Lead: On Sept. 4, 2025, ahead of the NFL season opener between the Dallas Cowboys and the reigning-champion Philadelphia Eagles, The Ringer staff published their 2025 forecasts for the playoff field, Super Bowl favorites, and end-of-season awards, projecting a mix of repeat contenders and breakout candidates.
Key Takeaways
- Several staffers favor the Baltimore Ravens as the eventual Super Bowl winner; the Philadelphia Eagles are a common NFC pick to reach the title game.
- Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Joe Burrow are the primary MVP contenders in staff voting.
- Offensive Player of the Year candidates include Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Derrick Henry, Jahmyr Gibbs, and A.J. Brown.
- Defensive Player of the Year frontrunners cited are Micah Parsons, Will Anderson Jr., Aidan Hutchinson, and Jared Verse.
- Coach of the Year ballots are spread across Pete Carroll, Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, Matt LaFleur, and Mike Vrabel, reflecting bets on overperformance and roster rebuilds.
- Rookie awards lean toward quarterbacks Cam Ward (Offensive) and pass rusher Abdul Carter (Defensive) as favorites.
Verified Facts
Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens are repeatedly mentioned as a team with improved offensive continuity under coordinator Todd Monken and a defense that surged late under coordinator Zach Orr. Staffers point to Jackson’s recent statistical peak—more than 4,100 passing yards and roughly 900 rushing yards in the prior season—as evidence he can anchor a title run.
Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills are widely viewed as an elite, experienced contender. The Bill’s roster construction and perceived favorable regular-season slate are cited as reasons some staffers expect Buffalo to secure a top AFC seed. Allen is a leading MVP pick based on volume and the expectation he will again carry a high offensive workload.
Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals are projected by some to post massive offensive volume; Burrow threw for 4,918 yards last season, and several writers forecast even higher totals that could push him into Offensive Player of the Year or MVP conversations. Ja’Marr Chase is also repeatedly named as a top non-QB offensive candidate given his high target share and receiving efficiency.
Running backs cited as OPOY contenders include Derrick Henry (reported 2,100+ scrimmage yards and 18 total touchdowns last season) and Jahmyr Gibbs (1,929 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2024), illustrating why voters may reward elite non-quarterback production.
Defensive breakout candidates include Micah Parsons (now in Green Bay), Will Anderson Jr. of the Texans, Aidan Hutchinson of the Lions returning from injury, and Jared Verse of the Rams. Staff arguments pair individual talent with surrounding scheme upgrades or supporting personnel additions.
Context & Impact
Voter narratives matter: MVP voting traditionally favors high-volume quarterbacks whose teams finish near the top of their conference standings. That dynamic helps explain why Allen, Jackson, Burrow, and occasional surprise picks like Jayden Daniels appear prominently on ballots.
Coach of the Year selections commonly reward teams with marked win improvements or those that exceed preseason expectations. That trend underlies picks for coaches in Las Vegas, San Francisco, and retooled staffs in Arizona and New England.
For bettors and fantasy managers, these projections highlight players to monitor in early-week lineups and futures markets: high-volume QBs, featured backs with touchdown upside, and rookies expected to start immediately (Cam Ward, Ashton Jeanty, Travis Hunter in some scenarios).
Official Statements
Staff consensus: analysts balanced roster construction, schedule strength, and coaching continuity to produce a diverse set of playoff and award forecasts.
The Ringer staff
Unconfirmed
- The long-term effect of Micah Parsons’ move to Green Bay is projection-based and depends on health and scheme fit.
- Predicted schedule advantages (e.g., Bills’ easier projected slate) are model-dependent and can change with injuries and in-season performance.
- Any assertion that a specific rookie will start all 17 games remains contingent on training camp form and team decisions.
Bottom Line
The Ringer staff’s forecasts emphasize a tight race among top quarterbacks and teams. Baltimore, Buffalo, Philadelphia, and Cincinnati appear frequently in optimistic scenarios, while award ballots reflect both historic voting patterns and season-specific narratives. Expect debate and shifting markets as injuries, in-season trends, and late narratives evolve.