NFL Power Rankings: Where Each Team Stands After a Busy Preseason
The 2015 NFL regular season gets underway on Thursday when the Pittsburgh Steelers visit the defending champion New England Patriots. But first we must wrap up what was an event-filled preseason.
The games may not have counted for anything, but that doesn't mean they were totally meaningless. The preseason gives fans a glimpse into what to expect from their favorite teams come Week 1.
In this power ranking of all 32 NFL teams, we'll look at how each fared in their exhibition games—and how it will translate to success or failure in the regular season.
What are the major concerns for each team? Any key players injured or suspended? And who stepped up in the preseason to earn a prominent starting role?
We'll answer these questions and more as we look ahead to the regular season and how each team performed during the 2015 preseason.
32. Washington Redskins
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The team has been the joke of the preseason—to put it bluntly—and things aren't looking up. Whether it's their ongoing quarterback drama or news surrounding a certain general manager's wife, the Washington Redskins have enough bad headlines to last a season.
Robert Griffin III's injury and organizational relationship problems have caused the franchise headaches ever since it traded three first-round picks and a second-rounder to move up in the 2012 draft to take the former Heisman winner.
Head coach Jay Gruden seems to have finally had enough. Kirk Cousins was named Washington's starting quarterback about three weeks into the preseason. Although ridding Griffin of his duties might give the Redskins a new look, Cousins is still the same QB who wouldn't start on any other NFL team.
Washington's defense might be even worse. The hope is a new defensive coordinator will improve upon a unit that allowed the third-most points last year, but losing newly signed outside linebacker Junior Galette to a season-ending injury on Aug. 24 doesn't exactly help.
It could be a long season for fans in our country's capital.
31. Jacksonville Jaguars
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Blake Bortles had a rough go of it last season as a first-year quarterback on a team lacking mightily in talent. At the helm of an offense that finished dead last in points scored for 2014—15.6 per game—Bortles also had the worst QB rating of all 33 qualified starters.
So the Jacksonville Jaguars spent the past offseason trying to add playmakers around their young passer and hit gold by landing free-agent tight end Julius Thomas. The former Denver Bronco, who caught 24 touchdown receptions over the past two seasons, was supposed to be an ideal red-zone target for Bortles.
Well, that experiment will have to wait. Thomas is out for at least a month following surgery on a fractured finger he suffered in the first week of the preseason, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Jacksonville has other offensive weapons in breakout wide receiver Allen Robinson and rookie running back T.J. Yeldon, but that's about it.
30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Rookie quarterback and first overall draft pick Jameis Winston is quickly learning why passers haven't been successful in Tampa Bay lately. He was sacked seven times in his three preseason contests to go along with no touchdown passes and two interceptions.
In 2014, Buccaneers QBs were sacked a combined 52 times and threw 20 interceptions—30th and 31st in the league, respectively. If the offensive line hasn't learned its lesson, or improved at all, it could mean a tough learning curve for Winston this season.
Obviously some of the sacks and picks are a quarterback's fault but, in Winston's case, it would be ideal to have a good cushion in front of you as a rookie—especially with playmakers in Mike Evans, Vincent Jackson and Austin Seferian-Jenkins to catch passes.
An interesting storyline out of Tampa Bay's preseason camp has been the resurgence of Doug Martin. Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times expects Martin to be the "primary ball-carrier" for the Bucs this season. The fourth-year back led the team in rushing (118 yards) during the preseason and averaged 5.9 yards per carry.
Even with a weak O-line, Martin could take a huge load off Winston in the early going of '15.
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29. San Francisco 49ers
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It's amazing how far the San Francisco 49ers have fallen since losing to the Baltimore Ravens in the Super Bowl just three seasons ago. Jim Harbaugh's gone after a dismal 8-8 season and now it'll be on new head coach Jim Tomsula's shoulders to turn things around—which is a shame, really.
