It has been two months since any movement occurred in the Splash-ELO ratings. While only a handful of moves have impacted the placement of the teams, with training camp and the preseason in the coming weeks, more changes will occur.
Number 32: Arizona Cardinals (ELO: 1330) +0
The Cardinals will be glued to the bottom of the power rankings until Week 1.
Number 31: New York Giants (ELO: 1359) +0
Similar to the Cardinals, the Giants have little hope to move up the power rankings until the season begins.
Number 30: Denver Broncos (ELO: 1370) +0
On the injury front, the Broncos could move up if the likes of Philip Lindsay and Emmanuel Sanders are at 100 percent.
Number 29: Cincinnati Bengals (ELO: 1380) +0
The Bengals are sandwiched in between two volatile teams. It is unlikely that the Bengals move up or down much in terms of their own ELO rating.
Number 28: Oakland Raiders (ELO: 1390) +0
A terrible defensive unit will keep the Raiders in the bottom five.
Number 27: San Francisco 49ers (ELO: 1400) +0
San Francisco has serious upside to move up. Similar to the Broncos, they require a healthy season to push up.
Number 26: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (ELO: 1409) +0
The Buccaneers were penalized from having a new head coach, but Bruce Arians could erase the penalty with a couple early victories.
Number 25: Buffalo Bills (ELO: 1410) +0
Josh Allen will be the reason for the Bills moving up or down in the future.
Number 24: Washington Redskins (ELO: 1411) +0
Derius Guice seems to be recovering from minor off-season ailments. A healthy Guice could move the Redskins into the top 20.
Number 23: Jacksonville Jaguars (ELO: 1424) -4
The Jaguars have an unfortunate drop due to the holdout of Yannick Ngakoue and the premature retirement of Telvin Smith. If either comes back, the Jags will regain their lost points and slide into the top 20 again.
Number 22: New York Jets (ELO: 1426) +0
The Jets stay stagnant, but they have a high potential offense which could propel them up.
Number 21: Miami Dolphins (ELO: 1428) +0
The Dolphins are a common pick to be the worst team in the NFL, but this is still a unit that won seven games in 2018. The Dolphins will stave off futility if they can win a pair of September games.
Number 20: Carolina Panthers (ELO: 1430) +3
Gerald McCoy is a big addition, and he is the reason that the Panthers gain 11 ELO points and move up three spots.
Number 19: Detroit Lions (ELO: 1432) +1
The Lions move up due to the fall of Jacksonville. The Lions will probably not be a top 20 team much longer, but a Week 1 matchup against the Cardinals is enticing.
Number 18: Green Bay Packers (ELO: 1475) +0
The Packers have nothing new to report. The release of Mike Daniels would be big news, but he had a minimal impact on the 2018 season, and Kenny Clark might just be a better player.
Number 17: Atlanta Falcons (ELO: 1490) +0
If the Falcons can avoid the offseason injury bug like they did last offseason, there is a high probability that they will find themselves in the top half by Week 1.
Number 16: Pittsburgh Steelers (ELO: 1500) +0
The Steelers will rely on Ben Roethlisberger to bring them into the top 10.
Number 15: Tennessee Titans (ELO: 1515) +0
The pending suspension of star left tackle Taylor Lewan is the reason for the Titans’ loss of nine ELO points.
Number 14: Minnesota Vikings (ELO: 1545) +0
A new offense offers immense potential, but it is far from a certainty that the Vikings will return to the playoffs.
Number 13: Seattle Seahawks (ELO: 1550) +0
Seattle supplied Russell Wilson with cash. Wilson must supply the Seahawks with MVP-level play.
Number 12: Houston Texans (ELO: 1576) +0
The Texans must figure out their offensive line in order to move up.
Number 11: Baltimore Ravens (ELO: 1584) +0
After missing out on Gerald McCoy, the Ravens lose a couple ELO points, but it is not enough to surrender the 11th spot.
Number 10: Cleveland Browns (ELO: 1585) +0
Similar to Baltimore, the Browns lose a couple points due to Gerald McCoy not signing, but there is a chance that Mike Daniels joins the club.
Number 9: Indianapolis Colts (ELO: 1591) +0
The Colts will bring back 21 of 22 starters. The continuity could lead to a higher position.
Number 8: Dallas Cowboys (ELO: 1604) +0
Despite chaos concerning Ezekiel Elliott, the Cowboys will have the services of Travis Frederick again.
Number 7: Los Angeles Chargers (ELO: 1611) -2
Melvin Gordon’s potential holdout is the cause of the Chargers falling by a pair of spots.
Number 6: Philadelphia Eagles (ELO: 1615) +1
A beneficiary of the Gordon holdout, the Eagles must solve their own running back problems to break into the top five.
Number 5: Chicago Bears (ELO: 1619) +1
Similar to the Eagles, the Bears must find the correct blend of Tarik Cohen and David Montgomery.
Number 4: Los Angeles Rams (ELO: 1625) -2
Gurley’s nagging injury concerns force the Rams out of the top three.
Number 3: Kansas City Chiefs (ELO: 1626) +1
Tyreek Hill escaped suspension much to the chagrin of NFL defenses.
Number 2: New Orleans Saints (ELO: 1630) +1
Will the Saints answer the heartbreak of the NFC title game? This season will tell.
Number 1: New England Patriots (ELO: 1650) +0
Nothing new here, the Patriots are locked in at number one until Sunday Night Football on Week 1.
