The 2020 NFL season kicks off Thursday, and our writers are here with their picks and predictions.
Already drafted? Get a free analysis of your team with My Playbook 
Kansas City Chiefs (AFC) vs. New Orleans Saints (NFC) — Winner Chiefs
To say this has been the strangest offseason in NFL history would be an understatement. There were virtual OTAs and no preseason games due to COVID-19. When an offseason like this disrupts regular preparation, that is going to favor teams with established head coaches and established quarterbacks that have been together for several years.
That is the big reason why I think the Chiefs and Saints can make it to the Super Bowl this year. Both teams have Super Bowl-winning coaches and Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks. Both teams have a core that has been with the team and had success in recent years. Both teams are built to win this year. I think that continuity from past seasons will serve them well. We could have one of the highest-scoring Super Bowls in NFL history with Andy Reid scheming against Sean Payton, and Patrick Mahomes II matching touchdown passes with Drew Brees.
In the end, I think the Chiefs have a more explosive offense, and it is going to be tough to stop them from repeating this year. There has been no repeat champion since the New England Patriots in the 2003 and 2004 season, but I think this year will be primed for an experienced team to win it all, and nobody brings back a team as dangerous as the Chiefs.
– Derek Lofland (@DerekLofland)
In an offseason marred with shortened training camps, a nonexistent preseason, and overall organization chaos, the teams with the greatest stability will thrive more so than ever. I know it’s boring to take the chalk and have the favorites battle it out, but these teams make the most sense. Both have minimal turnover on both sides of the ball and Hall-of-Fame coaches and quarterbacks running the show.
Patrick Mahomes will continue to thrive with Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and the newly acquired Clyde Edwards-Helaire. At the same time, Drew Brees enters his swan song of a season with Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara, and the freshly signed Emmanuel Sanders.
Aside from the all-important consistency and rapport that these teams have maintained, they also have solid depth throughout the roster. Andy Reid has shown he can survive a few games if Mahomes were to miss time, and Mahomes has shown he can make anyone (including Byron Pringle and Darrell Williams) into a weapon.
Meanwhile, the Saints arguably upgraded their backup QB with Mr. 30-for-30 himself, Jameis Winston, and have a variety of cross-positional players at their disposal. I think the depth and stability of these franchises will earn them home-field advantage and a trip to Tampa Bay for the SuperBowl. The Chiefs will win their second consecutive title as Brees passes the torch to the next NFL record-breaker.
– Dan Ambrosino (@AmbrosinoNFL)
For the NFC, I wrote and deleted the San Francisco 49ers multiple times and was very close to predicting a Super Bowl rematch with the same result. Instead, I swapped out the 49ers for the Saints, who I think make one last run with Drew Brees. While Brees isn’t the quarterback he once was, I think New Orleans has done an excellent job of continuing to build around him.
As for the 49ers, while I think they’ll be a top contender in the NFC, I question their staying power, at least for this season. The NFL is all about trends, and Kyle Shanahan has been at the forefront of the most recent offensive innovations that are now being copied around the league. But now that there is another year of tape on this iteration of his offense, can they continue to innovate and stay ahead of the curve? I think they can, but I don’t know that they will be able to do it consistently in the playoffs when they run into a balanced team like the Saints.
As for the Chiefs, I toyed with the idea of picking the Ravens, but I have similar reservations about Baltimore as I do about San Francisco.
My dark horse in the AFC is the Colts, who I think will make some noise this season and surprise some people. But as we have been asking since Peyton Manning ran the show in Indianapolis: do they have the defense to keep up? I’m a believer in Frank Reich, and I think Philip Rivers, despite turning 39-years-old during the season, will thrive in his system.
But I’m going with the Chiefs to repeat. As long as Andy Reid can get out of his way in the playoffs, this Kansas City roster is even better than last year’s, and they are the class of the NFL. After finally winning a long-coveted Super Bowl in 2019, Reid repeats in 2020.
– Mike Maher (@MikeMaher)
Kansas City Chiefs (AFC) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFC) — Winner Chiefs
The Chiefs are the NFL’s best all-around team; they have the league’s best player and one of the better coaching staffs, so how can you not pick them to represent the AFC? Patrick Mahomes is a favorite win his second MVP this season, and with the AFC now Tom Brady-less, I wouldn’t take many teams to contend with KC down the stretch.
The Ravens roster took a step back this offseason, the Titans’ Cinderella story is over, Philip Rivers isn’t striking fear into anyone, and the Steelers return Ben Roethlisberger, but how much does that make them Super Bowl contenders? None of those teams are clear-cut winners over KC, and I would only consider Baltimore or Pittsburgh as runner-ups.
The NFC comes down to New Orleans, Tampa Bay, and Seattle for me. The 49ers’ are left out after a phenomenal year, but last season, the Emmanuel Sanders acquisition was the boost San Fran needed to go on a title run. Tampa Bay just signed Leonard Fournette, giving them four capable running backs for Tom Brady. He also has three premier pass catchers in Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Rob Gronkowski, plus another turnover-forcing defense behind him. The Saints have been so close the past few years, falling short of an SB appearance that it’s hard to continue backing them, and for Seattle, they’re still a move or two away but capable of winning the NFC West.
