The NFC West has to play the NFC South and the AFC North which isn’t terrible this year although it isn’t great for traveling. Within the division you would think that the 49ers should improve from last year and the Rams should regress a bit. The Seahawks are the Seahawks with Russell Wilson. The Cardinals pushed the reset button and I think they will have a bad start to their season. We should be able to count on the Bengals in the AFC North to have a bad defense again.
- LA RAMS – Win total 10.5
Schedule: Medium – At large games vs Chicago and Dallas
Key losses: S LaMarcus Joyner, G Rodger Saffold, ILB Mark Barron, DT Ndamukong Suh
Key additions: OLB Clay Matthews, S Eric Weddle, QB Blake Bortles
Whom they drafted: S Taylor Rapp, RB Darrell Henderson, CB David Long, OT Bobby Evans, DT Greg Gaines, OT David Edwards, S Nick Scott, LB Dakota Allen
Summary: Last year this team had 13 wins which was great but their Pythagorean was only around 11.75. The Rams worked on their defensive backs and offensive line this draft. This team was pretty healthy last year compared to years past and you have to dock them a little for that but I do not know what the heck is going on with Todd Gurley and fantasy owners need to be worried. It felt like there was no trust between him and his coach at the end of the season. The Rams got a nice steal in Daryl Henderson from Memphis at RB during the draft who averaged 9 yards per rush at Memphis. I think that LA somewhat addressed the edge rusher with Clay Matthews coming back home which is a good move. Losing LeMarcus Joyner was hard but they did pick up Eric Weddle. Losing Suh may prove detrimental against the run. The Rams may have improved the interior offensive line and I really like that. Can teams finally catch on to Sean McVey’s misdirection plays? I have the Rams at 11.65 wins but I am concerned that the 49ers could be a lot better this year so no play and just a lean to the over.
Action – Lean over 10.5
2. Seattle Seahawks – Win Total 8.5
Schedule – Medium – At large vs Minnesota and Philadelphia
Key losses: DE Frank Clark, WR Doug Baldwin, S Earl Thomas, CB Justin Coleman, RB Mike Davis, G J.R. Sweezy, DT Shamar Stephen, QB Brett Hundley, DE Dion Jordan, K Sebastian Janikowski
Key additions: K Jason Myers, G Mike Iupati
Whom they drafted: DE L.J. Collier, S Marquise Blair, WR D.K. Metcalf, OLB Cody Barton, WR Gary Jennings, G Phil Haynes, CB Ugo Amadi, ILB Ben Burr-Kirven, RB Travis Homer, DT Demarcus Christmas, WR John Ursua
Summary: The Seahawks started out the season without Kam Chancellor and then Earl Thomas went out after a few games. You would think that I should give them a game back for these injuries but being that they are no longer on the Seahawks so it is pretty much a wash. This Seattle team overachieved last year and I was quite surprised that they mustered up 10 wins without the legion of boom and a decent offensive line. I think how they performed last year beating expectations was all due to Russel Wilson and that makes me scared to ever bet them under again. The Seabirds have a medium schedule this year. They lost a ton but like i said before, many of those guys didn’t play anyways. I take a game away for losing Clark, Baldwin, Coleman and Dion Jordan but have to give them one back for so many draft picks including the best WR in the draft D.K. Metcalf. I have them at 10.2 wins which being over total of 8.5 says to make that bet, but being that, Seattle had the best turnover margin at +15 last year and has once again totally redone their defense so I think that I have to hold off playing this number. Plus playing at the Eagles for an at large game may be worse than the Cowboys next year. I lean over but not going to take it.
