Bills win Super Bowl; Ashton Jeanty hits 2,000 yards

4) The Broncos will snap the Chiefs’ streak of nine straight AFC West championships.

The Chiefs have reigned over the division since 2016 and they’ve barely been challenged during most of the years that quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been under center. Most of that success comes down to the Chiefs’ greatness but they’ve also been helped plenty by the ineptitude of the teams sharing the AFC West with them. Kansas City has been led by future Hall of Fame coach Andy Reid during that entire run of dominance. Every other team in the division has had at least four different head coaches within that same stretch. That churn appears to have slowed, though, with Pete Carroll (Raiders), Jim Harbaugh (Chargers) and Sean Payton (Broncos) now working in the AFC West. Of those three coaches — all of whom have either reached or won the Super Bowl — Payton is sitting on the most impressive team aside from the Chiefs. The Broncos have an elite defense, and it looks like they landed a franchise quarterback in Bo Nix in last year’s draft. We know Payton can coach up the offense, especially as the Broncos add more playmakers. We’ve also seen how Denver gave Kansas City fits last season in Arrowhead, with a blocked field goal keeping them from securing an impressive upset. Denver is good enough to win this division now. With the other teams also creating more resistance to the Chiefs — who went 5-1 in the AFC West after resting their starters in a Week 18 loss to the Broncos — Denver will earn its first crown since Peyton Manning was their quarterback.

5) Caleb Williams will throw for 4,500 yards and 35 touchdowns.

There’s a lot of anticipation surrounding the Bears’ second-year quarterback and his ability to make good on all the promise that made him the top pick in the 2024 draft. One thing that shouldn’t be doubted is whether he’ll become the first Chicago signal-caller to throw for 4,000 yards in a season. Williams won’t just reach that barrier; he’ll blow it away, especially when considering all the advantages he has working for him now. The Bears hired the best offensive mind available to be their head coach in Ben Johnson. They’ve rebuilt the offensive line, drafted more pass catchers (tight end Colston Loveland and wide receiver Luther Burden III) and filled more holes on the defense. Williams threw for 3,541 yards and 20 touchdowns last season when he was running for his life and trying too hard to extend plays. Better coaching and an improved supporting cast will make life much easier for him, and the numbers will bear that out.

6) Daniel Jones will win Comeback Player of the Year.

Jones already walked into a great opportunity in Indianapolis because the Colts gave him a chance to compete for the starting job with third-year veteran Anthony Richardson. There’s every reason to believe Jones can win that battle because Richardson, since arriving in Indy as the fourth overall pick in the 2023 draft, has been wildly inconsistent throughout his career and even lost his job for a couple games last season. Jones knows a few things about that path — the former No. 6 overall pick was benched and eventually dumped by the Giants last year — but there’s reason to be optimistic about him today. Jones signed with Minnesota after New York released hm, which gave him an opportunity to be around another beleaguered quarterback in Sam Darnold who was turning his career around with the help of a strong coaching staff. Now, Jones gets to work with a creative offensive head coach in Shane Steichen, who happens to be the same man who helped take Jalen Hurts from raw talent to MVP-caliber quarterback in Philadelphia. Steichen likes quarterbacks who can move, and his time with Hurts proved that he could think outside of the box when it comes to maximizing a signal-caller’s strengths. Steichen easily could be the man to take Jones to another level, especially when considering the Colts have better skill players and offensive line play than Jones ever enjoyed in New York. Nobody saw Darnold taking off when he arrived in Minnesota. Jones could do similar things in Indy if he stays healthy.

7) Ashton Jeanty will run for 2,000 yards.

Jeanty should be a heavy favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year, given the situation he’s walking into in Las Vegas. Head coach Pete Carroll is going to do what he always does — which is run the football like crazy — and Jeanty is a three-down back built exactly for this type of approach. So instead of simply predicting that Jeanty will win some hardware in his rookie season, it’s worth going a step further and having him make history. Nine NFL players have rushed for 2,000 yards in a season, with Saquon Barkley joining the club in 2024. None of those men accomplished the feat in Year 1. Yes, it’s a heavy expectation to place on a rookie. It’s also apparent that the Raiders won’t have that many weapons to rely upon in that offense, and we’re living in an era when running the football is trendy again. The Raiders will have to win games with a ground-and-pound approach. That puts Jeanty in position to do unprecedented things.