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Andersen's early 2025 NFL power rankings by division and predictions for all 32 teams. Read his divisional projections, winners and team analysis for the AFC and NFC.
The NFL Draft has come and gone, which means rosters are finally starting to take shape ahead of the 2025 season.
Every team is trying to construct the best roster in the league, but some are more legitimate contenders than others. This season will surely feature strong teams playing well, bottom-feeders preparing for a rebuild, and a flurry of surprises in between.
It's never too early to ponder how the standings will look at the end of the season. Let's dive in.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 2025 fantasy football rankings
- Running back (RB) rankings
- Wide receiver (WR) rankings
- Quarterback (QB) rankings
- Tight end (TE) rankings
- Defense (D/ST) rankings
- Kicker (K) rankings
- FLEX rankings
- Dynasty rankings
AFC East - 2025 Power Rankings
1.) Buffalo Bills
The Bills primarily focused on defense this offseason, making key additions through free agency and the draft. Veterans Joey Bosa and Larry Ogunjobi could provide key reinforcements up front. Offensively, Elijah Moore and Joshua Palmer are two established depth receivers who could aid Josh Allen down the stretch. Buffalo isn't a Super Bowl front-runner, but they should run away with the AFC East.
2.) Miami Dolphins
Tyreek Hill trade rumors fell apart, leaving Miami with a returning offensive core of Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Jonnu Smith, Tua Tagovailoa, and De'Von Achane. The offensive line got stronger through the draft as the Dolphins tried to fill the void left by Terron Armstead's retirement. Defensive questions linger, especially after Calais Campbell left in free agency and Jalen Ramsey's status remains in limbo.
3.) New England Patriots
Don't sleep on the Patriots' offseason. Mike Vrabel prioritized getting his guys, which included additions on both sides of the ball. Stefon Diggs will give Drake Maye a much-needed No. 1 receiver, TreVeyon Henderson can be a lead running back, and Will Campbell has the potential to be a Pro Bowl tackle. Morgan Moses and Garrett Bradbury were added to the offensive line, while Milton Williams, Harold Landry, and Robert Spillane joined the defense.
#Patriots rookie RB TreVeyon Henderson in his final 2 seasons at Ohio State:
53 Targets
2 Dropped Passes300 Rushing Attempts
0 FumblesStud. pic.twitter.com/P5dPrsKBii
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) May 18, 2025
4.) New York Jets
The Jets brought in Justin Fields to play quarterback, and they supplied him with reinforcements at right tackle and tight end through the draft. New York's defense remains above average. Still, questions exist with Fields under center and a new coaching regime in place. Plus, outside of Garrett Wilson, the wide receiver room lacks flair.
AFC North - 2025 Power Rankings
1.) Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens are a legitimate threat to dethrone the Chiefs as the top team in the AFC. Their defense should be the best in the conference, especially after adding Malaki Starks and Mike Green in the draft. The receiving corps is questionable, but few teams are stopping Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry.
2.) Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati has routinely struggled early in the season, allowing Baltimore to get a quick start and never overcoming this deficit. Still, the Bengals' high-powered offense should allow them to make the playoffs. Defensively, Cincinnati made key additions through the draft and also lured coordinator Al Golden from the college ranks.
Actions speak louder. pic.twitter.com/meEGChNqci
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) March 20, 2025
3.) Cleveland Browns
There's a huge drop-off between Cincinnati and Cleveland. The Browns' defense remains dominant with Mason Graham joining a unit featuring Myles Garrett, Grant Delpit, and Denzel Ward. However, the offense has some major holes. Cleveland has five quarterbacks, and none of them are worthy of starting. The offensive line is fine, but the team lacks a true No. 1 receiver and could struggle with an inexperienced backfield committee.
4.) Pittsburgh Steelers
There's no denying that Pittsburgh has a scary defense, but its offense has numerous glaring holes. Aaron Rodgers remains a free agent at the time of publication, leaving the Steelers with Mason Rudolph as their starter. Rudolph is serviceable in a pinch, but it's hard to envision him getting any team out of the basement of their division throughout a full season.
AFC South - 2025 Power Rankings
1.) Houston Texans
C.J. Stroud is looking to bounce back after an underwhelming sophomore campaign. Houston's offensive line took a step backward this offseason, and the Texans will suffer from losing Diggs (free agency) and Tank Dell (injury). They made some solid additions in the draft, but for the most part, it's hard to imagine that the Texans will improve on last season's 10-7 record.
2.) Jacksonville Jaguars
The jury is still out on new head coach Liam Coen, but the Jaguars' commitment to improving their roster this season was admirable. Adding a player like Travis Hunter could pay huge dividends for Jacksonville, and their beefed-up offensive line will benefit Trevor Lawrence. Questions do still exist, though. The loss of Evan Engram is significant, and there's a disconnect between the new coaching regime and the Jaguars' returning running backs.
