The NFL season is 100 days away, which means we have precious little time remaining to speculate on the future once games actually get going Sept. 8, when the Rams host the Bills in the season opener. And, really, isn’t saying loudly what might happen and then disappearing infinitely more enjoyable than just watching events unfold in real time? Here, somewhere between informed speculation and Rich Strike–ian long-shotting, is our sweet spot.
To memorialize our final days of blind-take-having, we present to you a master list of bold predictions for the upcoming season, the size and heft of which you normally would need to seek at a wholesale retailer. We are all about bang for the buck here at The MMQB, so consider this a scorecard of sorts for the season ahead.
Rob Tringali/Sports Illustrated (Allen); Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated (Gronkowski); Kohjiro Kinno/Sports Illustrated (Kupp); John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated (Donald)
The NFL season is dense with various plots and story lines, both on and off the field. It is a tapestry of wonderful feats of athleticism, glimpses of pure schematic genius and a plethora of corporate greed and darkness. When combined, it creates the kind of reality show we are smart enough to know we should stop watching but continue to patronize.
Awaiting us is the unexplored and unknown. Here is our best guess as to what it contains:
1. The Bills will defeat the Packers in Super Bowl LVII
Buffalo is among the most well coached and complete teams in football. While there is an obvious concern with both of these teams losing their offensive coordinators in 2021 to the head coaching circuit (the Packers’ Nathaniel Hackett is in Denver, while Brian Daboll left the Bills to become the head coach of the Giants), both teams, assuming they stay healthy, went above and beyond this offseason solidifying remaining needs.
2. The Deshaun Watson situation won’t simply disappear
Perhaps, cynically, one would assume a hidden strategy to the Browns signing Watson is the assumption that we all collectively move on from things after a while. Don’t confuse this with an actual rehabilitation, which should earn someone the right to live a meaningful life after a series of misdeeds. We’re talking about a class-action disregard from the general public. The energy, in this case, feels different. The Browns will have to contend with this for some time, suspension or not.
3. The NFL will learn a valuable lesson about player commentators in 2022
Rawness and honesty are wonderful qualities to have from people who set out to inform and entertain us. Do we have a better chance of finding that from superstars who have been catered to heavily throughout the last decade, or the more expendable NFL player, who has experienced a completely different life in the league and has a perspective we might actually identify with? The rise of Pat McAfee will continue, and so will the apathy over replaceable booth trillionaire.
4. Marcus Mariota will finish the season as a top-12 passer in terms of Total QBR
Mariota, 28, has come a long way from Chip Kelly–ian fever dream to, now, second-chance starter. With a play-caller who knows him well and a set of weapons, he will play better than Atlanta’s record suggests.
5. The Ravens will win 12 or more games
No team had a more targeted and successful draft. Few NFL clubs have found a way to adequately defend the Ravens at full health. Now they appear better and stronger than ever. Outside of Joe Burrow’s transcendent excellence, we know very little for sure about the rest of the AFC North.
6. Rachaad White will finish as a top-three rookie of the year contender
Herm Edwards, head coach at White’s Arizona State University, compared White’s running style to Marcus Allen. If given the chance to handle a full-time load, we could see a surprise outside contender challenge the fleet of talented wide receivers and former Pitt QB Kenny Pickett, who went in the first round this year to the Steelers.
7. Sean Payton doesn’t make it a full season in the booth before jumping back into coaching
In years when the carousel contains prominent candidates, most end-of-season firings get pushed up to around Thanksgiving—or sooner. Courting Payton is going to take an epic and borderline public overture long before the NFL’s legitimate hiring window begins. This one will not abide by the rules. By the time we sit down to argue with our relatives about the midterm elections, we’ll know where Payton is headed.
Chuck Cook/USA TODAY Sports
8. Matt Ryan will have the best QB rating of all quarterbacks in a new location
Now in Indianapolis eager to prove his wandering-eye franchise wrong, Ryan will showcase a vintage performance, ultimately leading the Colts back into postseason contention.
9. An offensive lineman will deserve, but not receive, legitimate Rookie of the Year consideration
Evan Neal, Ikem Ekwonu, Charles Cross, Tyler Linderbaum, Trevor Penning. There are some rookies shouldering massive responsibilities this year. At least one will form the foundation of a deep playoff run.
