The new NFL season begins on Thursday which, as always, will deliver plenty of drama, joy and despair over the coming months, culminating with Super Bowl LIX on February 9, 2025 at New Orleans's Superdome. You can watch every NFL fixture on DAZN with NFL GamePass, click here for more information.
As always, ahead of any new campaign, there is plenty to debate, and many questions asked and to be answered. Can Kansas City Chiefs really become the first franchise to achieve a three-peat? Who can halt them? How will the San Francisco 49ers react to their painful Super Bowl defeat? Who will be crowned MVP and who will be the breakout stars?
Well, our NFL experts have cast their eye over the key topics and provided their opinions and predictions.
Who will win Super Bowl LIX?
Mat Astbury: Kansas City Chiefs
Unfortunately, I cannot see past the Kansas City Chiefs who will make history with three back-to-back Vince Lombardi trophies.
Patrick Mahomes and co. are still the team to beat and while there are concerns about the star tight end Travis Kelce being 34 years old, the Chiefs have added to their offensive juggernaut with rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy along with Marquise Brown, who will be looking to terrorise defences across the league.
Rudi Schuller: Kansas City Chiefs
All the pieces are in place for a Chiefs three-peat, including the best player in the NFL. Patrick Mahomes will enjoy one more season with his favourite target, Travis Kelce, and the dynamic duo will make the most of it.
Mark Lelinwalla: Kansas City Chiefs
No team has ever won three Super Bowls in a row… until now. The drive to three-peat brings Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs back to winning the big game as they edge an upstart Green Bay Packers.
Andrew Steel: Kansas City Chiefs
It takes something special to become a truly generational powerhouse in Super Bowl terms – think the Steelers squad that dominated the seventies, or the Patriots team that tore up the new millennium.
But the Kansas City Chiefs might just be the one to make history and record three successive triumphs this time around. Certainly, you wouldn’t bet against Andy Reid going all the way once again.
The Dark Horses
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Matt Astbury: Los Angeles Chargers / Green Bay Packers
From the AFC I’m picking the Los Angeles Chargers. Over recent seasons they have been a fun, but chaotic team to watch, however with new head coach Jim Harbaugh at the helm, this could be exactly what quarterback Justin Herbert needs to thrive in a team which can challenge anyone on their day.
When it comes to the NFC, it’s the Green Bay Packers. I did not expect quarterback Jordan Love to have such a stellar season in 2023 and the Packers did not deserve to lose the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional playoffs last season. The team has also brought in a new defensive coordinator in Jeff Haley who will bring much needed improvement on the defensive side of the ball.
Rudi Schuller: Houston Texans
C.J. Stroud is a full year into his NFL journey and with more experience under his belt he may become unstoppable. Boasting the reigning offensive (Stroud) and defensive (Will Andersen Jr.) rookies of the year, the Texans can only benefit from being a year older and wiser after surprising the league on the way to a divisional title.
Mark Lelinwalla: Atlanta Falcons
Don’t sleep on the Atlanta Falcons’ pickup of Kirk Cousins. Not only can he lead them to clinching the NFC South, but possibly beyond. Expect wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts to get boosts in their stats in addition to rusher Bijan Robinson. Also, the Falcons snagged a solid edge rusher in Matthew Judon that should be a force this year.
The Los Angeles Rams’ late season surge in 2023 will catapult them to a strong start of their 2024 campaign and with their offense mostly intact behind Matthew Stafford, they’ll be my second darkhorse pick.
Andrew Steel: New York Jets
Whisper it quietly, but there might be something brewing in the Big Apple. The Jets have the longest active playoff drought in American professional sports and haven’t been anywhere near the postseason for more than a decade.
But their last two seasons under Robert Salah have shown some impressive improvement, and they suffered a cruel blow when they lost Aaron Rodgers early on last term. If he can stay fit all the way through, they might fly under the radar in the AFC.
Who will win the 2024 AFC and NFC conference championship?
Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
Matt Astbury: Kansas City Chiefs / Detroit Lions
It’s a boring choice, but it’s the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC. The closest challenger will be the Baltimore Ravens, and fans will get an early glimpse of who could be the conference’s representatives at Super Bowl LIX when the two teams meet in the opening game of the 2024 season on September 5.
For the NFC, I’m picking the Detroit Lions. They came agonisingly close last season to making the Super Bowl, but fell just short of the San Francisco 49ers, and instead of dwelling on the past, they have built for the future with the extra bodies for the defensive line and secondary in the hope of bridging between the defence and an exciting offense.
Rudi Schuller: Kansas City Chiefs / Green Bay Packers
The Chiefs are self-explanatory, but I'm expecting the Packers to continue their second-half form from 2023 into this new season. Jordan Love has a new contract and has figured out how to get the best out of his teammates.
Mark Lelinwalla: Kansas City Chiefs / Green Bay Packers
The Chiefs edge out the Miami Dolphins in the AFC Conference Championship, while the Green Bay Packers surprise the Detroit Lions in the NFC title game.