Tomsula inherited a roster that lost notable players on both sides of the field, including two starting linebackers, two starting offensive linemen, two starting cornerbacks, the punter, a starting wideout and the franchise running back.
And then the Niners released Aldon Smith on Aug. 7 following the outside linebacker's arrest on hit-and-run, vandalism and DUI charges.
It seems the lone holdover resembling any success in San Francisco is its quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, who is coming off arguably his worst statistical season in three years as the starter.
Second-year back Carlos Hyde has shown promise during the preseason, though, with 73 rushing yards on 13 carries as the new go-to ball-carrier.
The 49ers just have too many starting jobs to replace this season to be contenders, but give Tomsula a few years to get his own system in place.
28. Oakland Raiders
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Derek Carr had almost no weapons to throw to in 2014 and he still tossed 20 touchdowns against just 12 interceptions as a rookie.
This year? Carr should benefit from the additions of rookie wideout Amari Cooper and free-agent signee Michael Crabtree, yet he limped along in his exhibition contests. The Oakland Raiders' second-year quarterback completed just 54.9 percent of his passes this preseason and finished with a 58.8 passer rating.
The young gunslinger's completion percentage might not mean much—Carr completed just 58.1 percent last year after all—but efficiency at the quarterback position is necessary in leading an offense.
Cooper, who's drawn praise from everyone and their mother, could be the answer. The first-rounder out of Alabama had eight receptions for 124 yards during the preseason and should be the go-to option for Carr in the passing game.
The relationship between the two is in its early stages, but expect Carr and Cooper to start connecting multiple times a game when the season gets underway.
27. Tennessee Titans
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Marcus Mariota is a long way from Oregon. There, last year's Heisman winner was surrounded by speed and talent at every position and a quarterback-friendly scheme to go with it.
In Tennessee, the second overall draft pick from May will have to make do with what he's got—and it's not a lot. Mariota's pass-catchers—Kendall Wright, Justin Hunter, Dorial Green-Beckham and Harry Douglas—are not only a bunch of unproven targets, but they are the only four wide receivers on the Titans' final 53-man roster.
Fortunately for Mariota, the reports coming from Tennessee on the young quarterback's development have been good.
After turning the ball over on his first two possessions of the preseason, Mariota finished his tune-up games with a 70.0 completion percentage and a 102.9 passer rating and didn't have another turnover.
Per David Climer of the Tennessean, the rookie's coaches and teammates are impressed with Mariota's resilience as he "passed the look test."
26. Cleveland Browns
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Obviously the success for an NFL team goes further than its offensive weapons, but for the Cleveland Browns it might not matter what the rest of their team looks like.
A solid offensive line led by Pro Bowl tackle Joe Thomas and first-round pick Cameron Erving could lead to a respectable rushing game, but to do so you need good running backs and it remains to be seen if any exist in Cleveland.
Rookie tailback Duke Johnson is still recovering from a concussion he suffered in the preseason, while Isaiah Crowell, the favorite to start Week 1, ran for just 47 yards on 17 carries in his exhibition games. Last week, the Browns traded their leading rusher from a year ago in Terrance West.
At receiver, it doesn't get much better. Brian Hartline slots in as the starting wideout with Andrew Hawkins and Dwayne Bowe as the other options for quarterback Josh McCown.
Cleveland's preseason experiment of QB-turned-wide receiver Terrelle Pryor shows just how desperate the team is for playmakers on offense. After battling a hamstring injury for much of the last month, Pryor ended up with no receptions and just two rushes in his lone preseason contest.
25. Chicago Bears
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What happened to the Jay Cutler we all knew? Last year, the 32-year-old finished tied for the league lead in interceptions with 18, including seven multiple-pick games.
In his 33 preseason pass attempts, Cutler somehow avoided throwing one pass to the opposing team. It could mean we see a different passer in Chicago this season, but you shouldn't hold your breath.
