NFL Power Rankings: Week 1

As the NFL season commences Thursday night, FanHouse kicks off its NFL Power Rankings with our Week 1 list.

There isn't much that we know at this point, which makes it easier to keep the defending champions on top. We might think we know who the bad teams are, but not even that is totally certain at this point.

It'll be a minor miracle if next week's rankings look anything like this week's.

1. Saints (0-0): Fresh off of their Super Bowl title, the Saints bring back a team that's remarkably similar to last year's champs. Headed into Week 1, though, the linebacking corps is in disarray. With Jonathan Casillas out for the season, Scott Shanle will move back to his old weakside spot and Jo-Lonn Dunbar will take over on the strongside. Middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma is dealing with a groin injury, so his status is unknown. -- Knox Bardeen
2. Colts (0-0): Injuries on the offensive line? No problem. Two words: Peyton Manning. Let's just hope he isn't too distracted by the roving umpire to run his offense at peak efficiency. The Colts are primed for another run as long as they continue to play at a high level. -- Steph Stradley

3. Vikings (0-0): Unquestionably all-in, since Joe Webb is the only quarterback under contract for 2011. Brett Favre's health will be a key, but so will a secondary that is low on healthy bodies entering the season. Favre can make magic with virtually anyone, after all, and he still has Percy Harvin, a player he absolutely loves.
4. Patriots (0-0): In his second year since knee surgery, Tom Brady is ready to re-ascend to the top of QB Mountain. Playing for one last big payday, Randy Moss will be passionately motivated to pad his stats. Wes Welker is quickly recovering from his own severe injury to end last season. Add it all up and the Patriots could have another near-perfect year. -- R.J. White
5. Ravens (0-0): Even without injured safety Ed Reed -- who is on the PUP list and out at least six weeks -- the Ravens boast a fast, hard-hitting defense that is among the league's best. Oh, and look out, because young quarterback Joe Flacco is coming into his own.
6. Cowboys (0-0): While it's easy to be distracted by all the glitz surrounding the Cowboys, you can't deny this is an NFC title contender. What is in question is whether or not this team can handle all the hype, especially in a year where Cowboys Stadium is hosting the Super Bowl.
7. Chargers (0-0): The Chargers took some hits, losing LaDainian Tomlinson and not being able to get Marcus McNeill or Vincent Jackson back in the locker room. But they still have Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates, and that counts for something.
8. Eagles (0-0): With all the attention Dallas and Washington have gotten, the Eagles are almost a forgotten team, even though they're a perennial playoff contender. Don't expect that to change much, even though Kevin Kolb takes over at quarterback.
9. Packers (0-0): They're getting the love around the league, with a lot of experts targeting the Packers as a real Super Bowl contender. Of course, that love isn't going to make an offensive line that surrendered 51 sacks instantly better, and it's not going to help a secondary that got badly torched in a number of the Packers' losses, especially while that secondary is missing two starters.
10. Jets (0-0): The Jets have seemed like the compulsive trader in your fantasy league this offseason, adding LaDainian Tomlinson and Santonio Holmes at below-market prices to an offense that may not have needed them. The Jets defense should be good enough to win several games, but what happens if the team needs to lean on Mark Sanchez's arm? We'll find out soon enough. -- RW
11. Bengals (0-0): The Bengals have to find a way to develop a more consistent passing game. Cedric Benson is capable of carrying the ground game, but if Carson Palmer doesn't find a chemistry with Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens, it may all be for naught.
12. Falcons (0-0): Two exciting first-year starters will begin their reign in Atlanta this week as the Falcons travel to play Pittsburgh. First round draft pick Sean Weatherspoon has won the starting job as the strongside linebacker and Kroy Biermann will start opposite John Abraham at defensive end. Don't be surprised if Biermann outsacks Abraham this season. -- KB
13. Titans (0-0): Which Titans team shows up in 2010? They need to hope that it is the one that plays defense. They also need the passing attack to be much improved from 2009. If it isn't, not even Chris Johnson will save this offense. -- SS

