NFL Power Rankings Week 1: Latest Outlook Before Thursday Night Football Opener

The NFL season has a way of making fools of us all.

Every year, there are squads counted out before Week 1 that exceed expectations and reach the playoffs. At the same time, teams that have high hopes often fall flat on their faces. The challenge is figuring out which franchises will make which move during the course of the 17 weeks.  

A lot is certain to change from week to week, but we can take what we know and predict how each team will fare this season. Heading into the season opener between the New England Patriots (No. 1 team now that Tom Brady will be active from the start) and the Pittsburgh Steelers, here is a look at rankings for each team in the NFL. 

Rank	Team
1	New England Patriots
2	Seattle Seahawks
3	Green Bay Packers
4	Indianapolis Colts
5	Denver Broncos
6	Dallas Cowboys
7	Arizona Cardinals
8	Baltimore Ravens
9	Pittsburgh Steelers
10	Cincinnati Bengals
11	Miami Dolphins
12	Detroit Lions
13	Philadelphia Eagles
14	San Diego Chargers
15	Houston Texans
16	Buffalo Bills
17	Carolina Panthers
18	Kansas City Chiefs
19	Atlanta Falcons
20	Minnesota Vikings
21	New York Giants
22	St. Louis Rams
23	Chicago Bears
24	New Orleans Saints
25	Cleveland Browns
26	San Francisco 49ers
27	Oakland Raiders
28	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
29	New York Jets
30	Jacksonville Jaguars
31	Washington Redskins
32	Tennessee Titans

Notable Positions

No. 7 Arizona Cardinals

Although the squad hasn't had much recent playoff success, the Arizona Cardinals enter the 2015 season as a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Don't forget the team went 11-5 a year ago, including 6-0 when starting quarterback Carson Palmer was healthy.

Palmer is back to full strength this season and hoping to build off his 95.6 quarterback rating from 2014. With a wide variety of targets, such as Michael Floyd, Larry Fitzgerald and John Brown, there is no reason to expect anything but a strong year from the veteran.

Adding this to dynamic running back Andre Ellington and a defense that allowed the fifth-fewest points last season, this is certainly a team that won't be easy to beat.

The biggest question will be whether the offensive line can do its job. The unit was a major weakness two years ago and only slightly improved last season, but there are high hopes for 2015. Jared Veldheer returns to anchor a unit that should eventually have first-round picks Mike Iupati, Jonathan Cooper and D.J. Humphries all starting.

If these players can perform to their ability, Palmer will be able to stay healthy, and the entire offense will be able to shine.

No. 11 Miami Dolphins

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

Arguably the biggest free-agent signing this offseason was the Miami Dolphins acquiring Ndamukong Suh. While the defensive tackle might not produce great numbers for the box score, he will certainly transform the defense by making everyone around him better.

All of a sudden the unit that ranked 24th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed could be one of the best, while players like Cameron Wake will see more open looks at the quarterback in an improved pass rush.

Still, the key for the Dolphins' season will be the play of quarterback Ryan Tannehill. This is a good thing for the AFC East squad if early reports from Jon Gruden are any indication, per Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel:

Head coach Joe Philbin also had high praise for the fourth-year quarterback:

"

Joe Philbin on Tannehill: He seems more comfortable and this is best he has thrown the football. He is a very hard worker. #Dolphins

— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) September 8, 2015"

Tannehill improved his completion percentage, passing yards, touchdowns and quarterback rating in each of the past two years and should continue to get better. With the weapons he now has around him, this could lead to a scary offense for opponents.

With a relatively easy early schedule, Miami can build a lot of momentum in the first month of the year.

No. 26 San Francisco 49ers

Joe Mahoney/Associated Press

If people are expecting more from the San Francisco 49ers, it is most likely because they remember a squad with high hopes at this point last season. That group was one of the most talented bunches in the NFL, but that no longer is the case.

Chad Wilson captured a Fox Sports view of the departures from last season:

Some of these moves were voluntary, including the loss of coach Jim Harbaugh and the decision to allow players like Michael Crabtree to leave.

However, the squad will now be without Pro Bowlers such as Patrick Willis, Justin Smith and Aldon Smith on the defensive end or key offensive linemen like Iupati and Anthony Davis on offense. Frank Gore, Chris Culliver and others can still contribute as starters but are no longer with the team.

Although San Francisco did have a deep roster full of young talent, no team could sustain these types of losses and come out on the other end all right.

This season's team might be fun to watch with Colin Kaepernick and Carlos Hyde running the offense, but there is little reason to believe there will many wins in its future.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for more year-round sports analysis.