2016 record in parentheses
1. Patriots (14-2). The beat goes on in New England.
2. Seahawks (10-5-1). Nasty defensive front got nastier with the addition of Sheldon Richardson. Interesting opener against Packers.
3. Falcons (11-5). Dan Quinn's hope is his team can somehow avoid the hangover that typically comes with losing the Super Bowl, and his team flat-out choked away that game.
4. Cowboys (13-3). The Ezekiel Elliott situation hangs like a dark cloud over this team, but the line can open holes for any running back.
5. Raiders (12-4). Derek Carr is healthy again, and they have one of the best offensive lines in the league.
6. Packers (10-6). The belief in Green Bay is that Aaron Rodgers has more weapons than in recent years. Will Ty Montgomery boost the running game?
7. Steelers (11-5). There has to be at least some concern about how Le'Veon Bell will perform after holding out through training camp and the preseason.
8. Giants (11-5). They added parts to the offense and played terrific defense in 2016. Eli Manning has a chance to make another Super Bowl run.
9. Chiefs (12-4). They have created a situation in which veteran Alex Smith can't help but look over his shoulder.
10. Cardinals (7-8-1). The hope is Carson Palmer is up for one more big season coming off what was a disappointing 2016.
11. Broncos (9-7). The defense remains among the best in the league, but the offense doesn't look particularly robust.
12. Buccaneers (9-7). They got exposure this summer on "Hard Knocks," and they hope Jameis Winston will lead them to more exposure in January.
13. Titans (9-7). They're a popular pick to win the AFC South, but the secondary was atrocious last season and still is shaky.
14. Texans (9-7). Tom Savage as the starting quarterback doesn't inspire a lot of confidence, even if defensive end J.J. Watt is back and ready to roll.
15. Vikings (8-8). Rookie running back Dalvin Cook is intriguing, but the offensive line has multiple question marks. Maybe the defense can carry Mike Zimmer's bunch.
16. Eagles (7-9). They really need to crank up the running game to give Carson Wentz a better chance.
17. Panthers (6-10). Cam Newton is coming off shoulder surgery and the secondary is a weakness once again.
18. Redskins (8-7-1). Kirk Cousins is in a contract year on the franchise tag, but his receiving corps isn't as good as it was a year ago.
19. Lions (9-7). The offensive line is a concern with left tackle Taylor Decker out. Is anyone convinced they'll run the ball with more success?
20. Dolphins (10-6). Adam Gase got the best out of Jay Cutler with the Bears, but that still wasn't better than middle of the road when it comes to NFL quarterbacks.
21. Ravens (8-8). Quarterback Joe Flacco's health is a legitimate question, and the talent of the offense as a whole is a concern.
22. Bengals (6-9-1). On one hand, they could bounce back after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2010. On the other, they could be fading.
23. Colts (8-8). Until the health of quarterback Andrew Luck is cleared up, this is a team in the midst of major transition.
24. Chargers (5-11). They're in a race for fans in Los Angeles, and the only way to get a jump on the Rams is to, you know, pile up some wins.
25. Saints (7-9). They have finished 7-9 each of the last three seasons, and that adds up to what in 2017 _ 5-11?
26. Rams (4-12). Jared Goff needs to show considerable improvement under 31-year-old coach Sean McVay.
27. Bears (3-13). If the defense can't generate takeaways, it will be a slog because the offense looks challenged to find the end zone.
28. Bills (7-9). They're wasting no time running players from the former regime out of town, but what's left?
29. 49ers (2-14). If Brian Hoyer can remain healthy, he will be respectable. But there is a reason the GM John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan got six-year contracts.
30. Jaguars (3-13). Blake Bortles probably won't outlast Gus Bradley very long in Jacksonville.
31. Browns (1-15). Starting second-round pick DeShone Kizer at quarterback seems risky _ until you look at Hue Jackson's other options.
32. Jets (5-11). If they lock down the No. 1 pick _ and they're prohibitive favorites _ will GM Mike Maccagnan be around to pick the quarterback?
