The Jets have one of the best defensive units in the league, according to Rex Ryan. There is a 0:41 The halfway point of the football season is in the year 2022. Nine weeks left. There were many surprises in the first half, from teams on the fringes of the playoffs to struggling veteran quarterbacks. There is still time for things to happen over the next two months. We asked 17 of our football analysts for their best predictions for the rest of the season. We don't know if we'll see shocking division winners or teams in the playoffs. The franchises we considered to be contender in the preseason will finally get on track. Will offensive stars post big numbers in the last eight or nine games? Which team will win it all in February? The second half of the season will start with a fantastic finish for one of the game's top pass catchers. Jump to:
Division winners | Turnaround teams
Surging WRs | Big-play RBs | QBs rising
Super Bowl contenders Hill will break the single-season receiving yards record. Over the first nine games of the season, Hill leads the league in receiving yards by 241. Calvin Johnson set the single-season receiving record with 1,962 yards in 2012 and he is currently averaging 0.1 fewer yards per game. Hill has the benefit of a 17th game in the expanded schedule since Johnson's total came in a 16-game season. Hill will break the record before the end of the season because the defense can't stop him. In the second half, George will be a top-20 fantasy receiver. The team's fourth-most targets before the bye were Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool and Pat Freiermuth. The trade of Claypool to the Bears signals that Pittsburgh is ready to expand the role of Pickens in the offense. Kenny Pickett has a 92.2 QBR, which is good for second in the league. Among players with at least 40 targets, 26.9% of his catches have gone for 20 or more yards. I think he has a chance to win the offensive rookies of the year. Kadarius Toney will have at least 20 catches for the rest of the season. The new Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver should remind everyone why the Giants selected him in the first round of the 2021. Since Hill was traded to the Dolphins, the Chiefs' passing game has not been as effective. The Chiefs are tied with the Dolphins in passing plays that gain 20 or more yards, but Toney will take the big play offense to another level. The pre-deadline trade will be very good for the quarterback. The Jets are going to win the division. The New York Jets will beat out the other teams for the division title. They haven't won their division since 2002 and are only a 9.6% chance to do it. The Jets have one of the best defenses in the league and are perfect on the road. The Jets can pull out one of the closest divisions in football with the help of quarterbackZach Wilson. The Falcons are going to win the division. I like the Falcons to emerge from here despite their poor performance against Carolina. Atlanta's offense is eighth in expected points added and one of only four to score at least two touchdown in a game. The key for Atlanta is a rest-of-season schedule that is easy to navigate. The Falcons' toughest game will be in Week 16 against Baltimore, but every other game is against teams with losing records. It may be a challenge for the Bucs with a much tougher schedule, but they are still the favorites to win the division. Field Yates thinks that fantasy managers should stick with him for the duration of the season. The Seahawks will get the second seed in the playoffs. Geno Smith's performance is supported by a legitimate running game, weapons on the outside and a QB friendly system. The team's past four games have seen the defense allow less than 220 passing yards and 19 points per game. The final eight opponents on Seattle's schedule are combined to make up over 30 percent. The stage is set for the Seahawks to get home field advantage in the playoffs. At least two games will be played by Jordan Love. I'm not sure if Rodgers will like it, but I think the Packers need to not care. Green Bay has a good chance of making the playoffs right now. They don't know if Rodgers will return, and it's unlikely they can get him to tell them. They need to find out what they have in Love. Love has only one start since he was drafted in the 26th round. The quarterback will finish as a top five fantasy player. The Bears quarterback is about 30 points behind the fifth ranked quarterback in the country. Fields' newfound confidence, as well as the Claypool addition to the Bears' offense, is something you can't deny. Over the past three weeks, he has averaged more than 30 fantasy points. Field Yates explains why he isn't a good fantasy choice. Brady and Rodgers won't be in the playoffs. We want to believe in these legends and their teams, but the evidence that they could both fail is growing. The Bucs have a chance because of a weak division, but I will take the South field over the Bay. The Packers are 3-6 and struggling in many areas of the game. Six of eight games will be won by the Bucs. Tom Brady and the passing game are what I'm looking for in a team to win 10 games this season. Despite a disappointing scoring offense and a defense that's showing its age, the Bucs can still rally behind the GOAT. As Mike Evans and Chris Godwin get on the same page with Brady, the offense will evolve to fit what No. 12 wants. Matthew Miller is an analyst for the NFL draft. The CHARGERS will win the game. The Los Angeles Clippers will win their 10th game in a row and get a home playoff game in January. The victory against Atlanta is already in the past. Los Angeles has a 3.6% chance of winning the division, and they are favored in only five of the final nine games. Herbert is going to take his game to another level when the team gets healthier in the second half. Mike Tannenbaum is an analyst for the National Football League. McShay and Kiper have the highest ranked positions.
• QB Hot Board » | Deepest positions »
• Full ranks » | Draft order » | More »
Surging receivers
Surprise division winners?
Quarterback up-and-downs
Getting hot at the right time
The Raiders will have at least eight victories.
If things go well, maybe nine. The Las Vegas Raiders are poised for a comeback. Their record shouldn't be as bad as it is. The offensive line issue has been solved as they are 16th in pass block win rate and sixth in run block win rate. The offense is ranked 12th in offensive expected points added per play.
There is only one problem. There is nothing that can turn a bad defense into a good one. With the inexperienced Sam Ehlinger and struggling Russell Wilson next up, I think the Raiders' defense will look better in the coming weeks.
The running backs will have a lot of scrimmage yards in the second half.
In their Week 8 win over the Rams, the 49ers had 39.2% of their scrimmage yards accounted for by McCaffrey. Despite their injuries, the 49ers rank sixth in yards per play and will rely heavily on their new running back.
He is the front-runner at the position if he stays healthy. Stephania Bell is a fantasy writer.
The Cowboys will be rushing the rest of the way.
Pollard makes the running game better for the Cowboys. It can be seen on the tape. He has more speed and play power. In four of the past six games, the fourth-round running back has led the team's backfield in rushing, and his 6.2 yards per carry this season is more than 2 yards better than the average.
Pollard was the primary ball carrier in Dallas in the second half of the seven games they were both active in in the first half.
The Eagles will end the season with a perfect record.
The Philadelphia Eagles can finish the season with a perfect record. Look at their schedules. The Eagles' last eight opponents have a record under.500.
Philadelphia is the third ranked team in the country. The model predicts that the Eagles will win eight of nine games. The only projected loss is a road trip to Dallas in Week 16.
Andy will face his former team.
The ghost of Christmas past in Philadelphia is being faced by the coach of Kansas City. The Eagles and Chiefs are both among the top teams in their conferences, and both have a good chance of reaching the Super Bowl.
How are they there? I see Ravens QB Lamar Jackson tormenting Steve Spagnuolo's defense until Mahomes magic comes to the rescue in the playoffs. The Eagles and the Chiefs will meet in the Super Bowl, where the coach who went 130-93-1 in 14 seasons as their coach will be looking for his first title.
The Ravens are going to win the Superbowl.
I think the Baltimore Ravens can win the Super Bowl. Lamar Jackson will reset the quarterback contract market after John Harbaugh wins a championship with two different quarterbacks.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