10. The Panthers’ QB situation pleasantly surprises, and …
Offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo finds his name back in the fold for head coaching opportunities. I think now, as we look at the Giants from 30,000 feet, getting them to the playoffs in 2016 was a stunning achievement. The guy who wanted to move on from Eli Manning and draft Patrick Mahomes gets a fresh look from the NFL power brokers.
11. Von Miller twice breaks his single-game sack record in 2022
The crafty Bills edge rusher is on the hunt for another Super Bowl. Buoyed by a lockdown safety tandem (Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer) and a division full of young quarterbacks (Tua Tagovailoa, Zach Miller, Mac Jones), the future Hall of Famer logs at least 3.5 sacks in a game in 2022 … and not just once.
12. The Rams clinch the NFC West before their Dec. 4 matchup against the Seahawks
A down year, potentially, in San Francisco combined with a rebuilding year in Seattle and a brutal Cardinals schedule gives the Rams an opportunity to run away with another crown. Three-quarters of the way into the 2022 season, they’ll make it look easy.
13. By Halloween we will be obsessing over and largely settled on a No. 1 quarterback prospect. His name is …
Will Levis out of Kentucky. Levis will have a leg up, thanks to his time with Rams offensive coordinator Liam Coen and offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello, who came to Kentucky from the 49ers, where he was quarterbacks coach. Levis has the size and the fearlessness. Scangarello will help him even out the mistakes.
14. The NFL is flat-footed and unprepared for another surge of politics headed into consequential midterm elections
Rhetoric heats up. A league that has no doubt enjoyed some time separated from the daily political discourse easily could see itself thrown back into the morass. Former president and presumptive 2024 Republican nominee Donald Trump is as freewheeling a politician we’ve ever come across. Football could find itself in his crosshairs at a moment’s notice. This time around, coaches and GMs know they cannot just stick to football.
15. Giants QB Daniel Jones wins NFL Comeback Player of the Year
Derrick Henry is the odds-on favorite to win the award. What’s more likely: A QB guru (Daboll) unlocking Jones, who is still well liked by some NFL coaches, or Henry reversing an age-old trend?
16. The Eagles will win the NFC East
A year of reckoning for the Cowboys, a year of rebuilding for the Giants, a year of riding the Carson Wentz–ian wave in Washington. What gives? Nick Sirianni and a talented coaching staff will scheme Jalen Hurts to a Pro Bowl and a second consecutive postseason berth.
17. Travis Etienne will gain more than 1,000 scrimmage yards
The Jaguars’ 2021 first-round pick was graciously spared a disastrous Urban Meyer regime and will walk back into a capably schemed offense dotted with overpriced playmakers. Meyer’s Percy Harvin dreams for Etienne may come to fruition, anyway, with the former Clemson star making the most out of backfields littered with defensive players.
18. The Jon Gruden lawsuit will sting the NFL throughout the season
While the Brian Flores suit is ultimately more consequential in terms of how it will shape the future of the NFL, a case with ties to an embattled coach, and two once-bumbling franchises (Las Vegas and Washington) have the chance to yield serious fireworks.
19. Lamar Jackson will set a career high in passing yards and reenter the MVP conversation
With an offense doubling down on the best of what Jackson does, the quarterback will be more comfortable than he’s been in years. While he won’t top 36 passing touchdowns, he will score more than 40 combined rushing and passing touchdowns.
Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated
20. The Panthers, Texans, Seahawks and Bears will be the teams in contention for the No. 1 pick
For these fan bases, all is not lost. There should be a somewhat robust class of quarterbacks to debate over this year. In Seattle, Houston and Chicago, this may be a pleasant side effect of their roster-building strategy.
21. Najee Harris will lead the NFL in rushing
The Steelers’ first-round pick from 2020 had a solid rookie campaign considering Pittsburgh’s punchless offense. With Kenny Pickett operating an equally conservative but more movement-oriented offense, Harris will benefit.
22. The 2022 season will end with a record-low number of head coach firings
Check out the current landscape. Kliff Kingsbury may come into the year on something of a hot seat, but is signed through 2027. It’s hard to imagine the Texans flagrantly firing another head coaching candidate after one season. Dan Campbell and the Lions will be much improved. It doesn’t appear there will be a ton of movement, and some franchises may pull out of the running if it’s clear Sean Payton isn’t returning.
23. Darnell Mooney will finish the season as a household name
I recognize the hypocrisy of this statement given how harsh I’ve been on the Bears and how they’re building around Justin Fields. But they can still put together a struggling offense and have one capable wide receiver who puts up monstrous numbers.