Welcome to the NFL, Travis Hunter 😅 pic.twitter.com/0HX0CHYXux
— PFF (@PFF) May 15, 2025
3.) Tennessee Titans
Armed with a flashy new QB1 in Cam Ward, the Titans have high hopes for this season. Reaching the playoffs remains an unlikely outcome, but they will almost certainly improve upon last year's 3-14 record that led to a last-place finish. The Titans improved their offensive line, addressed the wide receiver position with depth moves, and added to their defense.
4.) Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis only added one offensive starter this offseason, versatile rookie tight end Tyler Warren. The Colts' defensive front remains solid, but it's probably not enough to counteract the team's quarterback concerns. The clock is ticking on the Anthony Richardson experiment, and Indianapolis's only contingency plan is a different failed first-round quarterback, Daniel Jones.
AFC West - 2025 Power Rankings
1.) Kansas City Chiefs
Last season showed that the Chiefs are beatable, but that doesn't change their status as the No. 1 team in the AFC. Patrick Mahomes' elite play speaks for itself, and Kansas City's defense has finally started to play at the next level. Questions exist about Travis Kelce's future, the running back room, and Rashee Rice, but it will still be challenging to slow down the Chiefs.
2.) Denver Broncos
The Broncos exceeded expectations last season as Bo Nix looked like the second-best rookie quarterback. Denver's defense played at an extremely high level, and Sean Payton had the Broncos in the playoffs as the No. 7 seed. Now armed with R.J. Harvey and Engram — plus key additions on defense — Denver's outlook continues to be quite positive. All signs point to the Broncos snagging the fifth or sixth seed in the AFC playoff picture.
3.) Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers are quite good, and they should make the playoffs again. However, they also play in a tough division, so it's not crazy to envision them finishing third in the AFC West. John Harbaugh continues to build his offense with Tre Harris, Tyler Conklin, Mekhi Becton, and Omarion Hampton. Plus, Mike Williams is back. Justin Herbert should have a strong season with Harris and Ladd McConkey at his disposal.
4.) Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders are trending up, but fans must be patient. It will take a couple of years to fix the Raiders, especially in a challenging division. Geno Smith is a fine bridge quarterback, and the addition of Ashton Jeanty is exciting. The defensive additions of Devin White, Elandon Roberts, Jeremy Chinn, and Eric Stokes were huge. Don't be surprised if this team makes noise during Pete Carroll's first year back in the NFL.
#Raiders Pete Carroll and John Spytek explain why they took Ashton Jeanty at #6 overall
Reminds Carroll of some of the great running backs he has coached pic.twitter.com/7ypVTAJllA
— Logan Reever (@loganreever) April 25, 2025
NFC East - 2025 Power Rankings
1.) Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles lost several defensive staples after winning the Super Bowl, but they're still the team to beat in the NFC. Despite not adding any starters in free agency, Philadelphia still has a dominant core with the likes of Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, Saquon Barkley, Jalen Carter, Cooper DeJean, and many others.
2.) Dallas Cowboys
Let's not forget that the 2024 Cowboys finished 7-10 even though Dak Prescott missed more than half the season. Dallas made solid signings on both sides of the ball and added George Pickens via trade. However, the most significant move may have been drafting offensive lineman Tyler Booker in the first round. The Cowboys' backfield is ugly, but the rest of their roster is exceptionally well-rounded.
3.) Washington Commanders
The Commanders slipping to third in the NFC East is a byproduct of Dallas having a healthy Prescott, plus Jayden Daniels potentially experiencing slight second-year regression. Washington added Deebo Samuel Sr. and Laremy Tunsil while losing Jonathan Allen and Chinn. In a tough division, it's possible the Commanders didn't do enough to replicate last year's 12-win campaign.
4.) New York Giants
The Giants upgraded on both sides of the ball, with Abdul Carter and Russell Wilson being the biggest additions. Wilson is expected to start over Jaxson Dart and Jameis Winston, and we should all be excited to watch Malik Nabers perform in an offense with a real QB1. Still, this team has several lingering holes, and it's difficult to have faith in Brian Daboll.
Malik Nabers finished as THE WR6 as a ROOKIE despite catching passes from…
- Daniel Jones
- Drew Lock
- Tommy DeVitoheading into YEAR TWO, do NOT be worried about him catching passes from…
- Russell Wilson
- Jameis Winston
- Jaxson DartMalik Nabers is INEVITABLE pic.twitter.com/qlyL7u44ll
— DynastyIM (@dynasty_im) May 13, 2025
NFC North - 2025 Power Rankings
1.) Detroit Lions
Detroit arguably added only two starters this offseason and lost Kevin Zeitler and Za'Darius Smith. The Lions also lost both of their talented coordinators, creating an enormous shakeup within the coaching staff. Detroit can still overcome this turbulence, especially with its disruptive defense and star-studded offense. Aidan Hutchinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Amon-Ra St. Brown can certainly lead this team to a Super Bowl.