The Bears offense will be without rookie wide receiver Kevin White for at least the first six games of 2015 after being placed on the reserve/PUP list following a surgery to repair a stress fracture in his left shin. It's unclear when, if at all, White will return this season. He could miss the entire year, per Adam Hoge of WGN.
Chicago's new offensive coordinator, Adam Gase, could spell a resurgence for Cutler, though. Gase helped orchestrate one of the league's best passing attacks in Denver with Peyton Manning at the helm. Consider that Cutler still has Alshon Jeffery and Martellus Bennett to play with.
Yet, the woeful Bears defense, one of the league's worst in 2014, could make their offensive output a moot point.
24. New York Jets
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This tweet from Dom Cosentino of NJ Advance Media on Aug. 11 sums up the New York Jets' preseason so far:
"Geno out 6 to 10 weeks becuse of an altercation in the locker room. Broken jaw. Requires surgery. IK Enemkpali hit him. Been released. #Jets
— dom cosentino (@domcosentino) August 11, 2015"
The Jets will be without Geno Smith for at least the first four weeks of the season, per Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. In his stead, Ryan Fitzpatrick will start at quarterback in New York, which could end up better than you think.
Fitzpatrick finished the preseason with a 106.4 passer rating in three contests without throwing an interception in his 36 pass attempts.
Yeah, it's only the preseason, but Fitzpatrick seems to be benefiting under the direction of newly hired Jets offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, who was the head coach in Buffalo when Fitzpatrick was quarterbacking the Bills. Gailey knows his new passer from their days in Buffalo together, and Fitzpatrick knows Gailey's offensive system from when he put up impressive numbers with the Bills.
It might be the perfect scenario for a team that was suddenly left without its starting QB just under a month ago.
23. Atlanta Falcons
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Matt Ryan is a top-tier passer and has been since he entered the league in 2008. Since his rookie year, Ryan ranks eighth in passer rating among active quarterbacks.
Yet, his efficiency leading the Atlanta Falcons' offense won't mean much if there's no talent around him. Julio Jones is the extent of that. The next two top pass-catchers are a declining 33-year-old (Roddy White) and a receiver with only one 1,000-yard season in his career (Leonard Hankerson). Then there's the running game, which is 28th in the league in yards per carry over the past three seasons.
This season could be a different story with the young talents of Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman taking the reins of the backfield and the recent trade for offensive guard Andy Levitre to pair with tackle Jake Matthews.
But there's still an issue with the Falcons defense, which ranked dead last in the NFL a year ago in total yards allowed. They're hoping rookie defensive end Vic Beasley can help the unit's output, but he's only one player.
In their four preseason contests, the Falcons defense allowed the 10th-most yards per game and the eighth-most points per game.
22. New York Giants
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The New York Giants offense shouldn't be a problem in 2015.
Eli Manning set a career high in completion percentage (63.1) a year ago to go along with his 4,410 passing yards. Getting Victor Cruz back will complements Odell Beckham Jr. nicely in the receiving corps. Plus they've added running back Shane Vereen, who presents a nice pass-catching option out of the backfield.
Manning had a slow preseason—just 4.2 yards per reception on 34 passes—but a second year under offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo with a full arsenal of offensive targets shouldn't make New York fans worry.
The issue here is the defense. The unit allowed the fourth-most yards in 2014 and it's unclear when their top pass-rusher, Jason Pierre-Paul, will return to the team, if at all.
The Giants have a lot of big names in their defensive backfield—rookie safety Landon Collins, cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, safety Brandon Meriweather and corner Prince Amukamara—which could be the strength on that side of the ball.
21. Minnesota Vikings
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The Minnesota Vikings could storm the party this season if their offense is all on the same page.
For starters, they get a rejuvenated Adrian Peterson back, which spells trouble for anyone Minnesota has on its schedule. With a season under his belt, Teddy Bridgewater put up some impressive preseason numbers, completing 82.9 percent of his passes with no picks and a 111.3 passer rating.
