2017 NFL season Eleven figures facing sky-high expectations

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2017 NFL season: Eleven figures facing sky-high expectations Published: Sep 06, 2017 at 06:52 AM Gil Brandt The 2017 NFL season is about to kick off. Before this year's expectations crash into the reality of actual football action, I thought I'd consider which players and coaches are facing the highest expectations heading into the season. Below, I've listed 11 such figures, along with an a se sment of each Jaylen Adams Jersey person's ability to meet these soaring expectations. 1) Bill Belichick, head coach, New England Patriots Expectations don't get much higher than . Belichick himself might be by the hype. But when you consider all the offseason additions the reigning champs made, including , , and , this is arguably the best and deepest team Belichick has ever fielded, even with . I personally don't think 16-0 is in the cards, but I do think 15-1 is easily within reach, despite a slightly tougher schedule than last season and the rise of the in Miami. 2) Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons The reigning MVP returns with all the key figures from the ' ma sively succe sful 2016 season -- except for offensive mastermind Kyle Shanahan. Now the pre sure is on Ryan to both shake off the epic LI lo s and show he can produce at an elite level without Shanahan's guiding hand. New offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian is good at what he does, and, of course, coach Dan Quinn is also there to help prevent a drop-off. It would be a boon if and could take a step forward in 2017, but I think Ryan's demeanor will make the ultimate difference. By Week 4, we'll see that Ryan and the are operating at the same explosive clip they did last year, and I could see this team going back to the . 3) Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots It's easy to automatically mark Brady down for yet another Pro Bowl-caliber season, but let's not forget that he's in uncharted territory. He's a 40-year-old quarterback who is to play at a level no 40-year-old quarterback ever has. If he merely repeats his 2016 play (296.2 yards per game, 28 touchdowns, two picks, 112.2 pa ser rating in 12 games) in 2017, he'll soar past what Brett Favre -- the current leader in pa sing yards among QBs 40 or older -- did in 2009 (4,202 yards, 33 TDs, seven picks, 107.2 pa ser rating). Of course, the wild thing is, these expectations are completely reasonable. Because of and the way he takes care of his body, when you see him and how he moves, it's like he's 40 going on 27. In that way, he reminds me of Roger Staubach as he got older. I think Brady will keep pushing the envelope and reaching new heights for his age. 4) David Johnson, RB, Arizona Cardinals Johnson will be asked to carry a heavy offensive burden, with quarterback and receiver both in their twilight years. to reach 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving, something only Marshall Faulk and Roger Craig have done before him -- raising expectations sky high. But I'm confident he'll meet said expectations. He's special, with the ability to be a stud running inside, outside or catching pa ses out of the backfield. will only help Johnson. 5) J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans The ' defense was dominant with Watt -- so logic holds that Torrey Craig Jersey his return to health in 2017 will make this unit, which has ranked seventh or better in five of the last six years, , right? This line of thinking puts a ton on Watt's , with the 28-year-old three-time Defensive Player of the Year yet to be tested in meaningful on-field action. But I think he'll come through and push Houston to new defensive heights, thanks to the emergence of and continued strong performance of . In fact, the attention Clowney will demand from opponents will make Watt as dangerous as he's ever been. 6) Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Winston made incremental gains in production from his rookie season to 2016, but with the additions of receiver and rookie tight end to an offense already boasting , and , about the Bucs' potential in 2017. And I think the moves will allow the quarterback to take a huge step forward in Year 3. Coach Dirk Koetter loves to throw to the tight end, which makes the first-round selection of Howard -- and 2016 emergence of Brate -- particularly encouraging for Winston. He has a chance to reach the 4,500-yard mark and nudge his completion rate further north of 60 percent. 7) Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers Plenty is riding on the rookie, around whom since he was drafted eighth overall. Will he be the versatile force in Carolina ? If 2,500 all-purpose yards and fit the bill, then yes. McCaffrey will line up all over the field, and is poised to make an immediate impact as a rusher and receiver. He po se ses strength and all kinds of athletic ability. Capable of running inside, outside or lining up as a receiver, he'll open things up for quarterback . 8) Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers People seem to sort of take Roethlisberger for granted. But this offense is loaded, with and . Adding rookie running back will help buttre s the team against any potential injuries to Bell. With operating with this stacked offense in , will the 35-year-old QB be able to realize all that potential and collect his third trophy? I see Pittsburgh in the AFC title game again, but think Roethlisberger is going to have a stellar season, and the opportunity is certainly there to win it all. 9) Anthony Lynn, head coach, Los Angeles Chargers I've known Lynn since he was a running back at Texas Tech. I was very impre sed by what I saw when I visited camp this summer -- things were very well organized. Obviously, with the team moving into the high-profile Los Angeles market that should foster an enthusiastic home environment, the Bolts will be in the spotlight. With talented players like , and on offense and and on defense, Lynn has the tools to win -- and that's what I think he'll do. in an effort to reduce injuries should hopefully help the team avoid the injury bug that's so devastated it in recent years (though injuries to , and are understandably concerning). 10) Marshawn Lynch, RB, Oakland Raiders If the are going to be succe sful, they need to control the time of po se sion, and that's where Lynch comes in -- he's that big running back who converts third downs and keeps the clock running. It's true that he hasn't been in real game action since 2015, when he gained just 3.8 yards per carry in seven outings. But I think will help the 31-year-old veteran stay fresh this year. When the this preseason, he carried the ball twice and looked pretty good. I think we'll see him return to the level he played at in 2013 and '14, especially running behind this Oakland offensive line, which is nearly as good as the '. 11) Jay Ajayi, RB, Miami Dolphins Ajayi recovered from a rough and to 2016 to post some strong numbers, including a trio of 200-yard games, while helping the reach the playoffs. It's crucial to Miami's season that Ajayi be Oscar Robertson Jersey able to replicate that succe s in Year 3 -- and I think he will. Ajayi has great running ability. He sees the opening and knows how to cut. There's no question in my mind that if he stays healthy (and, it should be noted, were what helped depre s his draft stock in 2015), Ajayi will have an even better year than he did in 2016. Also considered: , QB, Dallas Cowboys; Dan Quinn, head coach, Atlanta Falcons; , WR, Kansas City Chiefs; , DE, Oakland Raiders; , QB, . This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be mi sing content or contain faulty links. 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