14. 49ers (0-0): The 49ers have generated plenty of buzz as a darkhorse playoff contender in recent years. In 2010, most analysts expect the 49ers to win the division by a decent margin. Expectations can only get a team so far; Mike Singletary, Alex Smith and a very capable 49ers defense will have to do the rest. -- RW
15. Texans (0-0): Do they turn the corner, get over the hump, take the next step, abuse more cliches? It probably depends on whether their inexperienced defensive backs make big mistakes. -- SS
16. Redskins (0-0): Even if Mike Shanahan and Donovan McNabb work to strengthen the offense, how are the Redskins going to beat out deeper and more talented teams in the NFC East? Is Shanahan's touch that magical?
17. Steelers (0-0): No Ben Roethlisberger for four games, and no Byron Leftwich for at least one, meaning Dennis Dixon starts against Atlanta. The Steelers can still play tough defense and run the ball, but we'll see how much they miss Big Ben starting this week.
18. Panthers (0-0): The Panthers kept 10 rookies on their 53-man roster, but only one has a realistic shot at starting from Week 1: wide receiver Brandon LaFell, the 6-foot-2 receiver from LSU, who is a legit No. 2 option that has size, speed and a good grasp on the Carolina playbook. -- KB
19. Dolphins (0-0): The wildcat became must-see football in 2009, but the Dolphins took measures to beef up the passing game heading into 2010 by adding elite wide receiver Brandon Marshall. Bill Parcells has built title contenders at every turn, and it feels about time for the Dolphins to take the next step and join the list of his successes. -- RW
20. Giants (0-0): The Giants didn't really improve with big-time additions, instead looking at the potential their roster has when the star players are healthy and playing at their best. They could be a sleeper in the NFC East.
21. Chiefs (0-0): They've become a dark-horse pick in the AFC West, and the Chiefs certainly added top-notch coordinators on both sides of the ball by reuniting Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel. It might take some time for their schemes to take full hold, but Kansas City is looking up.
22. Bears (0-0): New offensive coordinator Mike Martz certainly makes the Bears' offense more noticeable, but will he make it better? A lot of that depends on how Jay Cutler adjusts to the new system, and how well new offensive line coach Mike Tice's group blocks in front of Cutler.
23. Cardinals (0-0): Kurt Warner's retirement was supposed to mean that it would be Matt Leinart time in the desert, but Leinart played himself not only out of the starting quarterback job, but off the team as well. Derek Anderson will now be tasked with keeping this team amongst the ranks of playoff contenders this season, and if he can't, then the Cardinals will have to find someone who will. -- RW

24. Raiders (0-0): A lot needs to come together, but Oakland should be better this year. The Raiders have some players on defense, including promising rookie linebacker Rolando McClain, and if Jason Campbell can stay healthy, he brings a stability to the quarterback position the Raiders haven't seen in years.
25. Broncos (0-0): It should be interesting to see if rookie Tim Tebow can get on the field at all for Denver. Unfortunately for Broncos fans, there isn't much else of intrigue surrounding this team. It looks like they're still working to get the right defensive personnel.
26. Browns (0-0): It's hard to bet on a team led by Jake Delhomme to do much. After his major struggles in Carolina, Delhomme found a new home with Mike Holmgren and Eric Mangini. The Browns competed hard down the stretch despite a dreadful record, but how much does that matter now?
27. Seahawks (0-0): Pete Carroll has done a bit of house cleaning, jettisoning T.J. Houshmandzadeh and promoting draft bust Mike Williams to the starting lineup. In the weakest division in football, Carroll will be expected to compete for the division title immediately. That's asking a lot, considering the Seahawks defense projects to be well below league average. -- RW
28. Jaguars (0-0): With the youth of Jacksonville, it looks like Jack Del Rio may have to scrap to get wins again, especially if running back Maurice Jones-Drew can't repeat his performance of last year. -- SS
29. Lions (0-0): There are pieces in place that make you think the Lions will be better, but they have so far to go, and such a tough schedule -- with non-division opponents out of the NFC East and AFC East -- that it's hard to envision Detroit winning enough games to avoid double-digit losses.
30. Buccaneers (0-0): The biggest news out of the gulf coast of Florida is about quarterback Josh Freeman. It looks as if he'll be ready to play on Sunday as the Bucs take on Cleveland. Head coach Raheem Morris said that the only way Freeman wouldn't play is if he had a setback in practice this week. -- KB
31. Rams (0-0) No. 1 overall pick Sam Bradford is unsurprisingly being handed the keys to the castle at the beginning of his rookie season. The Rams offense should continue to lean on Steven Jackson while Bradford develops. Other high picks like Chris Long and Jason Smith will also be expected to step it up and push the organization in the right direction. -- RW
32. Bills (0-0): Unfortunately for Bills fans, there hasn't been much reason to cheer over the last decade-plus. Sadly, 2010 doesn't look like it'll be much different. Buffalo needs to add talent at every position but running back -- and that could have been said even before the team spent the ninth overall pick in this past draft on C.J. Spiller -- so fans may spend this season only rooting to win the Jake Locker sweepstakes. -- RW