Breakout receiver candidate Charles Johnson has been getting the hype and backing it up—all five of his exhibition receptions either went for a first down or touchdown.
Bridgewater and Johnson developed a chemistry in the offseason and the combination could be a lethal one in 2015. Per Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune, Johnson has quickly become his quarterback's most trusted receiver.
Look for the Bridgewater-Johnson connection to complement Peterson nicely in the offense.
20. Houston Texans
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Another season and another where Arian Foster is sidelined, this time with a torn groin.
The Houston Texans star running back could be out for another four to six weeks, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. Yet head coach Bill O'Brien says Foster will be back "sooner rather than later," whatever that means.
For the time being, the Texans will have to make do without their best offensive weapon while Brian Hoyer runs the offense. Hoyer, with his fifth team in seven years, beat out Ryan Mallett for the starting quarterback job—another position of uncertainty in Houston.
So while it's unclear where the Texans will get their offensive production from outside of wideout DeAndre Hopkins, they still have a vaunted D to lean on.
Everyone knows about J.J. Watt's dominance, but this preseason gave their other defensive end time to get healthy. Jadeveon Clowney didn't appear in an exhibition game this summer, but he's on track to play in Week 1, albeit in a limited role.
Who else can't wait to see Clowney and Watt team up to run down opposing QBs? Answer: the opposing QBs.
19. St. Louis Rams
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The St. Louis Rams have a new man under center this year in Nick Foles after he broke out in Chip Kelly's QB-friendly system in Philadelphia.
It's going to be a little different in St. Louis for Foles, who needed all four preseason games to get acclimated with the offense and its weapons. For now, the jury's out on how well he'll fare. The quarterback finished with just an 82.9 passer rating, one touchdown and two interceptions in his exhibitions.
The Rams offense will be without rookie tailback Todd Gurley for the first three or four weeks to start the season, per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, as he attempts to come back healthy following his ACL tear last year.
Foles will also have to deal with an inexperienced offensive line protecting him. The O-line has two rookies starting and four others in backup roles. It's showed during the preseason as Foles was sacked three times—twice in one game—in his limited amount of snaps.
It'll be interesting to see how the Rams utilize Tavon Austin in the offense under new coordinator Frank Cignetti. The speedy receiver had two preseason catch-and-runs that gave us a glimpse of what the former West Virginia standout can do in open space. Ultimately, Austin finished the preseason with three receptions for 84 yards—an absurd 28 yards-per-reception average.
Fortunately for Foles, the Rams' D is one of the best in the league. But a defense can only carry a team so far if the offense fails to put up points.
18. New Orleans Saints
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The only certain thing in the New Orleans Saints offense might be Drew Brees playing at an All-Pro level. Outside of that, though, there's a lot of uncertainty. Who will get the targets the departed Jimmy Graham would have gotten? How good can Brandin Cooks be in an expanded role? Who will step up as the lead back between Mark Ingram and C.J. Spiller?
The biggest question in New Orleans, though, focuses on the defensive side of the ball: Who will defend passes in the secondary?
As it stands, three of the four projected defensive backs could be sidelined in Week 1. Newly acquired cornerback Brandon Browner returned to practice last week but missed the last three preseason games with a leg injury. Free safety Jairus Byrd avoided the PUP list with a lingering knee injury—the fact it was even an option is cause for concern. The Saints' other starting corner, Keenan Lewis, recently had hip surgery and could be out for another four to six weeks, per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.
The injuries are a huge blow to a New Orleans secondary that allowed the eighth-most passing yards in 2014.
17. Buffalo Bills
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If LeSean McCoy is healthy, the Buffalo Bills could contend for a spot in the playoffs this season. They have the defense and a newfound attitude behind head coach Rex Ryan.
And if McCoy's not? Tyrod Taylor time!
McCoy is questionable for Week 1 as he nurses a hamstring injury. "I'll be ready," he told ESPN's Josina Anderson last week. Yet the former Eagle played in just the first preseason game this summer and has been held out since.