24. Nick Foles isn’t done with his random acts of heroism yet
Football’s Patron Saint is in Indianapolis now and will lead said team to at least one late-game victory when all seems lost.
25. The 2022 Coach of the Year will come out of the AFC West
Just to add some flavor to this epically hedged prediction, my early leader in the clubhouse is Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett, who, with a new quarterback and improved defense, has the best chance of transforming a franchise overnight. Brandon Staley, Josh McDaniels and Andy Reid are always a threat.
Ron Chenoy/USA TODAY Sports
26. Elon Musk somehow seriously and strangely will impact the NFL season
The Matthew Stafford lookalike and footloose billionaire dreamer has some serious cash and an appetite for acquisitions. What will happen when Tom Brady leads him into the world of professional football?
27. Taylor Swift will headline Super Bowl LVII
With a surprise appearance from Stevie Nicks, the Arizona-born Fleetwood Mac superstar. The NFL tries to marry its penchant for gray-haired rockers in halftime shows of old with the overproduced, Hollywood-driven business of late.
28. Jeff Okudah will revive his career in a significant way
The former No. 3 pick has played just 10 NFL games in two seasons, which seems to give us the license to label him a bust. False! With a full season under his belt in 2023, the Lions’ patience and investment finally will pay off.
29. Kevin Byard will deserve the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award
We don’t know what the Titans will look like in 2022. Coach Mike Vrabel will have them competitive no matter what. A big reason will be Byard, the do-everything, playmaking safety who may have been the best player at his position last year. Notice we said “deserve” in the headline. Will voters look past sack totals and give the man his due?
30. Tom Brady will throw fewer than 35 touchdown passes
Doubting the greatest player in NFL history. What could go wrong! Just so this doesn’t get lobbed up for someone to dunk on me, the Buccaneers will be a dominant, run-heavy team in 2022, allowing Brady to be more of a table-setter.
Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated
31. The wide receiver market will crash after the 2022 season
Maybe this is a 2023 prediction, then. Notice the coaches who didn’t trip all over themselves to acquire a high-profile receiver this offseason: Sean McVay, Bill Belichick, Sean McDermott, Andy Reid, Matt LaFleur, John Harbaugh, etc. Also, owners don’t love paying quarterback money for anyone who isn’t a quarterback.
32. Rigoberto Sanchez will finish No. 1 in Pro Football Focus’ punting grades
Special teamers are people, too. Sanchez pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line 24 times a year ago. But the 27-year-old is just getting started.
33. Trevor Lawrence makes the Pro Bowl as an alternate
The Jaguars’ offense was a schematic car crash last year filled with substandard talent. Lawrence will smooth himself out, throw 28 touchdowns and only 12 interceptions.
34. College coaches aggressively try to flood the NFL pipeline
While the NFL is cold on the NCAA right now, especially after the spectacular flameout of Meyer and the Matt Rhule era (which angered owners from a financial perspective), we may see lines forming out the door to make a leap. The name, image and likeness landscape is exposing some coaches who depended on fear, thuggery and subterfuge to thrive. Now that it’s all out in the open, we’ll see them for who they really are. Best to get out before that happens.
35. A serious-sounding Andrew Luck rumor will make waves through the NFL for a brief period of time before ultimately going nowhere
With Matt Ryan succeeding, appearing as if he could be a long-term answer, one insider will float a credible-sounding report about the Colts being willing to part with the rights of their former super QB. Luck, however, will remain buried in deep reads on architecture and the Parisian underworld of the early 1900s.
36. Joey Bosa will lead the NFL in sacks
It’s time for a Bosa revival (if we can call it a revival, given that he’s made three straight Pro Bowl appearances). Just 26, Bosa seems to have aged out of our collective consciousness when we debate the best pass rushers of our time. Having Khalil Mack and Brandon Staley move the chess pieces around for him will open up the floodgates.
John McDonough/Sports Illustrated
37. CeeDee Lamb will be one of the three most productive receivers in the NFL (in terms of total receiving yards)
While I hate the limitations of total yards as a metric, I envision Lamb taking an aggressive step forward in Dallas this year. It would be hard to imagine anyone dethroning Cooper Kupp given how broadly he lapped the field last year, but Lamb nestles into the chase pack and establishes himself as bona fide elite.
