The NFL Live crew selects its Super Bowl contenders and the X factor for each team to get where they want to be. (2:04)

Ben Roethlisberger winning his first MVP? Dalvin Cook leading the league in rushing? The Rams heading to the Super Bowl?

Our NFL Nation reporters make bold predictions for all 32 teams.

AFC East | AFC North| AFC South | AFC West

NFC East | NFC North | NFC South | NFC West

AFC EAST

The Bills' defense will finish among the top 10 in points allowed per game. Although the Bills packaged draft capital to select quarterback Josh Allen, they concentrated much of their spending in free agency on the defensive line. Defensive tackle Star Lotulelei (five years, $50 million) and defensive end Trent Murphy (three years, $22.5 million) are projected starters who should help a defense that finished 29th in rushing yards allowed per game (124.6) and 31st in sacks per opponent pass attempt (4.7 percent) last season. The Bills' defense allowed 22.4 points per game last season, 18th in the NFL. -- Mike Rodak

The Dolphins will have a 1,000-yard receiver (Kenny Stills) and a 1,000-yard rusher (Kenyan Drake). Stills had 847 yards on 58 catches last season with QB Jay Cutler, but he should benefit from Jarvis Landry's 112 receptions being spread around the receiver group. Drake led the NFL in rushing after Week 12 (444 yards in the last five weeks of the season). He has the ability for similar production over a 16-game period. The last time the Dolphins had a pair of 1,000-yard playmakers (Landry and Jay Ajayi in 2016), they made it to the playoffs. -- Cameron Wolfe

Trent Brown will earn Pro Bowl honors at left tackle. One of the biggest questions for the Patriots entering 2018 was who would fill Nate Solder's spot, and Brown not only has seized the role, he has dominated at times. Despite having just two career NFL starts at left tackle -- with his primary work coming on the right side -- he has exhibited some traits that could make him a Pro Bowl-caliber player if he puts them together consistently. -- Mike Reiss

play 1:01 Will Jets' supporting cast help Darnold? Todd McShay is interested to see how Sam Darnold will perform with a team that has recently struggled offensively.

For the third consecutive year, the Jets won't have a 1,000-yard rusher, a 1,000-yard receiver or a double-digit sacker. But they will get a big season out of second-year safeties Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye, who will combine for at least eight interceptions. Adams will return one of them for a touchdown, ending the team's five-year streak without a defensive touchdown -- the longest drought in the league. Adams will be their only Pro Bowl player. -- Rich Cimini

AFC NORTH

Joe Flacco will surpass his single-season passing mark of 4,317 yards and reach 30 touchdowns for the first time in his career. Teammates say the drafting of Lamar Jackson has lit a fire under Flacco, who's also healthier than he has been since 2014. All signs point to Flacco delivering a career year. -- Jamison Hensley

The Bengals' offense will bounce back in a big way. Of course, everything depends on the play of Andy Dalton, who hasn't been able to re-create the success of 2015. But with a capable left tackle in Cordy Glenn and weapons such as running back Joe Mixon and wide receiver A.J. Green, the offense should climb out of the cellar. If the Bengals can keep Tyler Eifert healthy, they have a shot to be a threat in the red zone again. -- Katherine Terrell

Hue Jackson will coach the Browns for 16 games. As unlikely and illogical as it might seem on paper, Jackson does not seem to be on any kind of leash (short or long) from the people who matter most -- the owners. Jackson won one game in his first two seasons, but Jimmy and Dee Haslam judged that player acquisition led more to that record than coaching. They stand by the decision to bring back Jackson, and they will stand by him through the 2018 season. -- Pat McManamon

Ben Roethlisberger will win his first MVP award. Roethlisberger entered camp in better shape and plans to set a tone. He's entering a de facto contract year and desperately wants to get a third Super Bowl win, and his first alongside this offensive line. He's tight with coordinator Randy Fichtner and plans to run a lot of no-huddle, which should result in big yardage totals. He has averaged 14.3 interceptions per season since 2015, so if he gets that number down to single digits -- coupled with another double-digit-win season -- he'll be firmly in the mix and just might win it. -- Jeremy Fowler

AFC SOUTH

DeAndre Hopkins will end the season as the NFL's most productive wide receiver. In 15 games last season, he had 13 touchdown catches (first in the NFL) and 1,378 receiving yards (fourth). Perhaps most impressive, he did it while playing just seven games with Deshaun Watson. Hopkins said he thinks he and Watson will be the best quarterback-receiver pair in the league this season. -- Sarah Barshop

The Jaguars are the team to beat in the AFC South, but the Colts will finish second in the division and make a run at one of the wild-card playoff spots. Andrew Luck will win the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award while having one of the best seasons of his career under first-year head coach Frank Reich, who had a 13-year playing career as a quarterback. -- Mike Wells