NFC North preview: It's Green Bay and then everyone else

Heading into 2015, the status quo hasn’t changed in the NFC North. It's the Green Bay Packers, and then everyone else.

Chris Burke | Aug 18, 2015

NFC North preview: It's Green Bay and then everyone else /

Outside of Green Bay, the frustration level has to be growing in the NFC North. If the Bears, Lions and Vikings couldn’t knock the Packers from their NFC North perch the past three seasons, how is it going to happen now?

The Packers won the Super Bowl to close the 2010 season, then ripped off a 15–1 mark the following year. Since then, they have been more vulnerable—a 2–3 start in 2012, Aaron Rodgers’s multi-game absence in 2013, a winner-takes-all Week 17 matchup with Detroit last season—but nothing has slowed them down en route to four consecutive division titles.

The status quo has not changed headed into this year: It’s Green Bay, and then everyone else.

NFC East preview: Kelly's genius (or madness?) will decide division race

What little gap there was the past few seasons, though, may be shrinking further in 2015. The Lions lost Ndamukong Suh to Miami but plugged in Haloti Ngata, and still boast an explosive, Calvin Johnson-led offense. The Vikings are an up-and-coming threat, with Adrian Peterson returning to join Teddy Bridgewater in the backfield. And the Bears are, well ... OK, the rebuilding Bears have work to do after an off-season coaching change.

One question for the North: Is there a difference between a multi-playoff bid division and a division with multiple Super Bowl threats? The Lions joined the Packers in the 2014 postseason, so did that alone make them a title contender?

Green Bay is an unquestioned threat to walk off with the Super Bowl 50 crown. Should one or two of its closest rivals also look the part out of the gate, this division could emerge as the NFL's toughest. Considering how the rest of the NFC stacks up, the North might have enough talent to swipe both wild cards. The Bears, Lions and Vikings would love to see Green Bay settle for one of those wild-card spots, thereby relinquishing its hold on the division. But it is a shot in the dark to predict such an outcome given how the past few seasons have played out.

• Steve Smith Sr. looks back on lessons learned, his legacy and what's next

Favorite: Packers

The Packers' approach is often imitated, never duplicated. Every team in the league would be thrilled to have the patience and football acumen to pull off Green Bay's draft-and-develop model. Remember how Aaron Rodgers rode the pine for three years while Brett Favre started? Or how Jordy Nelson eased his way into the lineup behind Greg Jennings and Donald Driver?

Rex Ryan brings something Bills have been lacking in a coach: star power

Of the Packers' projected starters this season, just two—Letroy Guion and Julius Peppers—have played a snap for another team during their careers. (The count increases to three if we add in fullback John Kuhn, who was once a Steeler.)

It helps, of course, that Rodgers has become the gold standard among current NFL quarterbacks. Last year's MVP seems to be getting better with age, if slightly more fragile. He threw 38 touchdown passes and just five interceptions last year; he last threw an interception at Lambeau Field on Dec. 2 ... of 2012.

Green Bay topped the league in scoring offense last season and should come close again, provided Rodgers stays healthy. GM Ted Thompson managed to re-sign receiver Randall Cobb, keeping him together with Jordy Nelson and up-and-comer Devante Adams. Running back Eddie Lacy added his own 1,500-plus total yards last season.

The defense is less of a certainty. The Packers were above-average overall on that side last season, but they're still tinkering headed into 2015, mainly with where Clay Matthews lines up. Tramon Williams's departure will toss more responsibility on Casey Hayward's plate, but true to form, this team has youngsters waiting in the wings.

Provided the defense carries its weight, this is a championship-caliber squad.

• BENOIT: Why Suh should be worth every penny of his deal to Dolphins

Dark horse: Vikings

The Vikings have become such a popular pick to pull off a breakthrough season that they may not quite fall under the “sleeper” umbrella anymore. Detroit arguably has as much claim to the title at this point—a year removed from nearly leapfrogging Green Bay, the Suh-less Lions are being a bit overlooked.

Injury report: Jaguars hope Thomas can return for start of regular season

That said, from a realistic standpoint it would register as a significant upset for Minnesota to walk away with the NFC North this season.

A Vikings division title would accelerate the expected timeframe for Mike Zimmer to complete his vision. Zimmer managed a 7–9 mark as a rookie head coach last year, despite the on- and off-field issues that came with losing Adrian Peterson following Week 1. Finishing above .500 should be the expectation with Peterson back in the fold.

However, this is a team with several unknowns, the most pressing being along the offensive line. Phil Loadholt's season-ending Achilles injury made matters worse. Zimmer must shore up that unit and continue to transition his defense from solid to dominant if the Vikings are going to be ready for a run.

Division MVP: Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers

Peterson, Johnson and both of Rodgers's top two receivers, Nelson and Cobb, all are stars in their own right. Bridgewater, Chicago's Alshon Jeffery and Detroit's Golden Tate are not far behind.

Rodgers is on another planet.

“He can throw on the run, he can throw standing still,” said Eagles LB Connor Barwin of Rodgers on the NFL Network's “Top 100 of 2015” countdown. "Any way he is throwing it, he's throwing it exactly where he wants it to go. It's just pinpoint accuracy.”

