Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season starts tonight! We made it everyone, the offseason is finally over. This weekend, we’ll get to sit back, relax and enjoy a full slate of college and professional football (and also mourn the loss of seven hours of commercial free football).

My preseason power rankings are here, and this year I’m breaking them up into tiers. I’m going to keep it at five tiers all season, though their names might vary week-to-week because that’s more fun.

Get ready for football, and be sure to tell me how badly I disrespected your favorite team:

Tier 1: Super Bowl Contenders

These teams are locked in contenders to win it all this year. Obviously not all of them can do that, but I’d be surprised if we get to the end of the season and these aren’t all considered consensus top 10 teams.

1 — Philadelphia Eagles (0-0)

The reigning champs start the season at the top, as they should. Not just because of what they won last year, but because this remains the best roster in the NFL. With some exciting new pieces in the secondary and at linebacker, the Eagles are deadlier than ever. How they fare without new Saints HC Kellen Moore at offensive coordinator will be critical.

2 — Kansas City Chiefs (0-0)

Will an improved offensive line and better health at receiver fix the issues that caught up with the Chiefs in the Super Bowl last season? That remains to be seen, but getting WR Rashee Rice back healthy (once he returns from a six-game suspension) and adding first-round LT Josh Simmons might go a long way toward that.

3 — Baltimore Ravens (0-0)

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is destined for a playoff breakthrough at some point. Is this the year? The Ravens reloaded on defense and boast a potent offense helmed by the two-time MVP quarterback.

4 — Buffalo Bills (0-0)

With the reigning MVP in QB Josh Allen, the Bills will go as far as he can take them. They still have some lingering concerns on defense and at receiver, but with Allen at the helm, they’ll be at the top of the league once more.

5 — Los Angeles Rams (0-0)

The clear favorites in the NFC West, the Rams boast a veteran, Super Bowl-winning quarterback in Matthew Stafford and the best defensive line in football. Veteran WR Davante Adams pairs with WR Puka Nacua to form a deadly duo for Stafford to throw to. The health of Stafford and LT Alaric Jackson are the only question marks for this team, albeit pretty big ones.

6 — Green Bay Packers (0-0)

The Micah Parsons trade jumped the Packers up a tier for me. This is one of the best rosters in the NFL, and it’s the youngest roster by a decent margin as well. If QB Jordan Love can play at a high level more consistently, Green Bay can do some damage in January.

7 — Detroit Lions (0-0)

A healthy Aidan Hutchinson should do wonders for a Lions defense that limped to the finish line last year. Losing both coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn to head coaching vacancies is tough, but Detroit is poised to once again be atop the NFC.

Tier 2: Surefire Playoff Teams

While I question if these teams have the ceilings necessary to win a title, there should be no doubt they are playoff teams entering the season — on paper at least.

8 — Denver Broncos (0-0)

Everyone’s favorite offseason darling, the Broncos aren’t being shy about their expectations this season. This defense might be the best in the NFL, and the offense added a little firepower. Second-year QB Bo Nix proved himself a quality starter, but his ability to be more will set the ceiling for this team.

9 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-0)

The Bucs aren’t going anywhere — in either direction. One of the strongest rosters in the league, they’re a safe bet to win their division and maybe a playoff game. I have a hard time seeing them seriously compete for a championship, but I also don’t see them taking a step back.

10 — Washington Commanders (0-0)

Will Washington continue its ascension to the top of the league, or will it be like Houston last year and stall out? My bet is on somewhere in between. Second-year starting QB Jayden Daniels looks like the real deal, but this is the oldest roster in the NFL, and that could come back to bite them, especially along the offensive line and on defense.

11 — Los Angeles Chargers (0-0)

Losing LT Rashawn Slater for the year is a major blow. But this is a stable, run-heavy offense with some playmakers for QB Justin Herbert to throw to. The defense could take a step forward this year, too.

Tier 3: Playoff Contenders

There are no guarantees, but I expect all these teams to be competing for playoff spots this season. The difference between this tier and the last is one of confidence, as I wouldn’t be surprised if they missed the postseason in the end.

12 — Dallas Cowboys (0-0)

I’m guessing last year was an injury-riddled aberration, but I also don’t think this team has 12 wins in them. Losing Parsons won’t make this team better, in the short or long term, but QB Dak Prescott leads a high-floor offense with some upside on defense if they can stay healthy.

13 — Minnesota Vikings (0-0)

The Vikings have the most variance of any of the teams in this tier. Starting essentially a rookie quarterback in J.J. McCarthy is risky, especially when the rest of the roster is so talented. If McCarthy hits the ground running, they could win the toughest division in the NFL. If he doesn’t….

14 — Cincinnati Bengals (0-0)

I almost think this is too high for the Bengals. We’ve seen this team massively underperform the last two years with largely this same roster. The defense still has so many question marks, especially in run defense, and the offensive line is a patchwork once again. Still, this has the potential to be the best offense in the NFL, and a faster start to the season should net them a wild card berth at the very least.

15 — Houston Texans (0-0)

The Texans are lucky the rest of the AFC South can’t get its act together. This team took a step back last year after winning a playoff game in 2023, and they might’ve gotten worse this year. Starting QB C.J. Stroud needs a bounce-back season, and they’d better hope this piecemeal offensive line can hold up better than a year ago. The defense should be excellent, however.

Tier 4: Fast Risers & Quick Fallers

Consider this a catch-all tier for teams with a wide range of outcomes. With 10 teams, it’s the largest tier, and their seasons could go in a lot of different directions. It shouldn’t surprise anyone to see some of these teams pushing for playoff bids, but they could also be looking to fire their coaching staff by midseason.

