NFL 2025: Analysis and Key Season Predictions for the 32 Teams

The 2025 NFL season kicks off with a stellar matchup on Thursday night, where the current Super Bowl champions, the Eagles, will host the Cowboys.On Friday night, the action continues in Brazil, with the Chiefs facing the Chargers in São Paulo. On Sunday, 13 games will be played, including the duel between the Bills and the Ravens on “Sunday Night Football”. To close out the inaugural week, “Monday Night Football” will feature the Vikings visiting the Bears.To welcome the season, Alofoke Deportes reporters have analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of the 32 teams. In addition, an analysis by Matt Bowen on how to win in your fantasy league, 32 bold predictions by Seth Walder, and key data on each team’s quarterbacks provided by our research team are included.You will find the odds for each team to win their division and reach the playoffs, win projections, and schedule difficulty. Rosters, schedules, and player lists for each team are also included.The season will culminate on February 8th at Super Bowl LX, which will be played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

Below, the analysis of the NFL teams, ordered according to the Football Power Index (FPI) of Alofoke Deportes, which ranks each team from 1 to 32 based on projections for the season.

1. Baltimore Ravens

Playoff chances: 78.6%Division Win Probability: 52.6%Projected Wins: 10.4Calendar difficulty: Most difficult ninth2024 Record: 12-5Strongest asset: Lamar Jackson. The two-time NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) is the most explosive player in the league. Last season, he was as dangerous with his arm as with his legs, leading the NFL in yards per pass attempt (8.8) and yards per carry (6.6). With Jackson as their starting quarterback, Baltimore has a 70-24 (.745) record and has their sights set on a Super Bowl title. When Jackson has been out of action in the last six seasons, the Ravens have a 4-9 (.308) record. – Jamison Hensley Major concern: Tyler Loop. This team has the characteristics to be the most complete in Jackson’s eight years. The most important change is going from Justin Tucker, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, to Loop, a rookie selected in the sixth round. According to the Pro Football Reference database, of the 128 kickers in NFL history who have attempted 20 or more field goals as rookies, 19 have reached or exceeded an 85% conversion rate. – Hensley Key QB Stat: Jackson enters 2025 looking to build on a career season, setting personal bests in passing touchdowns (41) and passing yards (4,172). He can become the first quarterback since Peyton Manning (2003-05) to be named First-Team All-Pro in three consecutive seasons. – Alofoke Deportes ResearchHow to win in your fantasy league: WR Zay Flowers. A sure target due to his usage in the Ravens’ offense, Flowers can win as a route runner or produce as a horizontal stretch option on designed plays. Flowers averaged 12.2 points per game (PPG) in 2024, and had 11 games with double-digit production. With Flowers expected to see another 100 targets this season, he provides solid value at his current Average Draft Position (ADP). – BowenBold Prediction for 2025: Running back Keaton Mitchell will have at least four games with over 20 fantasy points. This is more or less my bold prediction from last year, when I was also optimistic about Mitchell. Maybe I was a year too early. Even with the extra time passed, I find it hard to forget Mitchell’s 201 yards above expectation on 47 carries in 2023, according to NFL Next Gen stats. – Walder