38. Saquon Barkley will catch more than 60 balls
I don’t know how comfortable I am projecting a 1,000-yard season, though I’m tempted. I really like the idea of getting Barkley out in space more frequently, taking him away from the complexities of emerging from that offensive line. I think Barkley has developed some bad habits or may have always had them in some respect. But during his rookie year, he was always most deadly on those sprint-out passes, where he could catch the ball from Eli Manning in space and turn his body upfield.
39. The Lions will nail their win total over
If you’re a regular reader and podcast listener, you may be starting to sense the groundswell of excitement for the Lions. Dan Campbell magic is upon us. Right now, on DraftKings, you can bet the over on 6.5 wins this year in Detroit. I’d feel pretty darn good about that.
40. Ezekiel Elliott won’t lead Cowboys running backs in touches
The former top-five pick is entering his age-27 season having declined in total workload each year since the 2018 season. The Cowboys are rapidly trying to diversify their offense and are looking for more dependable ways to move the ball.
41. John Metchie III will have more receiving yards than Garrett Wilson or Jahan Dotson
The second-rounder out of Alabama was knocked down the draft board thanks to a December injury. That said, Pep Hamilton will find ways to use his speed and get him the ball quickly off the line of scrimmage, making life easier in Year 2 for QB Davis Mills.
42. One of the three oldest coaches in the NFL will announce/have leaked their long-term retirement plans
Pete Carroll (70), Bill Belichick (70) and Andy Reid (64) have been in football for most of their sentient lives. One of them will plan a trip to Paris in the fall for 2025, with eyes on watching the sun come up and drinking a cup of coffee on the dock of their previously unused vacation property.
Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated
43. Odell Beckham Jr. and the Patriots connect
We’re not suggesting there’s a signing, but as the offseason drags on and the one-time transcendent star receiver remains on the market, Belichick will begin to cozy up to the Rams’ playoff weapon from a year ago. Beckham’s public feud with Cam Akers puts him off the short list for Sean McVay.
44. Kyle Pitts will come within 200 yards of breaking Travis Kelce’s single-season receiving record for a tight end
The Falcons are not going to be great this year, but they are going to showcase their playmakers and make their stadium look like fertile ground for QB Savior.
45. The ground is laid for a mass tight end holdout after the 2022 season
Receivers are now making more than a good deal of quarterbacks. Pass catchers who have to score touchdowns, stretch the field and hang back on the line to get blasted by a rushing defensive end would like a word … and some more compensation for their trouble.
46. The Colts will finish the season top 5 in sacks
Behind the scenes, a pretty attractive pass-rushing unit is being built in Indianapolis. Kwity Paye, Yannick Ngakoue and DeForest Buckner will team with the resurgent Gus Bradley to pester a division stockpiled with young or struggling quarterbacks.
47. Teams will become desperate for 2023 mid-round picks as the realities of the 2023 free-agent market take hold
This is not going to be a great class of veteran players. While the trendy personnel strategy of late has been to double down on established stars, the list of available stars will send a few GMs looking for resources elsewhere.
48. J.J. Watt will play a full 17 games with two different teams and log 10 sacks
The Cardinals will struggle, but a white-hot Watt will get dealt to a contender down the stretch and become a key defensive piece for a playoff contender.
49. AJ Terrell will finish the season as a first-team All-Pro and will be firmly in the discussion as best cornerback in football
The former Thomas Dimitroff pick has surged on the field of late, earning second-team All-Pro honors last year. Terrell will take another leap in 2022, and the Falcons will have to start bracing for an earth-shattering contract extension.
Chuck Cook/USA TODAY Sports
50. Josh Allen will throw a career-high number of interceptions, but …
It will matter little because he also will throw a career-high 40 touchdowns, more than enough to lift the Bills to Super Bowl glory. And Allen will become a fantasy savior for the masses.
51. The Carson Wentz playtime incentive will be reached, and …
The Commanders will find a quarterback for 2023 as well. Wentz will finally land in a place that buoys him both schematically and emotionally. While it’s not exactly a fountain of gold, the Commanders will get somewhat stable, top-14-caliber play out of Wentz in ’22.
52. Caleb Farley will have a top 10-caliber season for the Titans
There are teams across the league who have a sweet spot positionally when they draft. The Ravens rarely miss on tight ends. The Steelers don’t miss on wide receivers. The Titans are starting to get there as a team that evaluates talent in the secondary. Farley was injured coming out of Virginia Tech and injured a year ago. Fully healthy, he will dominate in 2022.