Even if he does play this week, McCoy's injury could be one that lingers throughout the season, meaning either Anthony Dixon or Bryce Brown would be the starting tailback.
Taylor was named the Bills' starting quarterback after an impressive 77.4 completion percentage and 98.3 passer rating this preseason. The former backup in Baltimore showed off his dual-threat skills, too, running for 108 yards on just 11 carries. Obviously Taylor will be more effective as a complement to McCoy's All-Pro rushing ability, but who doesn't want to see Vick 2.0 either way?
16. Carolina Panthers
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Poor Cam Newton.
In Week 1, he'll be throwing to Ted Ginn Jr. and Corey "Philly" Brown as the Panthers' starting wideouts. Yikes.
Losing Kelvin Benjamin for the season in training camp was a big blow. Outside of tight end Greg Olsen, Benjamin was Newton's leading returning receiver from a year ago—and the only one with at least 1,000 yards receiving in 2014.
So the door opened for this year's second-round pick, Devin Funchess, to come in and save the Carolina Panthers' season. But he's missed most of the preseason with a hamstring injury and will be the third-string receiver in Week 1, according to head coach Ron Rivera, per Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer.
Olsen should see the majority of the targets to begin the season, though we'll have to see who steps up in the receiving corps. Ginn Jr. and Brown caught just seven passes combined in the preseason while Olsen had 10 receptions.
Meanwhile, the Panthers D is one of the division's best units—a moot point if Newton can't find any targets outside of Olsen on offense.
15. San Diego Chargers
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Since the San Diego Chargers will be without the suspended Antonio Gates for the first four games of 2015, the focus shifts to the other tight end in San Diego. In 43 snaps this preseason, Ladarius Green had just two receptions for 27 yards—a less-than-promising sign for Philip Rivers and Co.
San Diego has been waiting for Green to break through as Gates' eventual replacement, yet the 25-year-old has just 36 combined catches over the past two seasons. Yes, he's been the backup, but he's also gotten every opportunity to show he can take over for Gates. If the preseason is any indication, Green may need some regular-season action as the lone option at tight end to prove his worth.
The Chargers also have a big question mark at running back. Their first-round pick out of Wisconsin, Melvin Gordon, averaged just 2.2 yards per carry in the preseason and failed to get in the end zone on 20 rushes. Gordon's poor numbers has led to a committee approach in San Diego's backfield that includes Danny Woodhead, Branden Oliver and Donald Brown.
Obviously the Chargers could still make do and maximize the talents of each back. If they do, and Rivers brings his A-game, they're a team that could return to the playoffs after missing out last year.
14. Baltimore Ravens
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If the Baltimore Ravens can get their first-round pick healthy, Joe Flacco and the offense will have no problem scoring points—but that's a big "if."
Wide receiver Breshad Perriman, who hasn't practiced since July 30 after injuring his right knee, has been essentially ruled out for Baltimore's season opener. According to head coach John Harbaugh, "there's not a real big chance" the rookie will play in Week 1, via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com.
Perriman is supposed to a downfield threat for Flacco—a void left in the Ravens O by the departed Torrey Smith. Instead, a 36-year-old Steve Smith Sr. will be the main target in the passing game with not much else to respect on the other side of the field.
The aerial threat will be important for an offense that will certainly face defenses intent on stopping Justin Forsett and the ground game.
13. Kansas City Chiefs
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Unless you've been living under a rock, you know no Kansas City Chiefs wide receivers caught a touchdown pass last season. Some of the blame naturally fell on the quarterback's shoulders, but it wasn't all Alex Smith's fault.
The Chiefs best wideout in 2014, Dwayne Bowe, was a receiver past his prime who currently sits third on the Browns depth chart. In his place, head coach Andy Reid signed his old friend in Jeremy Maclin this offseason to give Smith a viable option in the receiving corps.