2. Philadelphia Eagles

Playoff chances: 76.1%Division Win Probability: 56.0%Projected Wins: 10.3Calendar difficulty: Fourth most difficult2024 Record: 14-3Greatest Strength: Exceptional running game. Saquon Barkley, Offensive Player of the Year, became the all-time leading rusher in a single season (including playoffs) in 2024, propelling the Eagles to their second Super Bowl title. He operates behind one of the best offensive lines in football, which returns four of its five starters (right guard Mekhi Becton signed with the Chargers this offseason and has been replaced by Tyler Steen). Combine that running attack with receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith and Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts, and you have an offense with a very high ceiling. – Tim McManusBiggest concern: Replacements in the secondary. The Eagles parted ways with safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and cornerback Darius Slay this offseason and were unable to clearly identify their replacements this summer. Veteran Adoree’ Jackson appears to have taken the lead over Kelee Ringo, but certainly didn’t secure the spot. Perhaps Jakorian Bennett, recently acquired from the Raiders, or rookie Mac McWilliams will claim the spot opposite Quinyon Mitchell at some point. Rookie safety Andrew Mukuba shined in his preseason debut against the Browns, but has also been hampered by injuries, opening the door for third-year player Sydney Brown to try and secure the spot, at least temporarily. – McManusKey QB Stat: To fill the offensive coordinator position after Kellen Moore became the Saints’ head coach, the Eagles promoted Kevin Patullo, who served as the team’s pass game coordinator in each of the last four seasons. During that period, Hurts ranked fourth in QBR when using motion, behind only Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, and Brock Purdy. – Alofoke Deportes ResearchHow to win in your fantasy league: Smith. The wide receiver has finished each of the last three seasons as one of the top 20 WRs in PPR scoring. Yes, the offense in Philadelphia is based on the ground game with Barkley, and Smith will remain the number 2 receiver in front of Brown. However, Smith averaged 7.1 targets per game in 2024, averaging 14.4 PPG, including four games with 22 or more points. He is a fantasy WR3 in an offense that will move the ball and produce touchdowns. – BowenBold Prediction for 2025: Defensive tackle Moro Ojomo, who has no career sacks, will record at least 5.0 sacks and finish in the top 10 in pass rush win rate. We saw the success Milton Williams had playing alongside Jalen Carter, and there are already positive signs for Ojomo: he posted a 13% pass rush win rate at defensive tackle last season, which would have ranked him seventh at the position if he had played enough to qualify. – Walder

3. Kansas City Chiefs

Playoff chances: 74.8%Division Win Probability: 46.8%Projected Wins: 10.3Calendar difficulty: 11th most difficult (tie)2024 Record: 15-2Strongest asset: The Chiefs have Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes, who remain the best coach-quarterback combination in the league. Mahomes was excellent in camp and has worked to improve his long-distance passes. Reid and Mahomes are able to adapt during a game or in the middle of the season to always give the Chiefs a chance to win. – Nate TaylorMajor concern: The Chiefs plan to protect Mahomes’ blind side with a rookie and a second-year player shifting to a new position. Josh Simmons, the first-round pick, hasn’t played a game since October, when he suffered a season-ending torn patella in his final year at Ohio State. Kingsley Suamataia is the new left guard and has played one NFL game at the position. The performance of Simmons and Suamataia this season will determine much of the Chiefs’ offensive success. – TaylorKey QB stat: If Mahomes reaches the AFC Championship for the eighth consecutive season, he would tie Tom Brady (2011-18) for the longest streak of starts in conference championships since the 1970 merger. – Alofoke Deportes ResearchHow to win in your fantasy league: RB Isiah Pacheco. A fractured fibula in Week 2 derailed Pacheco’s 2024 season, and the injury impacted his numbers when he returned in Weeks 13-18 (5.0 PPG). But if we go back to 2023, Pacheco averaged 15.3 fantasy PPG, scoring nine touchdowns and catching 44 passes. Therefore, bet on a healthy Pacheco, and his energetic running style, to fill that RB2/flex spot in the lineup. – BowenBold Prediction for 2025: The Chiefs will have at least 12 plays that exceed 40 yards in the regular season. Doesn’t sound that bold, right? But last season, Kansas City recorded four such plays. I bet the Chiefs will make a concerted effort to regain explosive plays in 2025, particularly through vertical throws to WR Xavier Worthy. – Walder

