NFL Power Rankings Week 1: Predicting Season-Opening Standings

A lot of factors go into predictions for the upcoming season, but the reality is every NFL team is 0-0 when Week 1 begins.

It's important to look at what teams have done in the preseason, as well as the offseason and throughout the past year of football. Every activity will affect what happens during the 2016 season while giving us a better idea of who is actually good and who is in for a long season.

On the other hand, nothing done until this point will matter for the teams that don't live up to expectations when the games count. The early-season rankings are always volatile, with the ability to make dramatic shifts after just one game.

Here is a look at some teams that could see some big movement right away, along with full projected standings heading into Week 1.

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

Teams to Watch

Carolina Panthers

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When you are No. 1, there is a long way to drop if things go wrong.

The Carolina Panthers deserve the top spot after going 15-1 a year ago and reaching the Super Bowl. Cam Newton returns after an outstanding season, and he will have an even stronger offense with Kelvin Benjamin returning from injury.

On the defensive side, Luke Kuechly leads one of the best front sevens in the entire NFL.

The problem comes from the secondary, which will have to make up for losing Josh Norman and more from last season. Not only is there inexperience at safety, but the Panthers will rely upon major contributions from rookies James Bradberry and Daryl Worley at cornerback.

Louis Riddick of ESPN noted his concern about this situation:

A loaded roster still makes Carolina the early favorite heading into the season, but there could be major question marks as the year progresses.

Denver Broncos

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While the Super Bowl runner-up has its problems, so does the champion.

The Denver Broncos head into the upcoming season having to replace Peyton Manning at quarterback. This isn't an easy task for anyone, let alone former seventh-round pick Trevor Siemian.

Although the second-year player was a surprise pick to lead the Broncos in Week 1, his teammates have faith in him.

"I think his calm demeanor," wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders said of Siemian when talking about why he won the starting job, per Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com. "He's very poised. Even when he comes into the huddle, he's always the same guy. I remember when he first came in, I said, 'You remind me of (Packers quarterback) Aaron Rodgers in the way that he goes about his business.'"

Even if Siemian plays to his peak ability, Denver still has to overcome rebuilt lines on both offense and defense. With a difficult opening schedule, things could get bad fast.

On the other hand, there are still most of the key parts of the elite defense that carried the Broncos throughout last season. With a playmaking defense and talented skill players on offense, this squad could prove itself as a top contender once again.

Buffalo Bills

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The Buffalo Bills are right on the brink of being good. The franchise hasn't made the playoffs since 1999, but the pieces are there to change that in 2016.

Tyrod Taylor is coming off an impressive first season as a full-time starter, with Sammy Watkins and LeSean McCoy also helping to provide some dynamic play on the offense. If these players stay healthy, this could be a difficult unit to defend.

Injuries to rookies Shaq Lawson and Reggie Ragland will hurt, but the defense should still be solid if it can figure out how to get to the quarterback.

The talent is there for something special, but obviously, there are also a lot of "ifs" involved. It wouldn't be surprising to see this squad either win or lose 10 games, but we might get a better idea after the first couple of games.

Los Angeles Rams

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The Rams could have one of the best defenses in the NFL this season. Aaron Donald and Robert Quinn lead the way on the defensive line and create a unit that won't be easy for any team to penetrate.

Liz Habib of Fox 11 Los Angeles noted the impressive play in the Week 3 "dress rehearsal" against the Broncos:

Add in Todd Gurley, who could already be one of the best running backs in football heading into his second season, and the Rams should be able to contend with just about anyone.

The problems come in the passing game, with first overall draft pick Jared Goff struggling in the preseason and unable to win the starting job from Case Keenum. There also aren't too many receiving targets to trust even with a proven starter at quarterback.

Defense and running can help Los Angeles earn a bunch of wins, but it also wouldn't be a shock to see this team drafting early again next year.

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