The NFL season is finally here, so here are my official hot takes for every NFL team.
ARIÂ | ATLÂ | BALÂ | BUFÂ | CARÂ | CHIÂ | CINÂ | CLEÂ | DALÂ | DENÂ | DETÂ | GBÂ | HOUÂ | INDÂ | JAXÂ | KCÂ | LVÂ | LACÂ | LARÂ | MIAÂ | MINÂ | NEÂ | NOÂ | NYGÂ | NYJÂ | PHIÂ | PITÂ | SFÂ |SEA| TBÂ | TENÂ | WASÂ |
Hot Take: Trey McBride finishes as a Top-5 Tight End
My hot take for the Cardinals is that Trey McBride finishes as a Top-5 Tight end. With a healthy Kyler Murray back, McBride will see a lot of targets this year. His only real target competition will be Marvin Harrison Jr., but we all know it takes time for rookies to find their groove. I believe Trey McBride will have a fantastic start to the season and solidify himself in the top 5.
Hot Take: The Falcons have a late-season surge and advance to the Divisional Round
The Falcons are going all in this year. They signed an old Kirk Cousins coming off an achilles tear and went out and got two elite defenders in Matt Judon and Justin Simmons. If Kirk Cousins can come out of his injury looking like the QB he was in Minnesota, the Falcons will have no trouble winning the NFC South. I do think the season will start out rough for them though. I can easily see the Falcons starting 0-3. However, after Kirk Cousins finds his groove and HC Raheem Morris gets comfortable, I could see the Falcons going on a tear late in the season to get into the playoffs.
Hot Take: The Ravens defense is not dominant this year
Don't get me wrong- the Ravens will be good this year. I just don't think they're going to be as good as last year. With defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald leaving for a head coaching job with the Seahawks, the scheme in Baltimore just won't be the same. There won't be as many sacks or quick pressures, which will give quarterbacks a much easier time this year against the previously dominant Ravens defense.
Hot Take: Khalil Shakir ends the season as the clear WR1
To put it simply, the Bills WR room this year is rough. There is no clear WR1, and honestly, Dalton Kincaid is the only receiving option that Josh Allen can consistently lean on. However, out of all the WRs in Buffalo, I believe Khalil Shakir will emerge as the clear WR1. Keon Coleman has been promising, but it will take time for him to adapt to the NFL. With an already strong connection with Josh Allen, Khalil Shakir will be the perfect guy to step into the WR1 role for Buffalo.
Hot Take: Bryce Young has a breakout year
This year, Bryce Young will show people why he was taken at number 1 overall. With new head coach Dave Canales, who helped revive Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield, Bryce Young will have a lot better scheme and will show more maturity going into his second year. If Young can find a connection with receivers like Xavier Legette, don't be surprised when he cements himself as a top-15 quarterback in the NFL.
Hot Take: Rome Odunze will be the leading receiver at the end of the season
With rookie QB Caleb Williams, chemistry will have to be built with all the weapons on the offense. The Bears have an absolutely loaded WR room, with DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, and Rome Odunze. Right now, Odunze is the WR3. However, Keenan Allen is slowing down, so Odunze should definitely be able to pass him for the WR2 role. During preseason, Odunze looked like he already had a great connection with Williams. With the top DB always guarding DJ Moore, don't be surprised if Odunze has a massive year and surpasses DJ Moore in reception yards.
Hot Take: The Bengals barely sneak into the playoffs as the 7th seed
The AFC North is absolutely stacked. There are legitimate cases for all 4 teams to win the division. With that being said, the Ravens and Bengals are the two clear favorites for the division title. Due to the hard division, the Bengals will definitely lose some divisional games. This will lead to a record that does not reflect the true talent on the Bengals roster. However, with the playoffs on the line, Joe Burrow will come through and get the Bengals back to the playoffs.
Hot Take: Deshaun Watson shows he can be an elite QB
Deshaun Watson is facing a make-or-break year for his time in Cleveland. If he does not perform well this year, I fully expect Cleveland to move on and get another quarterback. With a lot of pressure on Watson, I expect him to perform very well this year. I believe he will have a year similar to Geno Smith in 2022. Watson will come out very strong to start the season, but we will see some faltering in his play towards the last few weeks of the season. However, his overall play in 2024 will force Cleveland to keep Watson for at least another season.
Hot Take: Ceedee Lamb gets 190+ targets
I know, this one is ambitious. However, Ceedee Lamb was an absolute monster last year. Now, with his massive contract to play under, I expect him to be getting a lot more targets this year with very little competition. If Dak Prescott is able to stay healthy and make the right decisions, don't be surprised if Lamb gets targeted over 11 times a game.
