NFL Predictions 2011: 10 Sleeper Teams That Could Shock the NFL

The lockout is settled, training camp is underway, the preseason starts this week and the regular season kicks off in a month.

So, what teams can we look for big things from? There are a few obvious ones, but where's the fun in pointing them out?

Parity is prevalent in football. It's not uncommon for a team to make a deep playoff run one year and miss the miss the playoffs the next.

Conversely, how often do we see teams finish below .500 one year and make a deep playoff run the next year?

That's what we're looking for here. Although there are a few teams that had winning records in 2010 on this list, none of them made the playoffs.

St. Louis Rams

Unlike the rest of the NFC West, the Rams are actually a team on the rise.

When they drafted Sam Bradford No. 1 in the 2010 draft, his biggest question mark was his health.

In the 2010 season, he held up fine. If that happens again in 2011, this team should win the division.

They still look a long way from being able to make a long run in the playoffs, but this is a team that can get there. Not bad for a team that had the No. 1 pick in the draft two seasons ago.

San Francisco 49ers

Like the Cardinals and most other teams in the NFL, much of this team's success hinges on its quarterback.

In this case, that quarterback is Alex Smith, who is likely on his last legs as the 49ers quarterback.

In Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree and Braylon Edwards, Smith has plenty of receiving targets. He also has a returning Frank Gore at running back to help him.

The question mark on the 49ers defense is their secondary, although the signings of Donte Whitner and Carlos Rogers should help them.

The 49ers also need a better pass rush. No. 7 draft pick Aldon Smith was drafted to help that cause.

Arizona Cardinals

Are you noticing a theme? The Seattle Seahawks are disqualified from this list because their 7-9 record in 2010 was good enough to win the division and make the playoffs.

The other three teams in the division can certainly win it.

Is Kevin Kolb really a good NFL starting quarterback? With Larry Fitzgerald to throw the ball to, we will find out this year.

Oakland Raiders

The San Diego Chargers didn't make the playoffs in 2010, but they had the best offense and the best defense in the league. They don't really qualify as a sleeper.

If they slip, the Raiders and Chiefs will contend for the division title. Oakland won all six games against the AFC West last year and had their first truly progressive season since losing the Super Bowl to Tampa Bay in 2003.

Like with many other teams, the quarterback situation will be key. With Hue Jackson as the new coach, Jason Campbell is in position to have a good season.

The loss of tight end Zach Miller will hurt them, but Kevin Boss should be an adequate replacement. When Darren McFadden and Jacoby Ford return, the Raiders offense will be a force.

Detroit Lions

If Nick Fairley can come back from his injury that will cause him to miss the entire preseason, Detroit has a potentially lethal defensive line with Fairley and Ndamukong Suh.

The loss of running back Mikel Leshoure will be tough to overcome, as this is a tough division.

But if Matthew Stafford can finally stay healthy, he has potential to form an excellent combination with all-world receiver Calvin Johnson.

Detroit is a rising team that can make a run in 2011.

Minnesota Vikings

How much does Donovan McNabb have left in the tank?

2010 was a disastrous season for the Vikings, who started the season with Super Bowl expectations. They played in a tough division and had veteran players underperform.

Still, they have a lot of talented players. The main one is Adrian Peterson. McNabb doesn't need to have a career year with Peterson behind him.

A simply good season from McNabb will serve Minnesota fine, assuming they get expected numbers from Peterson.

New York Giants

These guys just aren't that bad. They were one DeSean Jackson punt return away from winning the NFC East last year.

Their receivers had great years last year for Eli Manning.

Osi Umenyiora's situation needs to be resolved.

With the additions that the Philadelphia Eagles have made, they are expected to not only win the division, but at least make the Super Bowl.

If the Eagles slip, the Giants are a team that can beat them. Even if not, they should earn a wild card spot.

Dallas Cowboys

This team had a lot of talent in 2010; they just didn't perform.

Tony Romo got hurt midseason, but the season was already lost by that point.

Now, Jason Garrett is in his first full season as head coach. The Cowboys improved in 2010 once he became the coach, but that doesn't always translate.

The Cowboys are too talented to be that bad again. Expect them to at least contend for a playoff berth.

Houston Texans

With Arian Foster at running back, Matt Schaub at quarterback and Andre Johnson at receiver, this team should score points.

The problem in 2010 was that they allowed a lot of points. Actually, they allowed more points than all but three teams in the NFL.

The Colts should still rule that division, as long as Peyton Manning's neck isn't an issue. If not, the Jaguars could also have a strong year, although they also allow too many points too.

The AFC is tough. It's likely that the AFC wild card spots will come from the second-place finishers in the North and East.

But if it doesn't or if the Colts slip up, Houston could find themselves in the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Josh Freeman is a rising star in the game. His coach, Raheem Morris, also seems to be a rising star in the coaching ranks.

In 2010, the Buccaneers were a shocking team, jumping from 3-13 in 2009 to 10-6. That was the biggest single season turnaround in franchise history.

Outside of Carolina, the NFC South is a challenging division.

Lagarrette Blount rushed for 1,007 yards and averaged five yards a carry.

Mike Williams had just under 1,000 yards receiving with 11 touchdowns, while tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. had 730 yards receiving and five touchdowns.

Tampa Bay will not be catching anyone off guard this year, but they are ready to take the next step and reach the postseason.