Maclin—along with the emergence of Travis Kelce as a premier pass-catching tight end—should provide a boost to an offense that's relied too heavily on Jamaal Charles the past few seasons. The former Eagle caught 11 passes for 99 yards in the preseason, two of which went for scores.
Then there's Kelce, who averaged 16.0 yards per catch this preseason and looks to be a true weapon in a Kansas City offense that favors its tight ends.
If the Chiefs can get nose tackle Dontari Poe back and healthy for most of the season, the defense will be one of the league's best yet again.
12. Cincinnati Bengals
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You can bet Andy Dalton is feeling the heat in Cincy.
The fifth-year quarterback is coming off a despicable performance in the Cincinnati Bengals' first-round playoff loss last season. Then he had a horrendous showing in his second preseason game—6-for-13, two picks, three sacks, no touchdowns and a 15.7 passer rating. Yikes.
The preseason is supposed to be a time for contenders to fine-tune their units, not rethink the starting quarterback position.
We're not saying the Bengals will replace Dalton now, or even this season, but another early exit from the playoffs or a bad statistical year from their gunslinger would warrant more than whispers in Cincinnati.
This team has weapons up and down their offense with top-flight receiver A.J. Green and a running back tandem of Jeremy Hill and Gio Bernard. It'd be a shame if Dalton was the one who held them back from going further in the playoffs this time around.
11. Miami Dolphins
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The issue for the Miami Dolphins—and for a lot of teams this time of the year—is getting their new toy healthy.
First-round pick DeVante Parker played just eight snaps of the final preseason game after missing most of the summer following surgery in June. The rookie wideout caught one 11-yard pass, but the fact that he was even on the field is a good sign for the Dolphins.
Outside of Parker, Ryan Tannehill has an increased arsenal of weapons at his disposable in a dangerous offense. Newcomers Kenny Stills and Jordan Cameron, in addition to the incumbent Jarvis Landry and Lamar Miller out of the backfield, make for more-than-enough options.
Tannehill, himself, seems poised to have a great 2015 campaign. He finished the preseason with an 80.5 completion percentage and 121.8 passer rating while tossing three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Still, the Dolphins offense—17th in passing yards last season—could benefit from a talented young receiver who was a ball magnet at Louisville a year ago.
By the way, let's not forget what free-agent signee Ndamukong Suh brings to an already feisty defense.
10. Detroit Lions
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The Detroit Lions took calculated steps this offseason to improve a running game that finished 28th in rushing yards last year.
Detroit general manager Martin Mayhew added free-agent guard Manny Ramirez and first-round draft pick Laken Tomlinson to beef up the offensive line. Then he went and drafted Ameer Abdullah in the second round, adding to a backfield already consisting of Joique Bell and Theo Riddick.
It seems the Lions will make Abdullah, a standout last year at Nebraska, earn his role in the offense. Bell is expected to start at tailback in Week 1 while Riddick is listed at No. 2 on the depth chart.
Yet Detroit's rookie will probably see his fair share of touches. Bell failed to participate in any preseason games while recovering from two offseason surgeries. The 29-year-old was ineffective for much of the last two seasons, averaging 3.9 yards per carry over that time.
On the other hand, Abdullah exploded onto the scene this summer as he rushed for 82 yards on 12 carries—at an impressive 6.8 YPC clip—juking defenders and making a strong case to push Bell for the starting tailback job.
9. Arizona Cardinals
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The Arizona Cardinals are a wild card. Somehow they made the playoffs with an 11-5 record and Ryan Lindley under center in 2014—with an offense and defense both ranked 24th in total yards, no less. They found ways to win games under league Coach of the Year Bruce Arians, and will probably do the same this time around.
The key will be keeping Carson Palmer healthy. The 35-year-old had his season end on Nov. 7 last year when he tore his ACL for the second time in his career. Before he went down, though, Palmer was in the midst of his best statistical season since he was a Cincinnati Bengal.
