2025 NFL NFC Predictions
We’re not just capping division winners, our model has strong picks for for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place finishes in each division. Hard Rock lets you on the finishing position pre-season, so lock these in. We’ll highlight the highest value picks based on the confidence of our model and the disparity with the book’s odds.
NFC East
- Eagles -135
- Commanders +130
- Cowboys +140
- Giants -200
With the Eagles retaining most of their roster and coaches, and the commanders trading Brian Robinson, our model leans towards the Eagles winning the conference and the Commanders clinching 2nd. The risk of the Cowboys or Giants vying for 2nd or 1st is incredibly low. The real value pick to lock in here is the Dallas Cowboys placing 3rd for +140.
NFC North
- Packers +165
- Lions +225
- Vikings +240
- Bears +130
We project the Lions to take a back seat to the Packers. Despite retaining their roster, they lost both their offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson, and defensive coordinator, Aaron Glenn. The Lions are a competitive team and we project them as the #6 seed in the wildcard, but once the packers integrate Micah Parsons, we expect them to be a Super Bowl contending team. Our value picks here are Packers finishing first and Lions finishing second. The Vikings and Bears are too close to call in 3rd and 4th with the uncertainty around Ben Johnson’s ability to turn the Bears around and J.J. McCarthy’s first season after tearing his meniscus in the pre-season of his rookie year.
NFC South
- Buccs – +100
- Falcons +190
- Panthers +175
- Saints -150
The NFC South projections are locked in our model with each team clearly in their place. All 4 are value picks, with the Panthers finishing 3rd presenting the highest value of the 4. The Buccs are expected to have a dominant season with Bucky Irving building on his rookie season and Chris Godwin returning from injury. The Falcons are expected to go through growing pains with the transition to Michael Penix Jr as Quarterback. The Saints are expected to potentially be the worst team in the league this season, leaving the Panthers, despite their struggles, clearly above the Saints in 3rd place.
NFC West
- 49ers +150
- Cardinals +275
- Rams +275
- Seahawks +160
The 49ers and Cardinals are expected to dominate the NFC West this season. The Cardinals are building around their star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr after his 885 yard rookie season. Although the 49ers have Christin McCafery returning from injury, Brandon Aiyuk is still injured and expected to miss the first 4 weeks of the season. There is a slight risk of the Cardinals upsetting the 49ers and taking first in the West. However, the 49ers have an incredibly easy strength of schedule for the season, even if they struggle in some of their eary games this season. The Rams and Seahawks are close this season, with questionmarks around the Seahawks making significant key player changes: Adding QB Sam Darnold, adding WR Cooper Kup, but trading DK Metcalf. The big concern with the Rams are centered around Matthew Stafford and his ability to stay healthy through the season. We see the Rams as a step above the Seahawks in win totals even if their backup QB Jimmy Garoppolo takes over mid-season.