2021 Season Projections

The NFC North at first glance looks like it could be a bloodbath. I could see any of the top 3 potentially taking the division title. Detroit has a surplus of startable QBs, but lacks a true fantasy star on their roster. I am sure they are hoping De’Andre Swift will be that star, but on a team as bad as the real life Lions, it's difficult to project that happening, especially with Swift’s injury woes. It was hard to project a team with both CMC and Aaron Rodgers as a third place team, but their receiving corps (WR and TE) is a few levels below their division mates, and will most likely cost them any chance at the playoffs. This brings it down to Green Bay and Chicago. Ultimately, I had to look at who was best suited to handle their bye weeks. Chicago has three different weeks with at least 2 star offensive players on bye, plus another week with Lamar Jackson on bye (and no backup QB). That could potentially be 16 losses right there. Green Bay isn’t much better off, but they only have 2 weeks with at least 2 offensive starters on bye week, including the week where both QBs on their roster are on bye. Those bye weeks will end up deciding this division and giving Green Bay the title, and very well may cost Chicago a wild card spot as well.

Green Bay Packers (38-18)

Chicago Bears (32-24)

Minnesota Vikings (30-26)

Detroit Lions (18-38)

The NFC South looks very similar to the NFC North. Carolina has some solid dynasty pieces in Scary Terry and TJ Hockenson. However, after a season ending (and possibly career altering) injury to their top RB and a very questionable QB room, along with some questionable trades by the former owner, this team doesn’t appear ready to compete this year. Computerized league analyzers are a fan of Tampa Bay’s chances, but I am not. The best receiver on their roster is the WR3 on his own team, and that’s not gonna cut it in this division. Between New Orleans and Atlanta, it looks like a toss up as to who will take the division crown. Atlanta has a two headed monster at RB with Dalvin Cook and Aaron Jones, and they have a perennial top 10 receiver with Keenan Allen. However, Tyler Lockett will most likely once again be a major boom or bust player, which I feel could hurt them just a little bit too much, because the booms will be much rarer than the busts. New Orleans has possibly one of the best WR groups in this league, along with a potential league winning RB in Kamara. If Derek Carr proves to be a suitable starter this year, New Orleans takes this division.

Welp. Not a whole lot to say about this division. Washington is really good. Probably the best team on paper in the league. They will make life miserable for the rest of this division. Dallas is also pretty solid, and they actually have a better QB and RB than Washington does, but even with their solid WR group, it will still be tough to matchup with Washington who has possibly 4 top 12 WRs, along with the perennial TE1 in Travis Kelce, and that is where Washington really sets themselves apart from the rest of this division (and possibly the rest of the league). The Eagles win total is projected a bit lower than it probably should be, but the top 2 teams in this division will really make it difficult to put up a good record this year. The Giants took a major hit with the Akers injury, and while they have some great pieces, at most other spots, that major hole at RB will derail this year for them. Washington’s season doesn’t begin without question marks. Can Adams, Godwin, and Julio stay healthy? Will Burrow be the same coming back from a major knee injury and behind an improved but still very questionable offensive line? Will David Montgomery be anywhere near a top 5 RB again? Washington could have this division wrapped up by week 11… but a lot can happen over the next few months.

San Francisco looks to be in for a long year. Their WR room is one of the ugliest in the league, and while they do have a star in Waller and possibly one in the making with Swift, this team will be looking to future years to try and compete. Arizona has a very solid lineup, but it doesn't look like one that will be competing for a championship. However, with studs like Tyreek and Mike Evans, anything is possible. The Rams have one of the most all around well balanced lineups I have seen so far. However, the uncertainty of when Saquon Barkley will actually suit up and play, let alone carry a full workload, along with having to start a rookie in Jaylen Waddle, they are a second place team in this division. OK… time to brag about my squad. While the Rams do scare me if Waddle can put up a big rookie year, I do believe my team will manage to win this division by a few games. Looking at the lineup, I see this team as one of the very few who may be able to match up with Washington in the NFC, but we’ll get to that later.