Hot Take: Bo Nix runs the Broncos offense very effectively
Bo Nix looked very good in preseason, and everyone saw it, earning him the starting job. Despite the tough opener against the Seahawks, I believe Nix will be able to run the Broncos offense pretty well. Payton will ease Nix into the NFL, giving him many play actions and short throws that are easy completions. As Nix gets comfortable in the offense, Payton will open up the playbook even more. Even though the Broncos will not get very many wins, Bo Nix will show that he can be a starting quarterback in the NFL.
Hot Take: Jameson Williams has a breakout year
It's been a rough couple of years for Jameson Williams. This is the first season where I feel like he has the opportunity to be an important part of the Lions offense. Last year, we got a small sample of what we could be. His speed and route running were on display, and honestly, I was pretty impressed. This season, I believe Ben Johnson will incorporate Williams into his playcalling, leading to a big year for Jameson Williams.
Hot Take: There is no clear WR1 in Green Bay, even at the end of the season
The Green Bay WR room is absolutely loaded. They have size in Watson and Doubs, speed in Jayden Reed, and a combination in both Bo Melton and Dontayvion Wicks. I don't think the usage is going to be consistent throughout the year. In some games, Jayden Reed will take over with his speed around the edge. In others, Watson will take over with his jump-ball abilities. Just like last season, the targets are going to vary, which is going to make it very hard to title any of the receivers WR1 in this Packers offense.
Hot Take: Stefon Diggs ends the season as the WR3
As of right now, Stefon Diggs is competing with Nico Collins for the WR1 spot. I expect Nico Collins to win the WR1 battle due to his connection with Stroud. I'll be honest- I am not a fan of Stefon Diggs. Last year, he made a lot of mistakes in the playoffs, including a drop against the Chiefs to end the Bills' season. With Tank Dell as WR3, I expect Diggs to regress and Dell to shine, ultimately putting Diggs as the WR3 on the electrifying Texans offense.
Hot Take: Jonathon Taylor finishes as a Top-5 RB
Last season was not great for Jonathon Taylor, finishing with 741 yards and playing 14 games. Following Taylor's injury, he averaged 23 carries per game in the last three weeks of the season. I expect the Colts to continue to give Taylor this amount of volume throughout the year. If Taylor manages to stay healthy and play 17 games, I am confident that he will finish as a top-5 RB this season.
Hot Take: The Jaguars win only 1 division game
Do I think Trevor Lawrence is a starting quarterback in this league? Absolutely. Do I think he is a game-changer who can lead the Jaguars deep into the playoffs? Nope. The AFC South is going to be a very tough division this year. With CJ Stroud and the Texans as the favorite and Anthony Richardson and the Colts primed to make the playoffs, I think the Jaguars are going to be swept by both teams. That leaves the Titans. In a make-or-break year for Levis, I think he's going to show up. Although the Titans don't have the best roster, they should be able to win at least one game against the Jaguars.
Hot Take: The Kansas City Chiefs complete the three-peat
In the playoffs, there is nobody I would rather have than Patrick Mahomes. When it comes down to the wire, he always shows up. This year, with more weapons than last year, I expect the Chiefs to breeze through the regular season. Come playoff time, there will be close games, but Patrick Mahomes will come through like he always does and deliver the first three-peat in NFL history.
Hot Take: Gardner Minshew finishes as a Top-20 QB
Gardner Minshew continues to be one of the most underrated QBs in the league. He was one dropped pass away from leading the Colts to the playoffs last year. This year, with better weapons in Adams and Bowers, I expect Minshew to perform pretty well in this Raiders offense. The only factor I could see limiting Gardner Minshew is the coaching staff, but I don't think it will be too big of a problem for him this year.
Hot Take: Ladd McConkey ends the season as WR1
To put it simply, the Chargers WR room is not good. They tried to address the issue in last year's draft by selecting Quentin Johnston, but he was very underwhelming. This year, they selected Ladd McConkey and Brenden Rice, and I believe they will both be good wide receivers. With Justin Herbert still looking for a guy he can rely on, I am confident Ladd McConkey will step up and get the job done for the Chargers this season.
Hot Take: The Rams have the worst run defense in the league
With Aaron Donald retiring and the Rams trading away Ernest Jones IV, the Rams' defense is going to take a massive hit, specifically in the run game. With two dominant players gone and not many people to fill those gaps, I expect the Rams' run defense to be absolutely atrocious.
Hot Take: The Dolphins are eliminated from the playoffs by Week 16
Last year, the Miami Dolphins had a very manageable schedule, easily beating most of the teams they played. However, as the Dolphins started playing better teams, we saw the losses start to pile up. This year, I expect the Dolphins to be relatively similar. They will handle business against the bad teams, but they just won't be able to beat the good ones. In a stacked AFC, the Dolphins will miss out on the playoffs by a pretty decent margin.