16 — Arizona Cardinals (0-0)

I’m a believer in the Cardinals. This is a prove-it year for the staff, however. The Arizona offense has serious potential, but the defense is what excites me. The additions of CB Will Johnson and ED Josh Sweat address their biggest needs with some potential studs, and an improved defense will have this team in wild card contention.

17 — Chicago Bears (0-0)

Can new HC Ben Johnson spark second-year QB Caleb Williams’ career? We shall see. A drastically improved offensive line and some new additions in the passing game give this offense a lot of firepower, but it’ll come down to what Williams can do in one of the NFL’s most explosive systems.

18 — San Francisco 49ers (0-0)

I think I’m lower on the 49ers than most. 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan will always have this offense humming, but there are serious depth concerns at wide receiver and on defense. Their roster just isn’t as strong as in years past, but better injury luck this year would do wonders.

19 — Indianapolis Colts (0-0)

The Colts might have one of the deepest rosters in the entire league, and made some serious upgrades at tight end and in the secondary. Issue is, the offensive line has some concern and quarterback play will be a problem. This team is better than the one that was a play or two away from the division title in 2023, but if Indy gets off to a slow start, things could spiral quickly.

20 — Pittsburgh Steelers (0-0)

This might seem low for a Steelers team that made the playoffs a year ago, but I simply do not trust QB Aaron Rodgers in the year 2025. If Pittsburgh HC Mike Tomlin gets Rodgers to buy in, this ranking will age poorly. But with questions along the offensive line and at receiver, I’m not confident they can engineer a passable offense with the way Rodgers wants to play at this point in his career.

21 — Seattle Seahawks (0-0)

Can QB Sam Darnold carry over his success last season in Minnesota? If not, the offense will be ugly, but this defense is loaded. Either way, offensive line play will be critical, and if it doesn’t improve, it won’t matter what Darnold does.

22 — Atlanta Falcons (0-0)

The Falcons are a tough team to read. I still don’t love this defense, and losing RT Kaleb McGary for the year is a huge loss. I was a big fan of QB Michael Penix Jr. in the 2024 draft, and if he can be the big-play guy he was in college, Atlanta could win their division.

23 — Las Vegas Raiders (0-0)

I think the Raiders offense has a fairly high floor between QB Geno Smith, TE Brock Bowers, first-round RB Ashton Jeanty, and a solid offensive line. But the defense is shaping up to be one of the worst in the league and that caps their ceiling.

24 — Miami Dolphins (0-0)

Offensive line play has hamstrung this offense in recent years, and it’s shaping up to be HC Mike McDaniel’s worst line yet. All the drama surrounding WR Tyreek Hill is foreboding, and this defense has bottoming-out potential. But with the pieces for one of the league’s most dangerous offenses, you can’t count the Dolphins out entirely.

25 — New York Giants (0-0)

The Giants’ defense has league-best potential, especially in their pass rush. And WR Malik Nabers is a superstar. That said, this team has liabilities at quarterback, most of the offensive line, and at head coach. That’s a horrendous combination, and with one of the league’s toughest schedules, they could find themselves with the top pick in the next draft. However, I kept them in this tier simply because there’s a chance, however small, that the talent on this roster wins out.

Tier 5: How Soon Does The Draft Start?

This is the tier for teams for whom I don’t see a realistic path to the playoffs. That’s not to say they can’t have successful seasons, but their fans will be looking towards next year sooner rather than later.

26 — Carolina Panthers (0-0)

The Panthers defense is better left unmentioned, but this offense could be fun. Former No. 1 overall QB Bryce Young enters his third season with more optimism than there was last year, and now he has a true No. 1 target in rookie WR Tetairoa McMillan. Those two building a connection will be critical for this team going forward.

27 — Jacksonville Jaguars (0-0)

Another team I seem to be lower on than consensus. This Jaguars defense is one of the league’s worst, and their offensive line didn’t get any better this offseason. First-round WR/CB Travis Hunter is a ton of fun, and the budding trio of Hunter, QB Trevor Lawrence and WR Brian Thomas Jr. could put up points on the league for years. But I still think they’re a year away.

28 — New England Patriots (0-0)

Patriots QB Drake Maye has a lot of hype entering his second year, and the hire of HC Mike Vrabel might be the single best move any team made this offseason. But the offensive line is a year or two away from even being competent, and New England is still looking for receivers to rely on.

29 — New York Jets (0-0)

This roster is more talented than this ranking reflects, I realize. But did the Jets get any better last year to now? I don’t think they did. New QB Justin Fields is a bridge starter at best, and the defense still has depth concerns. Will another receiver step up to produce next to Garrett Wilson?

30 — Cleveland Browns (0-0)

The quarterback carousel in Cleveland this year will be fun for the media to dissect, but not fun for Browns fans to endure. It’s a beat-up roster that can’t undergo a proper rebuild until QB Deshaun Watson’s contract is off the books, but this is also a team that made the playoffs just two years ago. There’s some talent here.

31 — Tennessee Titans (0-0)

I’m not a believer in the Titans’ coaching staff, and this is arguably the worst roster in the league. But the season will be judged on rookie No. 1 overall pick QB Cam Ward and how he develops over the course of it. Nothing else matters in Tennessee.

32 — New Orleans Saints (0-0)

My pick for the worst team in the league, the Saints spent some time at No. 32 in my power rankings last year. It’s tough to see a path towards a quick turnaround, as it’ll take years to clean up the cap. Rookie second-round QB Tyler Shough didn’t win the starting job out of camp, but it’s only a matter of time until we see him start. Then it’s a question of if the Saints will be in the quarterback market again next year.