Who will be the biggest underachiever in 2020?
Every year teams impress and teams get it wrong and underachieve. Often those underachieving teams are extremely hard to predict, as injuries or loss of confdence can lead a team to struggle out of nowhere. However, sometimes it can be easy to identify who the teams that fail to live up to expectations are. Therefore, we asked our analyststo give us their most likely underachiever for the 2020 NFL season.
Our Analyst's Picks
Alex Chinery (Head of Analytics): San Francisco 49ers
Sustained success in the NFL is tough. It is even tougher without a top 10 quarterback. Shanahan may be a master but in a tough division the Ninersmay struggle in close games in the division.
Ben Rolfe (Head of NFL Content): Green Bay Packers
After a successful first year under new head coach Matt LaFleur the Packers will be hoping to build on that in 2020. However, when you look across their numbers from 2020, this is a team that largely ranked in the middle of the pack. If they see some bad luck with the bounce of the ball and their turnover differential regresses from +12 then I can see this being a team that finishes closer to .500 than many expect.
To hear more thoughts from Alex and Ben about what they expect in the 2020 NFL season check out the Seven Step Drop Podcast. Available on all major podcast platforms.
Callum Squires (NFL Analyst): San Francisco 49ers
Last season, the niners over-performed in my eyes. I don’t believe Jimmy G can be trusted in the big moments – we saw some evidence of that in the super bowl – and I think as a team they’re due for regression. Shanahan is undoubtably a genius, but their VERY shallow receivers depth chart worries me. I think they finish 3rd in the toughest division in football.
Michael Norbury (NFL Betting Analyst): San Francisco 49ers
The Rams went to the Superbowl in 2018 with an average QB on the back of a bright young coach, they were found out the following year. It could a similar story in San Francisco this season.
Paul Mainwaring (NFL Analyst): Dallas Cowboys
As a Washington fan this may seem like a biased pick but it is not. Uncertainty surrounds this team, especially around the coaching staff and whether the talent matches the hype.
Simon Carroll (Head of NFL Draft Content): Tennessee Titans
The expectation levels have rightly increased for Mike Vrabel and the Titans. But banking on Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry to maintain the red hot form they showed from week 10 onwards last year for a whole season is unrealistic. A sneaky tough AFC South could see them struggling to make the postseason.
Steve Moore (NFL Betting Analyst): Denver Broncos
I can’t see a world where the Buccaneers reach the NFC title game, which to some would be an underachievement but I think the Broncos might end up at the foot of the AFC West.
Tom Scott (NFL and Fantasy Football Analyst): Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The hype surrounding the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has reached bizarre levels. They have new starters at QB, LT and TE on offense. With the off-season disrupted, expect the Bucs to start slow.