In the AFC North we seem to have a clear front runner, and then a couple of teams that could fight for playoff spots if things go their way, and a clear last place team, albeit a respectable one. Cleveland has a really solid lineup, and if Jonnu Smith can be a serviceable TE week in and week out, they may be a front runner in the North and the entire AFC. Baltimore’s hopes will be derailed by having to start Tony Pollard and Henry Ruggs on a weekly basis. Based on the teams I have seen so far, that won’t cut it. Cincinnati and Pittsburgh could both give Cleveland a run for their money in this division. They both have solid lineups top to bottom. Pittsburgh could be potentially held back by their QB room, but if Jalen Hurts or Tua turn out to be solid starting QBs with rushing upside, they could be looking at a wild card spot. Cincinnati will be looking for their stars Lamar Jackson, Amari Cooper, and Austin Ekeler to all stay healthy (and off the Covid list in Jackson’s case). This team will need things to go wrong to not be in contention.

This is one UGLY division. It holds both copies of Deshaun Watson, and one of the teams probably won’t have a starting QB after week 1 this year as things currently stand. Jacksonville is going to have a VERY long year. I would expect them to be selling their studs around the deadline for a haul of youth and picks. Tennessee has gone rebuild from the start, and had 4 first rounders in this year’s rookie draft. The only thing they will have to keep an eye on this year is how their rookies perform, because they won’t be sniffing the playoffs. Indy is the other lucky Deshaun Watson owner, and they will be looking at none other than Fitzmagic to try and save their season. They have a few good players, but nothing screams contender about this team. Houston will most likely benefit from a terrible division and coast to the playoffs, but they actually have a really solid lineup. Mixon and Dobbins is a great RB and Flex combo, but they’ll be looking for a little more QB consistency from Teddy Bridgewater in Denver as they roll out both Courtland Sutton and Noah Fant every week. Houston wins this division in a landslide.

In the AFC East, we have some pretty good teams that each have one or two big question marks. Buffalo enters the season with a top 6 QB and two top 6 WRs, and their RB room is pretty solid with JRob (especially after the unfortunate Etienne news) and Chase Edmonds. However, they’ll be counting on Mecole Hardman to be fantasy relevant for the first time ever, and Hunter Henry to stay healthy. Both are very unlikely. Still, their stars will make them a contender. New England constructed a really solid starting lineup, but they have absolutely no depth, and it may make it tough for them to be competitive. The Jets have 2 really good RBs, but some question marks in their WR room will probably have them closer to a .500 team than a playoff team. Miami has a really sexy big 5 with Kyler, Jacobs, Cooper, Higgins, Woods. Russel Gage is also a potential sleeper that could have an impact at flex for this team. This division comes down to Buffalo and Miami.

This division looks to be fairly tough to project. All four teams look good, but not great. Three of the four have either Josh Allen or Mahomes. This division is also home to both copies of a guy I project as a major BUST in Kenny Golladay, as well as both copies of Odell Beckham Jr. I think we should have 2 playoff teams come out of this division, as the AFC has been relatively weak so far. Denver has the best all around team in this division, and they should win this division pretty easily. The Raiders have stacked Patty Mahomes with Tyreek Hill, which is absolutely deadly. However, Miles Sanders and Kenny Golladay are both players I project to be major disappointments this year. Also, having to start Irv Smith and James Conner is pretty ugly, especially compared to the other teams in this division. Kansas City has built a really competitive starting lineup, anchored by 2 stud WRs in Hopkins and Jefferson. I do worry about their depth, but I think we see a playoff appearance by this team. The Chargers will definitely be hurt by the shortest bench in the entire league. They have some good players, but they won’t be able to compete in this division.

Denver Broncos (40-16)

Kansas City Chiefs (37-19)

Las Vegas Raiders (30-26)

Los Angeles Chargers (18-38)

1. Denver Broncos (40-16)

2. Cleveland Browns (39-17)

3. Houston Texans (39-17)

4. Buffalo Bills (36-20)

5. Kansas City Chiefs (37-19)

6. Cincinnati Bengals (36-20)

1. Washington Football Team (46-10)

2. Seattle Seahawks (44-12)

3. New Orleans Saints (39-17)

4. Green Bay Packers (38-18)

5. Los Angeles Rams (38-18)

6. Dallas Cowboys (37-19)

AFC Championship- #1 Denver vs #2 Cleveland

The Cleveland Browns defeat The Denver Broncos to advance to the Super Bowl!