Arizona will start three new offensive linemen this season to try to protect its quarterback from another major injury. It signed one of the league's best guards in Mike Iupati and drafted tackle D.J. Humphries in the first round.
Despite the increased focus in shoring up the line, Palmer was sacked five times in the preseason, including three in the third game, in which he went 8-for-22 and threw two picks.
Cardinals fans hope to chalk it up to a learning curve for the new pieces in front of Palmer.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers
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The Pittsburgh Steelers, once a mighty defensive unit, have fallen fast on that front. Although they remain a top-level run-stopping D—sixth in yards allowed in 2014—they got killed in the passing game last year, allowing the sixth-most yards in the air.
So Pittsburgh will have to rely on its offense to carry the load this season, and will do so with plenty of weapons at quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's disposal.
With Le'Veon Bell out for the first two games, veteran back DeAngelo Williams will be thrust into a starting role for the time being. The 32-year-old averaged 4.8 yards a carry over three preseason contests and looks to be comfortable in Bell's absence.
As for receivers, the Steelers will be without Martavis Bryant for the first four games, moving Markus Wheaton into an increased workload as the second wideout behind Antonio Brown. Wheaton averaged 15.5 yards per catch on just four receptions in the preseason, including a touchdown.
It'll be interesting to see where Wheaton falls in the receiving corps when his teammate returns. Bryant will be a big-play threat in the Pittsburgh offense—he caught eight balls for 215 yards in the exhibition games, including two scores.
7. Dallas Cowboys
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After losing DeMarco Murray to free agency, the Dallas Cowboys have yet to figure out who their starting running back will be come Week 1.
During the preseason, Joseph Randle—Murray's backup last year—rushed for 45 yards on 13 carries. His running mate looked a bit more impressive, though. Darren McFadden finished with 41 yards on just seven rushes. According to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, McFadden will be the "likely starter" in Sunday's season opener.
That doesn't sound too promising.
Dallas also traded for former Seahawk Christine Michael, who could contend for carries in a crowded backfield. His former teammate and fullback, Michael Robinson, recently said Michael is a "complete runner" who "will take the No. 1 job" if given the opportunity, via Chris Wesseling of NFL.com.
We'll see how this shakes out. You can expect any back in there will be successful with one of the league's best offensive lines blocking for him.
6. Philadelphia Eagles
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The Philadelphia Eagles have had the most turnaround of any roster in the league. On Monday, they will have new faces at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, cornerback and everywhere in between.
Most notably, the offensive line lost two starters in Todd Herremans and Evan Mathis over the offseason. It remains to be seen if Chip Kelly's ground game will be affected, but if the preseason is any indication don't get your hopes up.
The three main backs in Philly—DeMarco Murray, Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles—all averaged at least four yards on the ground during exhibition games. Meanwhile, Sam Bradford has looked like a natural at the helm. He compiled a 149.6 passer rating with an 86.7 completion percentage in limited action while running the fast-pace offense to a T.
The main concern for the Eagles, though, is on the defensive side of the ball. The unit was the league's fourth-worst last year in terms of yards allowed. You can bet Kelly addressed the area over the offseason. He brought in former Seahawks Walter Thurmond and Byron Maxwell to shore up the secondary in addition to trading for linebacker Kiko Alonso.
Alonso, recovering from a torn ACL a year ago, only appeared in Philadelphia's preseason finale and recorded two tackles. But it's a good sign that the Oregon product got on the field at all as he's been held out of practice and game action for much of the summer.
5. Denver Broncos
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Another season and another where Peyton Manning has a championship-caliber team.
Granted, it's not all him—he does have a top-tier defense to back him up— but he remains one of the NFL's best passers at age 39.
The concern in Denver, though, is at offensive line. Only one Broncos starter, Louis Vasquez, from last year's line is healthy and still on the roster. There will be new faces up and down the unit to start 2015. It could affect Manning and running back C.J. Anderson's production, or it'll be just business as usual.