53. Tom Brady will affirm his desire to play in 2023 … but not necessarily in Tampa
As we wrote a while back, Brady felt vice-gripped in New England. He is now desired, a marketable star worth millions carrying his own offense to the highest bidder. Tampa Bay was one of the few teams in contention during an uncertain free agency in 2020. That won’t be the case in ’23.
54. Pep Hamilton will get head coaching interviews
Once a rising star in Indianapolis, Hamilton’s career detoured to Cleveland, the NCAA, the XFL and finally, now, the Texans. Hamilton did stellar work with Justin Herbert in Los Angeles. He has done stellar work with Davis Mills in Houston. His time will come.
55. Geno Smith will play the majority of the Seahawks’ QB snaps in 2022
And good for Smith. The former Jets second-round pick never had a chance, was drafted into a hurricane, coldcocked by a teammate and sent into backup purgatory.
56. The oft-copied outside-zone offense will reach its threshold
With nearly 40% of the NFL now running a scheme inspired by Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco, we will begin to see its most effective tendencies beaten back by defensive coordinators who have had three years of prep to stop it.
57. A rookie will finish in the top three in interceptions
This year’s rookie class has a ton of promise. Kyle Hamilton, Sauce Gardner, Derek Stingley Jr., Trent McDuffie, Kaiir Elam, Andrew Booth Jr., Kyler Gordon … someone will get picked on and make other teams pay for the mistake.
Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated
58. Patrick Mahomes won’t set any new career highs except …
For Total QBR. Or DVOA, or any of the metrics you’d like to take into account that consider factors such as opponent, time of game and situation. This year we see a massive leap from Mahomes as a conductor of his own orchestra.
59. The Eagles’ coaching and front-office staff will be the most interviewed this offseason
Shane Steichen, Jonathan Gannon, Dave Caldwell, Alec Halaby, Andy Weidl. When teams start looking to fill vacancies, many of them are going to be pawing at the door in Philadelphia.
60. The Jets will win at least six games
The AFC East won’t be a juggernaut, but it will no longer be so top-heavy. The Patriots and Bills will both make the playoffs, while the Dolphins and Jets will steadily improve. Robert Saleh steadies his footing, while a star-studded Jets draft class will earn some respect locally.
61. Christian McCaffrey will be traded at some point in 2022
The Panthers’ star running back will be healthy and dangerous in 2022. He will also cause at least one team to lob the Panthers an offer that will end up too good to refuse.
62. Joe Burrow will not be one of the 10 most sacked QBs in the NFL
And we start a more nuanced discussion on scheme, QB timing and receiver route length that will go a long way toward preventing us from pestering a poor GM about draft picks every time a franchise QB goes down.
63. An epic Baker Mayfield revelatory Sunday Sweeps interview will drop amid a sleepy November pre-Thanksgiving
Baker Mayfield played his you-know-what off with an injured shoulder a year ago and is now being dangled by the front office to the remaining QB-needy teams in the NFL. He has remained quiet in an effort to get that transaction completed. But at some point, he will defend himself. And it will be something to behold.
64. Kyler Murray will sign a contract extension before the start of the season
Arizona has far too much riding on Kliff Kingsbury and his system to sack the player who’s been running it since childhood. The Cardinals will continue their strange foray into the NFL mystic.
Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated
65. 2022 is a year when the NFL’s quiet “early retirement” problem will become a loud one
Underneath all of the full-throttle entertainment, there are players who continuously deal with incredible amounts of stress, outside pressure, death threats, social media poison, politicking head coaches and owners who are not used to treating individual people like people. Ali Marpet, Andrew Luck, Patrick Willis, Chris Borland. Borland and Marpet both left football specifically to work in mental health. It’s a trend that will continue the more we uplift player stories about finding a rewarding and purposeful postcareer plan away from a sport that gives, but also takes significantly.
66. The Cowboys’ coaching situation will reach a theatrical peak on Christmas Eve after the Eagles game
We took a quick spin through Dallas’s schedule. A few of them actually. Let’s imagine Dallas starts 0–2, with losses to the Buccaneers and Bengals (not unfathomable). It could be the start of a slippery slope that has the team pinballing through the season, floating just above .500 before the team’s Christmas Eve showdown against the Eagles. With Sean Payton a free agent, Jerry Jones’s press conference will be popcorn material.
