NFC East

Dallas Cowboys Don't be surprised if the Cowboys call edge rusher Micah Parsons' bluff. Parsons continues to sit out practices as he awaits a contract extension, but this situation has gone sideways. Team owner and GM Jerry Jones believes he and Parsons agreed on the parameters of a deal back in the spring, but Parsons has demanded a trade and refused to participate in practice or preseason games.

New York Giants Don't be surprised if the Giants lead the league in sacks. Adding Abdul Carter to a defensive front that already features Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence II, and Kayvon Thibodeaux should give the Giants one of the more fearsome pass rushes in the NFL.

Philadelphia Eagles Don't be surprised if they keep tinkering with the defense. The reigning Super Bowl champs lost five key contributors from last season's defense and are working to replace them with younger players they've drafted in recent years.

Washington Commanders Don't be surprised if Deebo Samuel gets some work at running back. Washington's coaches believe Samuel can be a factor when lined up in the backfield, and they'll be looking for ways to get him touches.

NFC North

Chicago Bears Don't be surprised if rookie tight end Colston Loveland is a huge part of the Bears' offense. Loveland is quarterback-friendly, big, fast, and polished in his route running. His connection with quarterback Caleb Williams is said to already be outstanding.

Detroit Lions Don't be surprised if Jahmyr Gibbs is the top-scoring fantasy running back. The Lions believe Gibbs has another gear to reach, and an improved Jameson Williams will open up the field for shorter passes to the backs.

Green Bay Packers Don't be surprised if quarterback Jordan Love is an MVP finalist. The Packers have a strong offensive line, depth at tight end, and an impact running back in Josh Jacobs. If the Packers can improve their performance against the league's top contenders, Love is set up to win a lot of games this season.

Minnesota Vikings Don't be surprised if Jordan Mason leads the team in rushing. The Vikings traded for Mason, the former 49ers back who they believe adds an explosive element to their run game.

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons Don't be surprised if tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. ends up getting traded. Pitts is in the final year of his contract, and the Falcons have made no move to extend him beyond this season.

Carolina Panthers Don't be surprised if quarterback Bryce Young is in line for a contract extension next spring. The Panthers believe the improvement Young showed toward the end of last season will carry over into 2025.

New Orleans Saints Don't be surprised if Spencer Rattler gets a pretty long run as starting quarterback. Rattler beat out rookie Tyler Shough in a very close training camp competition.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Don't be surprised if rookie Emeka Egbuka is the Bucs' leading receiver. The team has been raving about first-round pick Egbuka throughout the summer, praising him as hyper-advanced for a rookie in all facets of his game.

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals Don't be surprised if tight end Trey McBride is the Cardinals' leading receiver again. Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing's system is built to feature McBride as its top target.

Los Angeles Rams Don't be surprised if quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has to start at some point. The Rams believe starting QB Matthew Stafford is on track to be healthy and start Week 1, but Stafford is 37 years old and has dealt with back issues in the past.

San Francisco 49ers Don't be surprised if the 49ers end up back in the Super Bowl. The 49ers have a lot of talent, including Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams, George Kittle, Nick Bosa, and Fred Warner.

Seattle Seahawks Don't be surprised if their defense keeps them in the playoff race. The Seahawks ranked in the top 10 in defensive efficiency and defensive EPA last year in Mike Macdonald's first season as their coach.

AFC East

Buffalo Bills Don't be surprised if the Bills make a trade or two to improve their defense. Buffalo feels great about its offense, but it's still putting things together on the defensive side of the ball.

Miami Dolphins Don't be surprised if the Dolphins are actually a wild-card contender. The Dolphins started 2-6 last season but rebounded to win six of their next eight and ultimately end the season 8-9.

New England Patriots Don't be surprised if rookie TreVeyon Henderson is the team's No. 1 running back all season. Henderson has been the most explosive element of the Patriots' offense throughout camp.

New York Jets Don't be surprised if the Jets lead the league in rushing. The Jets are extremely high on second-year running back Braelon Allen, and they also know what they have in Breece Hall.

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens Don't be surprised if wide receiver Zay Flowers takes a third-year leap. Flowers is the Ravens' No. 1 wide receiver, and his absence from last season's divisional round playoff game in Buffalo played a part in their loss.

Cincinnati Bengals Don't be surprised if the Bengals return to the AFC Championship Game. The Bengals are installing a new scheme under new defensive coordinator Al Golden.

Cleveland Browns Don't be surprised if rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. catches a lot of passes. Fannin was one of the most productive college tight ends of all time at Bowling Green.

Pittsburgh Steelers Don't be surprised if they use A LOT of tight ends. The Steelers believe the depth and variety in their tight end group will allow them to show a number of different looks to opposing defenses.

AFC South

Houston Texans Don't be surprised if the Texans have the best defense in the league. Houston is extremely excited about the quality and depth of its defensive roster.

Indianapolis Colts Don't be surprised if the Colts pull an upset and win the division. The Colts have a huge question mark at quarterback, but they believe they can build a representative offense behind running back Jonathan Taylor.

Jacksonville Jaguars Don't be surprised if a pair of rookies takes over the backfield by year's end. The Jaguars look poised to enter the season with a running back room that includes Travis Etienne Jr., Tank Bigsby, and two rookies.

Tennessee Titans Don't be surprised if rookie Elic Ayomanor is the No. 2 receiver. Ayomanor has developed a strong rapport with rookie QB Cam Ward and has impressed coaches with his performance throughout training camp.

AFC West

Denver Broncos Don't be surprised if veteran J.K. Dobbins is the Broncos' lead running back. The Broncos like second-round rookie RJ Harvey a lot, but it sounds like Denver trusts Dobbins more in pass protection.

Kansas City Chiefs Don't be surprised if the Chiefs trade for a running back. Isiah Pacheco is healthy and ready to resume the lead back role, but the room is thin behind him.

Las Vegas Raiders Don't be surprised if quarterback Geno Smith sets a new career high in passing yards. Smith's current career high is the 4,320 he put up last season in Seattle.

Los Angeles Chargers Don't be surprised if running back Omarion Hampton wins Offensive Rookie of the Year. The Chargers really like veteran running back Najee Harris, but Hampton has emerged quickly in training camp.