Action – Lean Over 8.5
3. San Francisco 49ers – Total wins 8
Schedule – Medium – At large games vs Green Bay and Washington
Key losses: LB Reuben Foster, WR Pierre Garcon, P Bradley Pinion, DT Earl Mitchell, DE/LB Cassius Marsh
Key additions: OLB Kwon Alexander, DE/OLB Dee Ford, RB Telvin Coleman, CB Jason Verrett, CB Robert Alford, ILB David Mayo, WR Jordan Matthews
Whom they drafted: DE Nick Bosa, WR Deebo Samuel, WR Jalen Hurd, P Mitch Wishnowsky, OLB Dre Greenlaw, TE Kaden Smith, OT Justin Skule, CB Tim Harris
Summary: This is pretty much a tale of 2 different teams from last year to this year. in 2018 the 49ers had the 6th hardest schedule and losing QB Jimmy Garoppolo early certainly marked this team for doom. I really like how they finished their season beating the Broncos, the Seahawks and playing the Bears tough while scoring 32 points With Nick Mullens against the Rams. Being that they were decimated by injuries last year we have to give them 2.5 games back over their 4 wins last year which is my highest out of any teams. This 9ers team really didn’t lose much other than Reuben Foster because Pierre Garcon really didn’t play that much. This team had one of the best free agencies picking up guys like LB Kwon Alexander, RB Tevon Coleman, CB Jason Verrett and edge rusher Dee Ford. Their draft started out with GM John Lynch with the no-brainer pick of Nick Bosa, the best overall talent in the draft, giving the 49ers a good edge. He got creative with Samuel and Hurd, and Smith was good value late. I have to give this team 1.5 games for just their free agency and the draft. The only thing this missed out on is Safety and the offensive line. If Richard Sherman has anything left in the tank, this defense could be very fixed up from the last year’s performances. Lastly, I especially like the fact that they really lost the turnover battle at a whopping -25 turnovers. Even the third worst team at turnovers was at -12. If this evens out which it normally does then you can chalk up another win or 2. I have this team around 9.6 wins. The number one question to me is we still do not know a lot about Jimmy Garoppolo.
Action: Lean over
- Arizona Cardinals – Win Total 5.5
Schedule – Medium Hard – At large games vs Detroit and New York Giants
Key losses: QB Josh Rosen, S Antone Bethea, DE Markus Golden, G Mike Iupati, S Deone Bucannon, WR J.J. Nelson
Key additions: ILB Jordan Hicks, DT Darius Philon, DE Terrell Suggs, OT Marcus Gilbert, G J.R. Sweezy, G Max Garcia, TE Charles Clay, WR Kevin White, QB Brett Hundley, DE Brooks Reed
Whom they drafted: QB Kyler Murray, CB Byron Murphy, WR Andy Isabella, DE Zach Allen, WR Hakeem Butler, WR Keesean Johnson, C Lamont Gaillard, OT Joshua Miles, DE Michael Dogbe, TE Caleb Wilson
Summary: Too bad this Cardinals team can’t play themselves. This division is partially why their schedule is medium-hard again. They should have listened to me when I said not too pick Josh Rosen last year and fix their offensive line which has been the worst in the NFL. What did they decide to do again? Hold my beer. Who is going to block for David Johnson and Kyler Murray???? Now i had Kyler Murray as my 3rd best QB prospect coming out of the draft but this team really missed the boat. Without decent blocking Kyler Murray could be nothing more than a slightly faster version of Tyrod Taylor for all that we know. Getting sacked in 1.5 seconds pretty much every play is no way to live your football life. General Manager Steve Keim tried to fix do some stuff in the off season to fix the line and fill some holes but to me it looks like he just got a bunch of has-beens. Many NFL Analysts think the Cardinals drafted well and if you average everyone’s grades for them, they had the 3rd best draft in the league. Well I think that is more the blind following the blind personally and I do not know why the hell they drafted a receiver like Kirk in the second round last year just to waste 3 more picks on receivers in 2019. The Cardinals were worst against the run allowing 4.9 yards per carry and they didn’t do much to help that this year. This team was actually pretty healthy last year and still only managed 3 wins. They had a medium hard schedule last year and will have the same strength of schedule for 2019. Losing guys like Antone Bethea and Deonne Bucannon won’t bode well for this team but it is hard to punish them for that when there wasn’t many wins to take away. Also, constantly sucking up to another loud mouth diva has-been like Patrick Peterson certainly does not help the locker room especially now that he is suspended 6 games. Maybe Terrell Suggs and Jordan Hicks can fire this defense back up but these guys have both already won their championships and are in coast mode. This team still needs a better offensive line, younger edge rushers, more linebackers, Safeties, Running Backs and Nose Tackle’s. One good thing that I can say about this team is that I like their new Coach Kliff Kingsbury and Kyle Murray does at least fit his system. I have this team at 3.6 wins.
Action – Under 5.5