67. The Browns will win fewer than 10 games
I think we’re underestimating just how much of a meat grinder the AFC North is going to be. The Steelers will still hover dangerously around .500. The Ravens will be vastly improved. The Bengals, like most post–Super Bowl teams, will deal with a hangover but still maintain relevance.
68. Cooper Kupp will have just under 100 receptions
This is not a reflection on Kupp. Have you read about this guy’s work ethic? It’s truly the stuff of mad science. But defensive coordinators everywhere would not be doing their jobs if they didn’t design something to mitigate the ease with which he appears to break out of coverages.
69. Rob Gronkowski will have his best season since 2017 … and his final one
Gronkowski caught 69 passes for 1,084 yards and eight touchdowns in 2017, the final year he made the Pro Bowl. Now 33, eyeing the other side of football, Gronkowski will return to Tampa Bay after Brady places the Buccaneers’ cap manager in a headlock and squeezes out a few extra million dollars.
70. Tyreek Hill will have a career-low yards per reception
The Dolphins acquired Tyreek Hill to make the quick game more successful. Coach Mike McDaniel will get the ball out of Tua Tagovailoa’s hands as soon as possible on most downs. That means less beautiful, streaking throws to Hill resulting in highlight-worthy touchdowns.
71. Aaron Donald will become the NFL’s first $30 million defender
How do the Rams fit all of this under the salary cap? It’s a real mystery. But it’s better than letting the best defensive player in the league retire and collapsing your defense in the process.
John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated
72. Daniel Snyder will remain the owner of the Commanders
Despite the rumors of an impending power play from a circle of NFL owners, they fail to get the votes in fear that they, too, will one day be forced to give up their valuable tax havens.
73. Jimmy Garoppolo won’t be traded
The 49ers will need more time with Trey Lance and still have a roster capable of winning now. With a massive coaching staff reset in San Francisco, Kyle Shanahan hangs on to his security blanket, couching it as pragmatism.
74. Zach Wilson will finish second in the AFC East in touchdown passes
This is a hedge-y way of saying he’ll be much improved in Year 2. While Mac Jones may ultimately solidify his status as the second-best quarterback in the division, Wilson will show off his new fleet of receivers and dazzle in spots.
75. The Ravens will have two 1,000-yard rushers
Hey, the prediction business is rough. Sometimes we need a tap-in to keep us going. An easy completion.
76. The Packers will be among the most improved run defenses in football
Last year, Green Bay gave up nearly five yards per carry, among the worst in football. Thanks to the additions of LB Quay Walker and DE Devonte Wyatt, we could see them improving their 4.7 yards per carry allowed average to something much closer to four yards per carry.
77. The 49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk will make the Pro Bowl and will have his first 1,000-yard season
Raise your hand if you convinced your fantasy football partner, in a high-stakes league, to draft Aiyuk over Deebo Samuel. Just me? Anyway, it looks a little less silly this year now that the former first-round pick has a better understanding of what coach Kyle Shanahan wants.
78. The Dolphins will finish in the top three in rushing attempts
Mike McDaniel’s compiling of running backs this offseason (Sony Michel, Raheem Mostert, Chase Edmonds) was not an accident. Sure, WR Tyreek Hill will get his opportunities, but this is a system designed to shove the ball down your throat. Have fun solving this fantasy football nightmare.
79. Christian Barmore will establish himself as one of the NFL’s elite run defenders
The former Alabama standout and Bill Belichick second-round pick from 2021 will have a top-five season in terms of PFF run defense grade among defensive tackles.
80. Brandon Staley will become the NFL’s best fourth-down head coach
For anyone who thought a few high-profile misses were going to tame Staley, think again. The Chargers’ coach was third in the NFL in fourth-down attempts a year ago, and will rank No. 1 in 2022.
81. Dalvin Cook won’t have the most rushing yards in his family in 2022
The Bills’ faux-spread will create huge running lanes for rookie James Cook out of Georgia. Buffalo’s running game hit its stride down the stretch in 2021 and will pick up where it left off Week 1 to buoy Josh Allen’s transition out of former offensive coordinator Brian Daboll’s offense.
82. The Eagles will lead the league in two-point conversions in 2022
No offense may be better suited for creating maddening short-yardage mismatches.
83. Davante Adams will post more than 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns
No Aaron Rodgers? No problem. The Raiders’ import will have a fine first season in Las Vegas, enjoying the trappings of a Josh McDaniels system that gets him the ball with space to run.
Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated
84. The Saints will make the playoffs
I’ve gone from out on the Saints to all-in. Maybe it’s just a pollen overdose. Maybe this receiving corps will really cause some trouble. Maybe Dennis Allen & Co. can rack up some wins against the bottom-rung Panthers and Falcons.
85. Lovie Smith will become the NFL’s most lovable, memeable head coach
The stoic, bearded coach is playing with house money patrolling the sidelines for the notoriously puzzling and top-secret Texans. By the end of September, we will be blessed with a Bruce Arians–like meme from Smith, and we will all fall in love.
86. Christian Watson has at least five touchdown catches of 20 or more air yards
Watson perfectly fits Green Bay’s athletic profile. While we don’t know exactly how the second-round pick out of North Dakota State will fit into Aaron Rodgers’s queue of favorites, we do know that the Packers’ offense will design some explosive plays for him down the field.
87. 2022 will become the year of the fullback
Mike McDaniel said this week what we’ve been writing for two years now: A fullback forces defenses into their base package, which is where you want them. It also gives teams a distinct numbers advantage on one side of the ball. Look for this to be a discussion point during broadcasts this year.
88. Justin Herbert will lead the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns
An MVP-caliber season out of Herbert in Los Angeles will result in a career high in touchdowns (previous high, 38) and a career high in passing yards (previous high, 5,014).
89. The beginning of the end for Adam Thielen in Minnesota will come into focus
The restructuring of Thielen’s contract leaves no guaranteed money in 2023 or ’24 and carries significant per-game roster bonuses. The Vikings were up front about their desire for more capital in this year’s draft. Would dealing Thielen by the deadline help, especially if he’s healthy and productive in ’22?
90. JuJu Smith-Schuster will have his best year since 2018
Now in Kansas City, Smith-Schuster will post more than 850 receiving yards as Patrick Mahomes’s new go-to short-yardage option. He is not Tyreek Hill, but he’s a pretty darn good fallback option.
91. Rob Gronkowski will finally secure his USAA membership
It will be revealed that the long-time tight end was, in fact, part of a black operations unit nestled deep inside the military’s citizen relations division (CRD). Gronkowski will enjoy roadside assistance during minor automobile collisions at an affordable rate.
Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated
92. The Mannings will make their ownership move
Eli Manning is nestled deep in the Giants’ business affairs. Peyton is exploring content and media. But as one of football’s wealthiest families, they’ve yet to nab a piece of tangible ownership. That will change in 2022.
93. Marshawn Lynch will emerge as a force inside a pregame studio show
With more platforms than ever lobbying for the rights to air football content, one network, or streaming service, will turn to the former Seahawk and Raider to spice up studio conversation.
94. ESPN’s Adam Schefter will break a strange piece of international news unrelated to football
The connected football tweet machine will end up revealing valuable information about a high-level political scandal or advent of a massive international conflict.
95. The NFL’s new Pro Bowl format will be frustratingly enjoyable
One of the last pillars of the NFL’s uncreative and unoriginal past, the disastrous Pro Bowl game will get officially scrapped for a skills competition, series of footraces and displays of athlete strength that we will actually want to watch.
96. No. 1 pick Travon Walker will have fewer than six sacks, but he will still have a phenomenal rookie season
Jacksonville GM Trent Baalke was always taking a risk with this pick, not only by projecting athleticism but by signing a player whose best attributes may not produce stats regularly tracked by the fans and media.
97. David Njoku will post a career high in receptions
While we aren’t exactly sure who will be throwing to the tight end or for how long, the Browns are scraping the barrel at wide receiver and seem incredibly high on the former first-round pick.
98. Jashaun Corbin is the undrafted free agent we will be all talking about
Saquon Barkley has a revival, but Corbin will emerge as a potential star in head coach Brian Daboll’s offense. The former Florida State Seminoles backfield patience earns him carries early in 2022.
99. The Raiders won’t have a 1,000-yard rusher
After declining the fifth-year option on Josh Jacobs, the Raiders will begin to pivot away from a team clinging to the abilities of just one overworked running back.
100. Justin Herbert will win the 2022 MVP
The Chargers’ quarterback is a star in the making. Despite strong pushes from Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Russell Wilson, Derek Carr, Aaron Rodgers, Lamar Jackson and Tom Brady, Herbert will push the Chargers into the postseason on the strength of a record-setting season in Los Angeles.
John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated
