We’ve been drilling down on player value all offseason, making predictions about which players will delight or disappoint you in 2023. But now, with the start of the NFL regular season just days away, let’s widen the focus and look at teams.
We asked our featured analysts for some team-based predictions. Read on to see which teams they’re feeling especially bullish and bearish about this season.
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2023 NFL Season Predictions
Q. Which team do you think will win the Super Bowl and why?
Kansas City Chiefs
“Let’s be practical rather than trendy: the Kansas City Chiefs. They’ve played in three of the last four Super Bowls and won two of them. Kansas City has won the AFC West in each of the last seven seasons. The Chiefs have averaged 11.7 regular-season wins over Andy Reid’s 10 seasons as head coach. Patrick Mahomes is building a strong GOAT case, and at 27, he’s in the prime of his career. Kansas City has diligently poured resources into its defense and is formidable on that side of the ball as well. A Chiefs dynasty is upon us.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
“I know this seems square, but I think the Kansas City Chiefs are likeliest to win. They’re the new Patriots. When Mahomes is healthy, they are the best team in the league.”
– Jacob White (Gridiron Experts)
“While a handful of teams have a legitimate chance to win the Super Bowl this year, my pick is the Kansas City Chiefs. The team has played in three of the past four Super Bowls, winning twice, including last year. Furthermore, the Chiefs have made the AFC Championship game every year of Patrick Mahomes’ career as the starter. While the Chris Jones situation is less than ideal, I’m not betting against Andy Reid and Mahomes.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)
Philadelphia Eagles
“The Eagles remain one of the best teams in the NFL. Their roster is stacked on both sides of the ball. I know post-Super Bowl hangovers are real, but I’m willing to give that narrative the middle finger. Jalen Hurts is an MVP candidate again this season. Philadelphia gets the job done this season.”
– Derek Brown (FantasyPros)
Miami Dolphins
“My gut says the Kansas City Chiefs or Philadelphia Eagles, but how often do the chalk teams go all the way in the NFL (the answer is not often)? So, I am going to go out on a limb this year and say the Miami Dolphins. They have the quickest offense in the league, with Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Raheem Mostert, and De’Von Achane. The always efficient and accurate Tua Tagovailoa has something to prove this year to quell all the concussion talk/fears, and he is putting in the work to do so by bulking up, taking jujutsu, and working on avoiding and taking hits. With excellent coaching, a much-improved defense, an improving offensive line, and speedu offense, the Miami Dolphins could easily be holding The Lombardi Trophy in February.”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)
Cincinnati Bengals
“The Cincinnati Bengals will hoist the Lombardi Trophy at the conclusion of the 2023 NFL season. Joe Burrow and company have been knocking on the door to the Super Bowl every year that Burrow has been the team’s starter for the past two seasons with back-to-back appearances in the AFC Championship Game versus the Kansas City Chiefs. And there’s a good chance we’ll see them continue the collision course. Given Cincy’s more manageable regular season schedule compared to the other two AFC powerhouses (Bills, Chiefs), I like their odds to get back to the Super Bowl at 6-1 odds. The Bengals are 4-1 versus the Bills and Chiefs since 2021 (including the postseason). Their offense can be elite with the addition of tackle ex-Chiefs tackle Orlando Brown Jr., and a trio of WRs that are arguably the best in the league. And the defense is underrated after finishing 2022 allowing the league’s lowest passer rating and completion rate. Youth is also very much on their side, with the Bengals boasting the 3rd-youngest team in the NFL (youngest in the AFC). ”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)
Q. Which team do you expect to be this season’s most pleasant surprise and why?
Carolina Panthers
“The Panthers quietly had a nice stretch run in 2022, going 5-3 from Week 10 on. Their talented young defense ranked 12th in DVOA over that stretch. Carolina gets a coaching upgrade with Frank Reich replacing Matt Rhule as head coach, and Reich has surrounded himself with an all-star cast of assistants. Bryce Young didn’t look great in the preseason, but he’s a playmaking savant who’ll quickly get up to speed in the NFL. The Panthers will also have a tailwind at their backs this season: They have the fourth-easiest schedule in the league, according to Sharp Football Analysis.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
Chicago Bears
“This is probably a homer pick, but the Chicago Bears. They’ve upgraded at every level of every position this offseason. Additionally, they went 1-7 in one-score games last year, a stat that is likely to regress back toward the mean year-over-year.”
– Jacob White (Gridiron Experts)
New Orleans Saints
“The New Orleans Saints could make a deep playoff run this season. Their offense remains stocked with talented players. The Saints have the most-favorable strength of schedule in the NFL. If you quickly peek at their early season games, their defense should feast on unproven or mediocre quarterbacks. New Orleans should win 10-11 games at least this season and take the NFC South crown.”
– Derek Brown (FantasyPros)
Denver Broncos
“I was all in on the Denver Broncos last year because Russell Wilson has been nothing if not a consistent quarterback for years, they had three great wide receivers, the running back room was strong, and they had a pretty good defense. Then, the season started, and everything bad that could happen did. Well, it is a new year with Sean Payton, a reenergized Russell Wilson, a healthy Courtland Sutton, (Jerry Jeudy will join the fray in October and contribute), and an amazingly quick recovery for Javonte Williams (who will have Samaje Perine to spell him). They will improve vastly from last year and might even challenge for the division, which we all know belongs to the Kansas City Chiefs for the foreseeable future.”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)
Pittsburgh Steelers
“Last year, the Pittsburgh Steelers had a 9-8 record despite having a rookie quarterback, a struggling offense, and playing seven games without T.J. Watt. Yet, they were a head-to-head tiebreaker away from making the playoffs. The Steelers had a 1-6 record without the superstar pass rusher. By comparison, Pittsburgh’s only two losses with Watt in the lineup were against two playoff teams – the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens. With Kenny Pickett and the offense showing significant improvement this offseason, betting the Steelers to win the Super Bowl at 50-1 is an appealing long-shot option.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)
Atlanta Falcons
“The time is now to bleed red and black. The Dirty Birds Atlanta Falcons are going to SHOW the world when they take down the NFC South and win a postseason game in 2023. The team’s offense has been the subject of heavy debate throughout the fantasy football draft season regarding how Arthur Smith will utilize his top playmakers. But the former Titans offensive coordinator showed he could put together an efficient offense with Marcus Mariota at the helm. Second-year QB, Desmond Ridder, combined with three former top-10 overall picks at RB, WR, and TE is going to create positive results in real life and in fantasy football.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)
Which team do you expect to be this season’s biggest disappointment and why?
Detroit Lions
“Expectations for the Detroit Lions seem overly ambitious. The Lions are moving in the right direction, and their defense won’t be the pushover it was last season. But the Detroit defense still figures to be average at best, and the offense can only go so far with Jared Goff at quarterback. The Lions might need a year to consolidate the new talent they added in the offseason, so 2024 is a more realistic ETA for this team than 2023.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
“The Detroit Lions had a solid 2022 season. They have better odds to win the Super Bowl than the Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Chargers, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota Vikings, and New York Giants. However, those six teams made the playoffs last year, while the Lions missed out for the sixth consecutive season. Last year, Detroit finished with a 9-8 with only three wins coming against playoff teams. While the NFC North is weaker with Aaron Rodgers out of the division, I’m still betting on the Lions to miss the playoffs.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)
Atlanta Falcons
“There seems to be a common love of the Falcons as a breakout team, and I just don’t see it. We don’t know if Arthur Smith is a great Head Coach, and based on the “boomer ball” they played last year, I think it’s reasonable to assume he might not be. Similarly, we aren’t sure if Desmond Ridder, their QB, is good and based on his draft capital (a 3-rd pick), he’s a dog to be a good QB. ”
– Jacob White (Gridiron Experts)
Minnesota Vikings
“The Vikings will not repeat their Minnesota miracle season of 2022. The run game has been downgraded with the loss of Dalvin Cook, and the defense remains a sore spot. Yes, the offense will still be a high-flying affair, but asking Kirk Cousins to carry a team is a scary proposition. Minnesota will be lucky to be above .500 this year. ”
– Derek Brown (FantasyPros)
New York Jets
“The New York Jets are seen as a team that is going to the moon. Aaron Rodgers is widely thought to be the missing piece to this decades-old broken puzzle. They have Dalvin Cook, all the WRs Rodgers liked from Green Bay, and a future SUPERSTAR in Garrett Wilson. BUT – they are in the toughest division in football, Aaron Rodgers is not the MVP candidate of a few years back, and teams don’t just magically gel when they get that superstar QB in year one.”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)
San Francisco 49ers
“The SF 49ers are expected to pick up where they left off last season, right back in the NFC Championship Game. But they lost defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans in the offseason. And second-year QB Brock Purdy posted an unsustainable TD rate a season ago. Purdy had ZERO expectations as the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. But now, as the starter for the heavy NFC West favorites, he has to deliver. And playing with high expectations can change how a team performs. Keep in mind that Purdy flashed eerily similar early success at Iowa State before his numbers dipped for consecutive seasons. ”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)
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