Andrew Steel: Kansas City Chiefs / Philadelphia Eagles
Again, only a fool would bet against the Kansas City Chiefs going all the way from AFC West to Super Bowl LIX, so they seem a healthy pick to be the conference winners there.
But in the NFC, it’s a different story, with several sides all jockeying to head up the pack. The San Francisco 49ers may feel they have unfinished business after choking at the final hurdle, but in Nick Sirianni, the Philadelphia Eagles still have a man who can get them there too. They’ll just have the edge.
Who will be the NFL MVP?
Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
Matt Astbury: Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs)
Patrick Mahomes, the man often gets the Chiefs out of any sticky situations during games, and that is what’s needed from an MVP candidate.
Rudi Schuller: C.J. Stroud (Houston Texans)
The Stroud bandwagon filled up last year but there's always room for more. The man is like a living Create-A-Player and if he continues to put up video game numbers then he'll add the MVP award to his growing trophy case.
Mark Lelinwalla: C.J. Stroud (Houston Texans)
C.J. Stroud will dazzle with weapons including Stefon Diggs and Joe Mixon in addition to Nico Collins and Tank Dell. His eye-popping numbers punching the Houston Texans back into the playoffs will spell an MVP season, just edging out Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson.
I'll throw in for good measure Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins to be Offensive Player of the Year and Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons to win Defensive Player of the Year honours.
Andrew Steel: Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs)
Influential, inspirational, and the biggest man in Kansas City – well, until his teammate started dating a popstar - Patrick Mahomes underlined his credentials as one of the modern greats when he guided his team to glory at Super Bowl LIX.
He has two MVP prizes to his name already, and a third appears to be well within reach. He will need to have an exceptional season on the field throughout the regular campaign though if he is to impress himself upon the competition again.
2024 NFL breakout star?
Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images
Matt Astbury: Jameson Williams (Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams has the potential to make a huge impact. The past two seasons for the 2022 NFL Draft pick have been a false start following an ACL injury and suspension for betting offences.
Fans got a brief glimpse of what Williams is capable of towards the end of last season and with a shallow wide receiver room in Detroit, this is the perfect opportunity for Williams to show Lions fans and the NFL what they have been missing.
Rudi Schuller: Caleb Williams (Chicago Bears)
Is it possible for a hyped-up No. 1 overall pick to be a "breakout" star? In a league with many outstanding quarterbacks, the answer is yes. Everything is set up for Williams to hit the ground running in his maiden season in the NFL, and, if that happens, he'll earn this title.
Mark Lelinwalla: Xavier Worthy (Chiefs) / Puka Nacua (Rams)
Two names and they’re both wide receivers. The Chiefs’ rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy should burn secondaries on the long ball from Patrick Mahomes. The other name is the Rams’ second-year wideout Puka Nacua who will be a steady connection for Matthew Stafford all season long.
Andrew Steel: Marvin Harrison Jr. (Arizona Cardinals)
There were a record six quarterbacks drafted in the early stages of this year’s roundup, but I think it’ll be a young man in another position who can make a difference.
Marvin Harrison Jr. may be in a legal battle with Fanatics over jersey contracts off the field, but the wide receiver from Ohio State should be dynamite for the Arizona Cardinals this year. He can add some real ballast to their attack.
Dream 2024 NFL storyline
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Matt Astbury: Lions win Super Bowl LIX
It will probably be the Detroit Lions winning the Super Bowl in February. Ever since I have been interested in the NFL, the Lions were a team that became a frequent subject of ridicule.
Now it is a completely different story with the Lions talked about as being Super Bowl contenders, and after seeing how much last season’s playoff run meant to their passionate fanbase, seeing the Lions lift the Vince Lombardi trophy would be the perfect way to mark this change in fortune.
Rudi Schuller: Taylor Swift's plays are successful
There's been some chatter that Taylor Swift has drawn up some plays for the Chiefs and boyfriend Travis Kelce, with Kelce joking that the pop star's playbook ideas haven't been passed on to head coach Andy Reid "yet."
Sports are entertainment at the end of the day, so wouldn't it be fun to find out at the end of the season that Swift's suggestions were actually taken by Reid and used successfully? We'd probably even get a song or two about it.
Mark Lelinwalla: Rodgers drives Jets to success
Aaron Rodgers returning from injury to lead the New York Jets on a dazzling run would be huge, as would a Russell Wilson resurgence in Pittsburgh.
However, the biggest dream story out there would be if the Detroit Lions punch their first-ever ticket to the Super Bowl and win the big game.
Andrew Steel: Vikings to make the playoffs
It’s been a good few years since the Minnesota Vikings made the Conference Championship, and with a trip to London in early October on the docket, they’ll hope to build some serious momentum.
The prospect for them going all the way to the Super Bowl remains slim, but it would be great if they could find a winning record this term and take a serious crack at the playoffs once more.
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