There are always team in the NFL who have a chance to go from worst in the previous year to first in the next. Let's power rank those teams for 2024.
It would be fun to see multiple teams go from worst to first in 2024, but that might be too much of an ask. Anyway, there are obviously eight teams who finished last in their divisions in 2023. Do any of them have a chance to leap all the way into first place?
Let's power rank all eight last-place teams in 2023 from least to most likely to go from worst to first in the 2024 NFL Season.
NFL power rankings: Rankings teams who can go from worst to first in 2024
8. New England Patriots
Lol.
I mean, I guess it's possible? Drake Maye could play like Justin Herbert as a rookie and could help the Patriots to a surprising season, but all of the Bills, Dolphins, and Jets have a path to capture the AFC East, and the Patriots, beyond having a rookie head coach and QB, also have a horrible roster, so I would not at all entertain the possibility of them winning the AFC East in 2024.
7. Tennessee Titans
The AFC South is riddled with young QB talent, so I do not see a path for the Titans to win the division. Second-year QB Will Levis is going to have to play like an MVP candidate for this team to win the division, and with the AFC South having CJ Stroud and Trevor Lawrence, the Titans as a whole are just not a viable contender for the division.
6. Carolina Panthers
The one thing that could benefit the Carolina Panthers is that new head coach Dave Canales has been able to help both Geno Smith in 2022 and Baker Mayfield in 2023 play the best football of their careers. If he can do the same with Bryce Young in 2024, the Panthers might be able to finish with a winning record, and it might truly take only nine wins to capture the NFC South.
But the offense was a thorough mess in 2023, so Canales has his work cut out for him.
5. Washington Commanders
I am not a huge fan of what the Washington Commanders have done this offseason, and I don't see much of a path for them to win the NFC East, but given how dysfunctional the Cowboys have been this offseason and how inconsistent the Eagles were in 2023, there could be a small path for Washington and rookie QB Jayden Daniels to make some noise.
This team could be a problem in 2025 if Daniels shows promise as a rookie.
4. Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears defense was excellent to end the 2023 NFL Season, holding their opponents to less than 20 points per game. If the defense can keep that level, and if rookie QB Caleb Williams is legit, the Bears can compete for the NFC North crown, but the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers simply might be too good right now for the Bears to make progress.
3. Arizona Cardinals
A fun team that I think can double their win total from 2023, the Arizona Cardinals are still a couple of years away from being true division contenders, but they can make life hard for the 49ers and the Rams in 2024. Kyler Murray is an excellent quarterback, and it's clear that their coaching staff are the right people for the job.
It would take some major movement, but the Cardinals do have a small path to the NFC West title in 2024.
2. Los Angeles Chargers
The LA Chargers have an uphill battle for a winning record in 2024, but with Jim Harbaugh finding success at every head coaching stop of his career, the Chargers may not be much different. Justin Herbert is a good QB, and they might barely have a good enough roster to make life hard for the Chiefs in 2024.
1. Cincinnati Bengals
It's pretty clear that the Cincinnati Bengals have the best chance to go from worst to first in the 2024 NFL Season. They went 9-8 last year and should get Joe Burrow back from his season-ending wrist injury. The Bengals are the only team who can take-down the KC Chiefs in the playoffs, as well. At least, the only team until proven otherwise.
I would expect Cincy to re-claim the division in 2024 if Burrow can stay on the field.