All four teams in this division—and most teams around the league—would be doomed if they lost their starting quarterback. The Packers have seen firsthand just how massive the drop-off from Rodgers to a second-stringer can be. That dip nearly cost Green Bay the 2013 division title, and only Rodgers's return from an early calf injury against the Lions in Week 17 last year prevented Detroit from stealing the NFC North.

Breakout player: Shea McClellin, LB, Bears

McClellin disappointed with Lovie Smith as his head coach in 2012, and he could not break through during Marc Trestman's two-year tenure, so the former first-round pick became something of an afterthought as Chicago transitioned to John Fox and the 3–4 scheme of new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio this off-season.

First Down/Fourth Down: Bills QBs, Khalil Mack shine in preseason Week 1

Skip ahead to the first week of preseason action. McClellin not only started for the Bears as an inside linebacker, he wore the headset as his defense's designated play-caller against Miami.

“He’s getting better every day,” Fox said after the game. “He’s a kid who cares. He works very hard at it. It was a position switch for him early on, I think a good position switch at this point. But he continues to improve like we expect him to.”

The Bears are in dire need of athleticism for Fangio's scheme to function. McClellin gives them a hint of it, plus some versatility. Should he hang onto a starting job, he could top his 36 career tackles within the first few weeks of this season.

• NFL division previews: NFC East | NFC West | NFC South

Rookie to watch: Ameer Abdullah, RB, Lions

Abdullah needed all of three carries in Detroit's preseason opener to electrify the home fans. On his second attempt against the Jets, Abdullah juked safety Calvin Pryor in the hole to pick up a few extra yards. Later in the first quarter, he left linebacker Demario Davis in his wake on a highlight-reel 46-yard scamper.

While the Lions still plan to use Joique Bell and Theo Riddick also is stating his case for playing time, Abdullah's presence as a three-down option could be just what this offense has been missing. It's what GM Martin Mayhew hoped to get from Reggie Bush. And he did, at times—Bush totaled 1,500 yards from scrimmage in 2013, before settling for 550 during an injury-plagued 2014.

Abdullah's talent catching passes out of the backfield should get him on the field early. But he is far more than a change-of-pace back. Don't be surprised if Detroit turns the run game over to him before long.

• Everything you need to know for upcoming fantasy football drafts

Coach with most to prove: John Fox, Bears

The NFC North is the rare division where every coach will head into the season on relatively stable ground, but Fox's challenge is unique compared to his divisional counterparts.

Cover Two: Changing the preseason format and players under pressure

Despite a 46–18 regular-season record in Denver, Fox and the Broncos front office agreed on a mutual split following a humiliating home playoff loss vs. Indianapolis. Fox is 8–7 in the playoffs for his career, with a pair of Super Bowl berths, but he never finished the job for the Broncos.

The expectations will be far lower, for starters, in Chicago. Which is the reason Fox finds his name here.

The Bears finished just 5–11 last season and Fox, GM Ryan Pace and their coordinators will need time to find the right pieces for their schemes. The fans, though, are growing increasingly restless—this storied franchise has all of one playoff bid the past eight seasons. Fox will be granted a grace period, but a short one. Given the ground he has to cover to make this team a contender again, it might not be enough.

Can't-miss divisional game: Green Bay at Detroit, Dec. 3

Thanksgiving sets the stage for a unique scheduling quirk involving these two teams, as both will play on back-to-back Thursdays in Weeks 12 and 13. The Lions host Philadelphia in the holiday opener, while the Packers welcome in the Bears to close the day. The typical week off then bridges the gap until this NFC North showdown.

It's a must-win for the Lions if they want to take the division, especially since their last win at Green Bay came in 1991. (The two teams meet at Lambeau in Week 10.) Detroit also then closes with three of four on the road.

For the Packers, the trip to Detroit completes a stretch of four straight games within the division that begins vs. Detroit, at Minnesota, vs. Chicago. A 3–1 or 4–0 mark could turn the North green and gold for a fifth straight season. Should they stumble at all, the Lions will have a chance to pounce, with the Vikings waiting for their second shot in Week 17.

GALLERY: Fantasy football rookies to watch

Fantasy Football Rookies to Watch

Melvin Gordon, RB, Chargers

Gordon is going to dominate the touches out of San Diego’s backfield. He drew comparisons to Jamaal Charles throughout his college career, especially after running roughshod over the Big Ten for more than 4,000 yards in the last two seasons combined. There remain questions about Gordon’s efficacy in the passing game, but no one doubts what he can do once he has the ball in his hands. He’ll be an easy top-15 running back this year, and can realistically break into the top 10 at the position.

T.J. Yeldon, RB, Jaguars

Don’t sleep on what Denard Robinson did when he was handed the reins in Jacksonville’s backfield last year. In his first four games as the starter, he ran for 489 yards and four touchdowns on 72 carries, scoring at least 11.8 fantasy points in each of those contests. Even if Yeldon were to start, the Jaguars wouldn’t cut Robinson completely out of the offense. This situation has timeshare written all over it, and it’s entirely possible that Robinson would be the leader in that split. Yeldon’s current 50.9 ADP, which makes him the 24th back off the board in a typical draft and has him ahead of the likes of Rashad Jennings, LeGarrette Blount, Golden Tate and DeSean Jackson, is simply far too high.

