NFL Predictions: Athlon Sports’ Experts Make Their Picks for 2024 Playoffs, Individual Honors

The 2024 NFL season kicks off next week, with the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Baltimore Ravens in a Thursday night opener that could be a major factor in playoff seeding when all is said and done.

The Athlon Sports NFL team will offer best bets every week of the season, but first let’s make some big-picture predictions for which teams will be competing for Super Bowl LIX in the postseason and which players will take home top honors.

AFC Predictions

Doug Farrar:
Division champs: Dolphins, Ravens, Texans, Chiefs
Wild cards: Jaguars, Bengals, Bills

Luke Easterling:
Division champs: Dolphins, Ravens, Texans, Chiefs
Wild cards: Bengals, Bills, Jaguars

Kyle Wood:
Division champs: Bills, Bengals, Texans, Chiefs
Wild cards: Ravens, Jets, Colts

A ndrew Perloff:
Division champs: Jets, Bengals, Texans, Chiefs
Wild cards: Bills, Ravens, Browns

Craig Ellenport:
Division champs: Dolphins, Bengals, Texans, Chiefs
Wild cards: Ravens, Bills, Jets

Thomas Neumann:
Division champs: Dolphins, Ravens, Jaguars, Chiefs
Wild cards: Bengals, Bills, Texans

NFC Predictions

Farrar:
Division champs: Eagles, Lions, Falcons, 49ers
Wild cards: Cowboys, Packers, Seahawks

Easterling:
Division champs: Eagles, Lions, Buccaneers, 49ers
Wild cards: Packers, Bears, Falcons

Wood:
Division champs: Eagles, Lions, Falcons, 49ers
Wild cards: Packers, Cowboys, Seahawks

Perloff:
Division champs: Cowboys, Lions, Falcons, 49ers
Wild cards: Eagles, Packers, Rams

Ellenport:
Division champs: Eagles, Lions, Panthers, 49ers
Wild cards: Packers, Rams, Seahawks

Neumann:
Division champs: Cowboys, Lions, Falcons, 49ers
Wild cards: Eagles, Packers, Seahawks

Super Bowl LIX

Farrar: Lions over Chiefs
Easterling: Ravens over Lions
Wood: Chiefs over Lions
Perloff: Bengals over Packers
Ellenport: 49ers over Dolphins
Neumann: Chiefs over Lions

Worst Record

Farrar: Panthers
Easterling: Giants
Wood: Patriots
Perloff: Panthers
Ellenport: Patriots
Neumann: Patriots

Most Valuable Player

Farrar: Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
Easterling: Christian McCaffrey, 49ers
Wood: Mahomes
Perloff: C.J. Stroud, Texans
Ellenport: Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins
Neumann: Mahomes

Offensive Player of the Year

Farrar: Mahomes
Easterling: Tyreek Hill, Dolphins
Wood: Bijan Robinson, Falcons
Perloff: Justin Jefferson, Vikings
Ellenport: Tagovailoa
Neumann: Hill

Defensive Player of the Year

Farrar: Aidan Hutchinson, Lions
Easterling: Maxx Crosby, Raiders
Wood: Hutchinson
Perloff: Micah Parsons, Cowboys
Ellenport: Quinnen Williams, Jets
Neumann: Parsons

Offensive Rookie of the Year

Farrar: Caleb Williams, Bears
Easterling: Williams
Wood: Williams
Perloff: Jayden Daniels, Commanders
Ellenport: Williams
Neumann: Marvin Harrison Jr., Cardinals

Defensive Rookie of the Year

Farrar: Terrion Arnold, Lions
Easterling: Laiatu Latu, Colts
Wood: Dallas Turner, Vikings
Perloff: Jared Verse, Rams
Ellenport: Tyler Nubin, Giants
Neumann: Byron Murphy II, Seahawks

Coach of the Year

Farrar: Dan Campbell, Lions
Easterling: DeMeco Ryans, Texans
Wood: Shane Steichen, Colts
Perloff: Ryans
Ellenport: Dave Canales, Panthers
Neumann: Campbell

Comeback Player of the Year

Farrar: Joe Burrow, Bengals
Easterling: Kirk Cousins, Falcons
Wood: Aaron Rodgers, Jets
Perloff: Rodgers
Ellenport: Rodgers
Neumann: Cousins

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