I can’t believe I’m saying it, but Tampa Tom is my favorite to come out of the NFC. I predict this year will be the passing of the “baton” from Brady to Mahomes, and the Chiefs will become the eighth team in NFL history to win back-to-back Super Bowls.
– Vaughn Dalzell (@VaughnDalzell)
Baltimore Ravens (AFC) vs. Dallas Cowboys (NFC) — Winner Ravens
When I saw Patrick Mahomes play in 2018, I knew he would win a Super Bowl sooner rather than later. He just wasn’t quite ready yet. That’s why the Chiefs were my pick in 2019 and how I felt about Lamar Jackson last year. The trajectory is the same. This is Jackson’s second full season as a starter, and now he is ready.
On the other side, I’m reluctantly picking my very own Dallas Cowboys. Free from the incompetent Jason Garrett, I’m hoping that the new and improved analytics McCarthy actual lets a team that has had the talent to reach a Super Bowl for the majority of the past 15 seasons actually do it. However, picking the Cowboys has as much to do with my lack of belief in the rest of the NFC teams as the Cowboys themselves. I’ve got the Ravens winning, though, because it’s Lamar’s time.
– Jason Katz (@jasonkatz13)
Baltimore Ravens (AFC) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (NFC) — Winner Eagles
There’s this episode in season six of NBC’s “The Office” that exemplifies the art of making predictions. In it, the employees are engaged in a fictional, role-playing game to figure out who the “murderer” is among the group (like the party game, Mafia). In one scene, Dwight Schrute says, “it’s never the person you most suspect. It’s also never the person you least suspect. Therefore, I think the murderer [is the person] I most medium suspect.” If we could all follow Dwight’s advice, we’d immediately become (slightly) better predictors of things.
Take the NFL: save for the dynastic New England Patriots, over the past twenty years, the teams that end up ascending to NFC/AFC title games, and ultimately the Super Bowl, are often not the teams we most (or least) suspect to begin the season. Typically, they fall somewhere in between. And sure, many analysts did expect the Chiefs might hoist the Lombardi Trophy in 2019, but who had them beating the Tennessee Titans (2018 record: 9-7) and San Fransisco 49ers (2018 record: 4-12) along the way?
This year, the team I “most medium” suspect to ascend to the throne is the Eagles. It’s easy to overlook Philly, but the club: (1) has made the playoffs in three consecutive seasons, even though franchise quarterback Carson Wentz missing time in each of them; (2) plays in what will probably be one of the worst divisions in the NFL in 2020, and therefore has the eighth easiest projected schedule; and (3) is one of the few teams to have a top ten offensive and defensive line entering the season.
We often take for granted how vital winning up front is (and on both sides of the ball). If a few more starters can stay healthy this season, Philadelphia should be one of the best teams in the conference. Remember, in 2019, Wentz became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for more than 4,000 yards without a single receiver accumulating more than 500 receiving yards. Doug Pederson is only two years removed from a Super Bowl title, and since then, his clubs have exited the playoffs by way of close, one-possession defeats.
– David Giardino (@davidgiardino)
Tennessee Titans (AFC) vs. New Orleans Saints (NFC) — Winner Saints
Picking against Kansas City in the AFC feels dirty but repeating will be a tall task even for a team as talented as the Chiefs. If you recall, Tennessee was on the doorstep back in January, and they hung with Kansas City for three quarters. With the Titans signing Jadeveon Clowney, they have signaled they are all in on 2020, and I think they have an excellent opportunity to unseat the Chiefs.
Derrick Henry has proven to be a monster in the backfield; that much is a given. Now, with Ryan Tannehill directing the offense, the Titans have a capable option at quarterback who can do more than manage the game. Tannehill was 7-3 as a starter in 2019, and he will have budding stars in A.J. Brown and Jonnu Smith to get the ball to in the passing game. The Titans will need another receiver to emerge, and Corey Davis has the physical tools to do just that. If Davis can be the receiver he was drafted to be, what is already a top-10 unit could be one of the league’s elite.
On defense, the addition of Clowney and Vic Beasley means the Titans are going to be ferocious in getting to the passer, an obvious nod to the fact Mahomes mostly had his way with them. Mike Vrabel was Clowney’s position coach for a year in Houston, so there is a familiarity there. Assuming Clowney and Beasley serve their respective purposes, the Titans will have one of the most complete teams in the AFC. I think they will finish what they started in 2019 and make a Super Bowl run.
In the NFC, I felt the Saints were the best team last year, but they had a bad loss in the NFC Wild Card against Minnesota. The window for Drew Brees is almost closed, but there is an impetus on the entire organization to make a run at another Super Bowl for the Hall of Famer. The Saints welcome back a loaded offense with Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara, Latavius Murray, and Jared Cook. They added Emmanuel Sanders in the offseason, and he should help take some of the pressure off Thomas in the intermediate passing game as he can keep defenses honest over the middle. Giving Brees a legit number two wide receiver almost seems unfair, and Sanders fits perfectly with what Sean Payton wants to do offensively.
On defense, the emergence of Marcus Davenport opposite Cam Jordan will help a unit that struggled to get crucial stops in critical moments. However, the Saints have a loaded secondary and still boast one of the NFC’s better defenses, so despite playing in the same division as Tampa Bay – the sexy NFC pick – they are the more complete team. Give me Brees over Brady in a shootout NFC Championship game and the Titans beating the Chiefs in the AFC. The Super Bowl will pit teams with contrasting styles against one another, but Brees is the difference-maker. He has an efficient game, and Michael Thomas gets the best of the Titans secondary to make just enough plays for the Saints to go marching towards a Super Bowl victory and send Brees out a winner.
– Jason Kamlowsky (jasonkamlowsky)
Baltimore Ravens (AFC) vs.New Orleans Saints (NFC) — Winner Ravens
None of us are genuinely prescient, but luckily the NFL is relatively predictable when it comes to eventual winners and losers. In contrast to the NBA, where one or two players on the same team impact the game so heavily and can (almost) single-handedly carry a team to a championship, the NFL is touted as a symbol of parity; an archetype of both capriciousness and teamwork.
Although we find ourselves entrenched in the hype and pizzazz of NFL underdogs and defensive-focused teams, it ultimately returns to the quarterback. As such, we can reduce potential champions to a mere select few teams: those with elite quarterbacks. Of course, someone like Kyler Murray could emerge and conquer the league in his sophomore season. Just like Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson did the past two seasons. Also, inexplicable and unforeseen playoff performances can be had (e.g., Joe Flacco, Eli Manning, or Nick Foles), but I wouldn’t anticipate it.
So, who do I think will be there in the end, representing the AFC and NFC, respectively? Look at the quarterbacks. In the AFC, the premier signal-callers are Mahomes, as mentioned earlier, and Jackson, along with Deshaun Watson and Ben Roethlisberger (if healthy). Perhaps Baker Mayfield can forget his sophomore slump and build upon his sensational rookie campaign. Or Ryan Tannehill can prove everyone wrong and pick up where he left off in the second half of last year, finishing as PFF’s top-rated quarterback in 2019. Both scenarios are unlikely but not inconceivable. Among those teams I have listed, two teams stand atop the others: the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens.
You have the best player in the world and the reigning MVP, who needs to overcome his postseason woes to cement himself as one of the greats. Although I would lean toward choosing Mahomes and his surrounding talent – both on the field in terms of elite playmakers and off-the-field with the ever-sagacious and offensive-genius Andy Reid – I think this is the Ravens’ year.
After leading the Ravens to a playoff berth in 2018 in relief of Joe Flacco, Jackson asserted himself in 2019 as one of the greatest athletes in the sport, as his rushing prowess coalesced with a much-improved passing proficiency. I believe he continues excelling this year – perhaps not as much in the box score – and finds himself representing the AFC against…the New Orleans Saints.
Everything I garrulously discussed previously about the AFC holds true for the NFC. Which teams retain the premier quarterbacks? The Saints with Brees come to mind, but Tom Brady joining the Buccaneers with a star-studded offense should certainly challenge them for the division. We also have Russell Wilson, Matt Ryan, Dak Prescott, Carson Wentz, and even Aaron Rodgers, who has seemingly underperformed over the last several seasons, leading to the Packers recently drafting his heir apparent. Among these quarterbacks, Brees, Wilson, Brady, Dak, and Carson probably have the best chances of leading their teams – with the surrounding talent – to represent the NFC against the Ravens.
I fear that Mr. Unlimited will be inhibited by his coaching staff, while Dak and Carson may falter against the well-rounded teams like the Saints and Bucs, who are led by future first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterbacks. I think Brees and the Saints breakthrough their recent playoff struggles – and misfortune – to win the NFC South over Brady and the Bucs to challenge Jackson and the Ravens.
Ultimately, and I may have gotten carried away, I think Jackson provides one of the most uniquely impressive, dominant, and scintillating Super Bowl performances of all-time. His generational talent, paired with a modernized, analytics-focused coaching staff, will trounce the Saints’ defense, while the Ravens defense – led by a premier defensive back corps – will sustain the Saints’ scoring barrage. Best of all, however, is that the Super Bowl’s occurrence means the season went on and wasn’t impeded by COVID, allowing players, coaches, their families, and fans to enjoy America’s game and evade woeful 2020 hardships for just a day.
– Jared Lese (@JaredL_FF)
Import your team to My Playbook for instant Lineup & Trade advice
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio
Beyond our fantasy football content, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. From our Trade Analyzer – which allows you to instantly find out if a trade offer benefits you or your opponent – to our Waiver Wire Assistant – that allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team, and by how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.