Anderson, who broke onto the national scene last year, averaged 4.1 yards per carry this preseason while being outperformed by his teammate. Ronnie Hillman—whose 21 carries in exhibition games almost mirror the 20 Anderson saw—ran for 155 yards at a blazing 7.4 YPC clip.
Anderson will start the year as the starter in Denver, but it's worth paying attention to how much Manning and the Broncos choose to use Hillman.
4. Green Bay Packers
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You're kidding yourself if you think losing Jordy Nelson for the season won't affect Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers offense in 2015.
Nelson was Rodgers' favorite target a year ago as he caught a team-high 98 balls. He was a threat to defenses every week, especially with Randall Cobb on the other side.
Cobb, though, caught 91 passes in 2014 and figures to now be the premier receiver in Green Bay. However, it'll be the lesser-known pass-catchers who we should pay attention to.
Leading the pack are Davante Adams, who caught just three passes for 17 yards in the preseason, Ty Montgomery (4-for-99) and Jeff Janis (10-for-149). There's a reason Janis saw a lot more targets in the exhibitions—he needed to earn his spot on the roster, let alone as a viable option for Rodgers.
The story to watch for this team will, clearly, be at receiver. It's possible Rodgers could make anyone a star if given the opportunity. Fortunately, he'll have Eddie Lacy to lean on.
3. Indianapolis Colts
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The Indianapolis Colts were just a few inflated balls away from reaching last year's Super Bowl—I had to, sorry. In reality, they lost a 45-7 blowout as the AFC runners-up. But, an 11-5 record and a top-five quarterback proved this team is here to stay.
And then they improved an already loaded roster.
The Colts signed wide receiver Andre Johnson and running back Frank Gore in the offseason. Both might be past their prime, but in the right situation each can be the missing piece on offense that Andrew Luck needs.
The 32-year-old Gore only saw two carries in the preseason, but he'll be a nice offset to Indy's pass-first offense. In 2014 the Colts had to make due with Trent Richardson and Ahmad Bradshaw as their lead backs. It's safe to say that Gore, no matter how old, is an upgrade.
Johnson, 34, could be the tall red-zone target that Luck has been missing. Losing Reggie Wayne makes a second receiver to complement T.Y. Hilton a necessity.
2. New England Patriots
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New England Patriots fans everywhere rejoiced when Tom Brady's four-game suspension was nullified last week. The news simply means the defending champion Patriots instantly become Super Bowl favorites in 2015, if they weren't already.
Brady returns to head an offense that scored the fifth-most touchdowns through the air (34) last year. The unit remains basically intact and should be among the league's best again.
What should worry Pats fans is their secondary. They lost two starters—albeit good ones in Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner—to free agency and now employ Bradley Fletcher, Logan Ryan and Malcolm Butler in their stead. Butler proved his worth already, but the jury's out on the others. Ryan hasn't been a starter yet in his career while Fletcher headlined a train wreck of a secondary in Philadelphia last season.
Pay attention to what New England does at running back, too. With LeGarrette Blount out until Week 2 and the recent waiving of Jonas Gray, the door is wide open for someone to step up in Thursday's opener. Some combination of Brandon Bolden, Dion Lewis and James White is expected.
1. Seattle Seahawks
32 of 32
The rich get richer.
The Seattle Seahawks will look to reach their third straight Super Bowl with a new toy in the receiving corps, Jimmy Graham. The former Saint has been the league's best tight end over the past few years and he'll be the top target for Russell Wilson right away.
Consider that Graham has had more receptions and receiving yards in each of the last four years in New Orleans than any Seahawks wide receiver had last season. Doug Baldwin led the team with 66 receptions in 2014—Graham hasn't been below 85 catches since his rookie year in 2010.
Graham should provide the Seahawks with another red-zone threat to complement their workhorse of a running back, Marshawn Lynch.
Oh yeah, Seattle's defense is pretty good, too.
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