Hot Take: Sam Darnold puts up good numbers
Sam Darnold has been put in some very bad situations throughout his career. His only two starting opportunities came from the Jets and Panthers. This year, with elite weapons and a great coaching staff, I am confident that Sam Darnold will have a decent year. He will not be a game-changing QB, but he won't be a liability for the Vikings. I expect him to lead the Vikings to around 7-8 wins this season.
Hot Take: Drake Maye starts by Week 10
I like the Patriots' approach of keeping Maye on the bench to start the season, but it's going to be very hard to keep someone of that talent benched for a whole year. Jacoby Brissett will not be able to lead the Patriots offense effectively, which may force HC Jerod Mayo to play Maye by Week 10.
Hot Take: Spencer Rattler starts by Week 7
Derek Carr is not a good QB anymore. He is not accurate and has been making bad decisions for the last couple of years. Throughout training camp and the preseason, Spencer Rattler has looked very promising. By Week 7, the Saints front office will be sick of Derek Carr and elevate Spencer Rattler to the QB1 position.
Hot Take: Malik Nabers goes for over 1000 yards
At first glance, this may seem crazy for a rookie. But let's be honest, who else does Daniel Jones have that he can trust? Nabers is the clear-cut WR1, and Daniel Jones will be forced to look his way on almost every snap. If the Giants offensive line gives Daniel Jones enough time to get the ball out of his hands, don't be surprised if Nabers has a monster year.
Hot Take: Aaron Rodgers leads the Jets to the 5th seed
I am a full believer in the New York Jets this year. If Aaron Rodgers can stay healthy this season, Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall will both have massive years. With an elite offense and defense, the Jets are in prime position for a playoff run. The only reason I have them as the 5th seed is due to the insanely tough division they are in.
Hot Take: The Eagles have a collapse- again
The Philadelphia Eagles started off strong last year, going 10-1. Following that, it was all downhill. I anticipate a very similar season for them this year. The Eagles will get out to a strong start, but again, in the second half of the season, the Eagles will have a collapse. Both the defense and offense won't be able to find their legs come playoff time, and the Eagles will be early exits in the postseason.
Hot Take: Russell Wilson keeps the starting job the whole season
Russell Wilson was not in an ideal situation in Denver. Neither of his coaches believed in him, and they didn't call plays that would be tailored to Wilson's strengths. In Pittsburgh, Wilson is clearly a scheme fit as he earned the starting QB job. With the full trust of Mike Tomlin, I expect Wilson to have a very good year as the Steelers QB1.
Hot Take: The 49ers have an underwhelming season
This offseason, the vibes have been completely off for San Francisco. Both Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams held out for most of training camp due to contract disputes, missing valuable time to form new connections. Christian McCaffrey has had a lingering achilles injury and is now questionable for Week 1. With many doubts about the offense and new teams emerging in the NFC, I just don't see the 49ers going to the Super Bowl.
Hot Take: The Seattle Seahawks sneak into the playoffs
The Seattle Seahawks are a team that has gone under the radar this offseason. With new HC Mike Macdonald, many people expect the Seahawks to be quiet this year. However, this is probably the best roster the Seahawks have had in the last 4 years. Geno Smith looks amazing in training camp and new OC Ryan Grubb wants to make DK Metcalf the focal point of the offense. Don't be surprised if this team sneaks into the postseason.
Hot Take: Bucky Irving leads the backfield at the end of the season
Rachaad White has been a good fantasy football RB, but he has been one of the worst RBs in the league in terms of efficiency. With rookie RB Bucky Irving in the mix, I expect Tampa Bay to give White a lot fewer touches. If Irving can prove that he is efficient in the run game, I am confident that he will be the lead back at the end of the year.
Hot Take: Will Levis buys himself another year
Many analysts and fans think that this will be Will Levis's last year as the starting QB for the Titans. However, with new weapons on the offense featuring Calvin Ridley and Tony Pollard, I believe that Levis finally has the tools he needs to succeed. If Hopkins is able to stay healthy and Ridley performs up to his contract, Will Levis will have a breakout year and buy himself another year as the starting QB for the Titans.
Hot Take: Jayden Daniels has the most rushing yards among QBs
Jayden Daniels is getting a lot of hype from the media and analysts, and I'm buying it. Daniels has looked great in training camp, and I expect the Commanders to take full advantage of his running ability. As a rookie, Daniels knows he has to fight for those extra yards, and I believe this will give him the edge he needs to finish with the most rushing yards among QBs.
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