NFL training camps are just around the corner, and before you know it, the 2015 NFL regular season will be here. We have just over a month to fully prepare for the new NFL season, which includes nailing down any preseason predictions we might have. Everyone knows who the top teams are and who has the best odds to win the 2015 Super Bowl, but we often see sleeper teams come out of nowhere to make a crazy run.
Could we be in for a crazy run like that in 2015? Let’s take a look at five teams that may not look like Super Bowl contenders at first glance, but could end up surprising us all by year’s end:
Miami Dolphins (40/1 odds)
Miami is one of the more interesting sleeper teams entering 2015, as we already saw Ryan Tannehill and co. make major strides on offense and then the team went out and got disruptive defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh to anchor a rising defense. If Miami is suddenly as balanced as they appear to be on paper, they could be a legit threat to storm New England’s castle and steal the AFC East crown. Regardless, they’re going to be a playoff contender in 2015 and once in, they could do some serious damage.
New York Giants (32/1 odds)
It seems all the Giants need to do is make the playoffs and they’d be a threat to win it all. They haven’t been doing that lately, but Odell Beckham Jr.’s crazy rise as a rookie last year has this offense carrying monster upside into the new season. It’s a make or break season for Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin, but there is enough here to believe in the Giants if they can make the post-season tourney. They’ll have tyo navigate a tough NFC East first, of course.
Kansas City Chiefs (40/1 odds)
Justin Houston just agreed to a monster deal to stay in KC for the next six years, so it’s fair to say a good Chiefs defense could be elite in 2015. They were already bordering on that status, as they allowed under 18 points per game and had a very stingy defense in all regards. They could be even better in 2015 and if Alex Smith can take the offense to new heights, this could be a special unit.
Cincinnati Bengals (40/1 odds)
Andy Dalton and co. keep doing it right during the regular season, as they’re either winning division titles or doing enough to sneak into the playoffs. They’ve done the latter in every season Dalton has been under center and one has to think they’ll eventually round the corner. This year just might be that year, as they’ve added some nice pieces on defense and have some solid young talent in Tyler Eifert and Jeremy Hill that could push the offense over the top. Their division is a war zone, but if they can maneuver it like they did in 2014, they’ll at least be back in the playoff mix for a shot to make a deep run.
Carolina Panthers (45/1 odds)
Carolina oddly ranks the lowest on our sleeper picks if you’re going off of the oddsmakers’ 2015 Super Bowl odds. We tend to like the Panthers, though, especially with a healthy Cam Newton leading the way. It hasn’t always been pretty, but Newton has done enough to get the Panthers to two straight NFC South division titles and last year they got to the divisional round for the second consecutive season. With an improving quarterback, a solid running game and an elite defense in tow, Carolina should be a team to watch for 2015.
Think another sleeper team belongs on our list? Tell us who it is in the comments below!