2.) Green Bay Packers
Green Bay finally added a No. 1 receiver via the draft, and they made a respectable effort to upgrade their offensive line. The Packers' offense will have to carry them in 2025, so all eyes are on Jordan Love, Matthew Golden, and Josh Jacobs. There's enough talent on the roster to get Green Bay into the playoffs.
3.) Chicago Bears
The Bears had a huge offseason, adding head coach Ben Johnson before bolstering the roster with players like Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson, Luther Burden III, Colston Loveland, and Grady Jarrett. There's a lot to be said about Johnson wasting no time to build his own roster, but now we have to see how it plays out. It's unlikely that these new-look Bears can make the playoffs after going 5-12 last year.
Luther Burden:
“Everyone who passed up on me gotta pay.”
pic.twitter.com/DnC6L7rpBG— BOOG (@BoogCB) May 9, 2025
4.) Minnesota Vikings
It may seem excessive to predict the Vikings going from 14-3 to last in their division simply because they lost Sam Darnold, but this prediction takes into account the downgrade from Darnold to J.J. McCarthy, as well as the improvement made by division-mates, especially Chicago. Minnesota improved its offensive line, but it has many holes on defense, and we can't put much faith in McCarthy after he missed his full rookie season.
NFC South - 2025 Power Rankings
1.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It's difficult to bet against the Bucs. Tampa Bay has a strong offensive core in Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Bucky Irving, plus rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka. Meanwhile, the Bucs' defense is routinely top 10 in the league, and they bolstered their pass rush with Haason Reddick. In a relatively weak NFC South, the Buccaneers should run away with the division title.
2.) Carolina Panthers
The Panthers are trending up after Bryce Young's resurgence late last year. Carolina's front office supplied Young with a flashy rookie receiver in Tetairoa McMillan, and they also revamped their defense with the addition of several impact starters. The Panthers' offensive linemen can also win any matchup in the trenches. Don't be surprised if they make a playoff push.
3.) Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons didn't make any major offensive additions, which is concerning given that the unit lacks much star power outside of Bijan Robinson. However, they made numerous defensive splashes via the draft, selecting Jalon Walker, James Pearce Jr., and Xavier Watts. Atlanta is trending up, but they probably can't catch Carolina or Tampa Bay quite yet.
The Falcons double down on EDGE and come away with a lethal duo: Jalon Walker and James Pearce 🔥
These two will be a nightmare for offenses for years to come. What a haul—Atlanta just built a scary young core
A+ grade for the Falcons first round pic.twitter.com/pI7YUzIIP7
— Jake Bennett (@Jake__Bennett__) April 25, 2025
4.) New Orleans Saints
It's going to be another ugly year in New Orleans. The hiring of head coach Kellen Moore is exciting, but he can only do so much with rookie quarterback Tyler Shough under center. Taysom Hill is gone, Alvin Kamara isn't getting any younger, and Chris Olave has serious injury concerns. The defense has some big-name veterans, but will they be able to stay off the field this year? New Orleans should finish in the basement of the NFC South.
NFC West - 2025 Power Rankings
1.) Los Angeles Rams
The NFC West is wide open, and it feels like every team could go 9-8. For now, we're giving the edge to the Rams, who added Poona Ford and Davante Adams to a well-rounded roster. Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams are offensive stars, and Sean McVay always has his defense ready to face any opponent.
2.) Seattle Seahawks
The jury is still out on the Seahawks, who essentially replaced Smith and DK Metcalf with Darnold and Cooper Kupp. Jaxon Smith-Njigba should be able to handle No. 1 receiver duties, and the offensive line looks solid, but the defense will likely finish below league average. Plus, can Kenneth Walker III stay healthy? Do the Seahawks have the depth to survive inevitable injuries? Too many questions surround this Seattle team.
3.) San Francisco 49ers
We saw more roster turnover as the 49ers navigated the offseason, which included trading Samuel to Washington. San Francisco still has flashy weapons in Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, and Nick Bosa, and it was great to see the Niners' defense get younger via the draft. In a top-heavy division, we might be more concerned. However, the 49ers could make a push in the NFC West.
4.) Arizona Cardinals
Any team could win this division, but Arizona is the early favorite to finish last. The Cardinals didn't add a single offensive starter this offseason. Trey McBride is due for positive touchdown regression, but Arizona lacks wide receiver depth behind Marvin Harrison Jr. Plus, Kyler Murray has not yet taken the next step, and James Conner isn't getting any younger. To their credit, we do love the Cardinals' defensive additions of Josh Sweat, Campbell, and Will Johnson.
Arizona Cardinals are making Pro-Bowl TE Trey McBride the highest-paid tight end in NFL history with a four-year, $76 million extension, per agents @MSWENSON78 @CJLaBoy @dhendrickson41 of @wassermannfl.
The deal includes $43 million guaranteed and a $19 million average per year,… pic.twitter.com/Gil0BQKxhq
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 3, 2025
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