4. Detroit Lions

Playoff chances: 65.6%Division Win Probability: 38.4%Projected Wins: 9.7Calendar Difficulty: Second most difficult (tie)2024 Record: 15-2Greatest Strength: Ground attack. Running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, also known as “Sonic & Knuckles”, could be featured runners for almost any NFL team, but they have no problem splitting carries in Detroit. New running backs coach Tashard Choice, who coached Gibbs at Georgia Tech, is looking to get the best out of them. Gibbs and Montgomery have each recorded at least 1,000 scrimmage yards and 10 scrimmage touchdowns in each of the last two seasons, becoming the first running back tandem in NFL history to have two such seasons (at all, not just consecutively), according to Alofoke Deportes research. – Eric WoodyardMajor concern: Offensive line. After a 15-win season in 2024, Detroit continues to navigate two key losses on the offensive line. The Lions lost four-time All-Pro center Frank Ragnow to retirement and veteran guard Kevin Zeitler, who signed with the Tennessee Titans this offseason. One of the biggest concerns is whether the offensive production will continue to be one of the league’s elites, as veteran Graham Glasgow is shifting from guard to center and rookie guard Tate Ratledge will likely take on a starting role. – WoodyardKey QB statistic: While Jared Goff ranks second in the NFL in QBR when he has a clean pocket, he ranks 23rd when under pressure. Goff had the second-largest QBR decrease in the league in 2024 when pressured compared to when he had a clean pocket, only ahead of Daniel Jones. – Alofoke Deportes ResearchHow to win in your fantasy league: WR Jameson Williams. A dynamic threat with home run running abilities, Williams had a 41.1% vertical route rate, while running crosses (or overs) at a rate of 13.3%. And this is how he can create big plays for this Lions offense. Williams had 16 receptions of 20 or more yards last season, and averaged 14.4 PPG, driven by four games of 22 or more points. With an increase in volume, Williams could jump into the WR2 ranks this season. – BowenBold Prediction for 2025: Aidan Hutchinson will record at least 100 pass-rush wins, something that has only happened twice since the metric was created in 2017 (Micah Parsons in 2023 and Aaron Donald in 2018). I’m getting carried away by a small sample size and ignoring that he’s coming off a season-ending leg fracture, but Hutchinson’s 35% pass-rush win rate in the five games he played last season put him on pace for the second-highest PRWR in the metric’s history (he also had 7.5 sacks). I think he could be excellent again in 2025. – Walder

5. Buffalo Bills

Playoff chances: 81.1%Division Win Probability: 66.5%Projected Wins: 10.6Calendar Difficulty: Easier Novena (tie)2024 Record: 13-4Strongest asset: Josh Allen. The current MVP reinforced last year how much he is capable of, even without a clear number 1 receiver, as he broke a variety of franchise and league records. Allen has not missed a game since his rookie season and has tallied at least 40 touchdowns (passing or rushing) in five consecutive seasons, the longest streak in NFL history. No other player has done it in four consecutive seasons. – Alaina GetzenbergMajor concern: Will the changes in the defense be enough? The Bills invested heavily in the defensive line, through the draft and free agency, and the health of DE Joey Bosa and the development capacity of some of the young players will be key. There are also some real unknowns regarding the secondary, including the health of CBs Tre’Davious White and Maxwell Hairston. – GetzenbergKey QB statistic: Allen became the franchise’s first NFL MVP since RB Thurman Thomas in 1991 and was rewarded with a six-year extension in March. The deal includes $250 million guaranteed, the largest guaranteed total in a single contract. – Alofoke Deportes ResearchHow to win in your fantasy league: WR Khalil Shakir. He caught 73 passes in 2024 and averaged 12.7 PPG. While he’s not a high-volume target in the low red zone (three targets in the end zone in 2024), the Bills’ route tree maximizes his after-the-catch skillset. Smart and tough in space, Shakir averaged 7.9 YAC last season, and recorded 11 games with double-digit production. You can win with that at the WR3 spot in your lineup. – BowenBold Prediction for 2025: TE Dalton Kincaid will record at least 900 receiving yards. This is more of a feeling than anything else, but sometimes tight ends take a few seasons to really settle in and make an impact. Kincaid was a highly touted prospect who showed his potential in a rookie season of 73 receptions and 673 yards in 2023. Plus, there are still questions about other playmakers in Buffalo, so he should get his fair share of targets. – Walder

6. Green Bay Packers

Playoff chances: 56.4%Division Win Probability: 29.0%Projected Wins: 9.2Calendar difficulty: Fifth most difficult (tie)2024 Record: 11-6Greatest Strength: Experience on offense: finally. That may sound counterintuitive given that this has been the youngest team in the NFL the last two seasons, and will likely have one of the youngest rosters again this year, but the core of this group, including Jordan Love and most of his receivers, have grown together. General manager Brian Gutekunst’s idea was that the quarterback and his young skill position players would have time to build chemistry together. Along the way, they picked up some valuable postseason scars that could benefit them in the playoffs next time. – Rob Demovsky Major concern: A few days ago, this would have been the pass rusher, but then Micah Parsons entered the picture…