Ameer Abdullah, RB, Lions

Abdullah could give the Lions a menacing trio of playmakers, joining Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate. He wasn’t the first running back off the board in the draft, but you could argue he provides a better chance for profit than either Melvin Gordon or Todd Gurley in fantasy leagues this season. If all breaks his way, Abdullah could be a top-20 running back as a rookie.

Amari Cooper, WR, Raiders

The Raiders' offense as a whole limits Cooper’s ceiling a bit, but he’ll take aim for the very top of what it allows. If he were on a better team or playing with a quarterback superior to Derek Carr, he could end up as a top-10 receiver this season. That probably won’t happen with the challenges Cooper is up against in Oakland, but don’t be surprised if he breaks into the top 20.

Gurley didn’t tear his ACL until mid-November, meaning he’ll be just 10 months removed from the injury when the Rams take on the Seahawks in their season opener. On top of that, Tre Mason played well once the Rams finally gave him a chance in his rookie season, running for 765 yards and four touchdowns on 179 carries. The Rams have no reason to rush Gurley back, or ride him too hard once he is on the field. He may be a star in the future, but don’t expect it to come together this year.

Tevin Coleman, RB, Falcons

Coleman has an opportunity to win the starting job on a team with an offense that will be at worst above average, with a ceiling to be one of the 10 best units in the league. He’ll be playing his home games on the fast track at the Georgia Dome, and his main competition for the job is Devonta Freeman, who had all of 65 carries in his rookie season. Now, if only Coleman’s hamstring would cooperate. He should be drafted in every league, regardless of format. However, his slow start in camp coupled with the crowded backfield he enters add up to a restricted ceiling. Chances are he’s no more than a solid fantasy backup this year.

Nelson Agholor, WR, Eagles

The Eagles fully expect Agholor to start alongside Jordan Matthews. Scouts questioned his strength during the combine, and many see him as a slot receiver rather than someone who can line up outside the numbers on every play. That’s something to keep an eye on during the Eagles’ preseason games. If Agholor shows more speed or strength than we’re expecting, he’d be worth bumping up your draft boards. If he doesn’t, he belongs outside the top 40 at the position. He does get a slight uptick in value thanks to his punt returning duties with the Eagles.

Breshad Perriman, WR, Ravens

Perriman is expected to start alongside Steve Smith, taking over for the departed Torrey Smith. He’s a true burner and becomes an immediate deep threat for Joe Flacco. Someone in every fantasy league should throw a late-round dart in his direction

David Cobb, RB, Titans

Cobb’s the fourth rookie running back from the Big Ten who should be drafted in all fantasy leagues. The Minnesota product is in a training camp battle for the starting gig with Bishop Sankey. Regardless of the outcome, both will have significant roles in the offense, but Cobb is more of a straight north-south runner who can be effective in short-yardage situations.

DeVante Parker, WR, Dolphins

Miami’s entire offense has breakout potential this season, and Parker, the first-round pick out of Louisville, could be a big part of that. He’d have more fantasy buzz if not for a foot injury, but now the 6'3", 218-pound monster can be the steal of your draft. If he’s healthy early in the season, he’ll create a large role for himself in Miami.

Jameis Winston, QB, Buccaneers

Winston has a trio of big weapons in his passing attack, highlighted by second-year star Mike Evans. If he can quickly develop a rapport with the Texas A&M product, as well as Vincent Jackson and Austin Seferian-Jenkins, we could eventually be discussing him as the Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Devin Funchess, WR, Panthers

After Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Olsen, who’s going to catch passes in the Carolina offense? Jonathan Stewart? Stephen Hill? Jerricho Cotchery? The rookie out of Michigan landed in an ideal spot, at least in terms of getting an immediate opportunity.

Marcus Mariota, QB, Titans

Mariota will start from Day One in Tennessee, and while there will be plenty of growing pains, he has enough upside to warrant attention in fantasy leagues of all stripes. He is especially intriguing in two-QB leagues.

Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Titans

There’s no doubting Green-Beckham’s natural talent. If he didn’t run into trouble in college, he likely would have been a first-round pick. The Titans don’t have anyone standing in his way at receiver, so if he proves himself—he’ll likely have to outplay Justin Hunter, since their skills are redundant—he could have a big role in the passing game

Duron Carter, WR, Colts

Cris Carter’s son spent the last two seasons dominating the CFL with the Montreal Alouettes. The Colts’ depth chart at receiver is potentially the most crowded in the league, but Carter could very well emerge as the team’s third receiver ahead of Donte Moncrief and Phillip Dorsett.

Published Aug 18, 2015

CHRIS BURKE

Chris Burke covers the NFL for Sports Illustrated and is SI.com’s lead NFL draft expert. He joined SI in 2011 and lives in Ann Arbor, Mich.