, go ahead -- that's probably (definitely) true. But he's still Superman. Two jaw-dropping comebacks already this season. We saw how awful Green Bay was without him last year, and his presence alone this season makes them a top-10 team. Like the Bucs and Falcons before them on this list, the Packers don't exactly play a lot of defense. They'll have to finish games with the ball in their hands. Or better yet, in Rodgers' right hand.
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2-1): All I hear about in the media is Le'Veon Bell, Le'Veon Bell, Le'Veon Bell...and yet James Conner has been one of the elite running backs in the NFL this season. We know we can trust Mike Tomlin, Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown to get it done down the stretch -- they have the "proven" factor. With many teams in the 3-3, 4-2 range, I'm always leaning in favor of experience and reliable winners.
5. Los Angeles Chargers (5-2): They are doing what the Saints did last year. After three consecutive 7-9 seasons, the Saints' high-powered offense finally broke through for a convincing winning season in '17. Philip Rivers' Chargers have been floating aimlessly in mediocrity the past handful of years, and things are finally working out this season. We know the have the explosive talent in Melvin Gordon, Keenan Allen and more; the difference now is that the close games are resulting in victories.
TIER 1: Super Bowl Contenders
4. New Orleans Saints (5-1): Is Drew Brees the best role model in all of sports? So happy for this guy and his family. His diminutive stature has caused scouts to doubt his ability throughout his football career, and yet here he is, at the top of the all-time heap. Sean Payton and Brees bring that coach-QB stability; the same we've seen from Belichick and Brady, Tomlin and Roethlisberger, Carroll and Wilson, and now Sean McVay and Jared Goff, as well as Andy Reid and Pat Mahomes. Noticing a trend?
3. Kansas City Chiefs (6-1): I mean, how can you NOT love Mahomes? That switch-to-lefty throw mimicked Michael Jordan's pure athletic magic. I hope Mahomes sustains this over time, because we saw Deshaun Watson get off to a similar start to his career last year, and injuries have already gotten in the way of his development. Tyreek Hill is easily one of the best football players in the world. Kareem Hunt is an excellent back. It's definitely looking like a Chiefs-Pats AFC Championship Game, at this point.
2. New England Patriots (5-2): Slow start, but they took down the Chiefs on a big stage. It's really simple with this team...if they are down 2 late, don't you think they are going to go down and win it with a field goal? If they are down 6 late, don't you expect a touchdown and extra point to win it? We expect these things because Brady and Belichick have delivered, time and time again. I can't put Reid and Mahomes ahead of them, yet.
1. Los Angeles Rams (7-0): This is out of respect for being undefeated. Same thing I said about Mahomes...how can you NOT love McVay? A young, hungry, energetic, dedicated genius. The Rams have been technically flawless, thanks to McVay's preparation and positive leadership. I'm not sure I'd take them to beat the Pats in the Super Bowl, but they haven't lost a game yet. They've earned this No. 1 spot...for now.
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