CLEVELAND, OH — With the 2022 NFL season underway, thanks to a 27-11 win by the Las Vegas Raiders over the Jacksonville Jaguars, there are many people who have already penciled in for Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, AZ. Below are the top five Super Bowl sleepers to watch for this season!
1.) Las Vegas Raiders – There is just something about the aforementioned Silver and Black that makes them dangerous. Adding arguably one of the top WR’s in the NFL in Davante Adams, in addition to already boasting one of the top TE’s in Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow in the slot makes the Raiders a high-risk, high-reward bet!
2.) Minnesota Vikings – No more Zimmer. Enter a fresh and more offensive-minded approach in new head coach Kevin O’Connell leading a sleeper team that boasts some real talent in the form of WR’s Adam Thielen, Justin Jefferson, a workhorse at RB in Dalvin Cook, an underrated and formidable defense and a borderline top-tier QB in Kirk Cousins. If there is ONE team that division champion Green Bay and quarterback Aaron Rodgers does not want to see, it is this team!
3.) Arizona Cardinals – Aside from the controversial new contract that Kyler Murray received, the Cardinals boast one of the most underrated defenses in the NFL led by Canton-bound DE J.J. Watt and a scary offense headlined by DeAndre Hopkins. If Murray studies up and can manage to stay healthy down the stretch, then Arizona could find themselves playing the final game of the NFL season right in their own backyard.
4.) New Orleans Saints – Thanks to a ferocious defense led by Cameron Jordan, that seemingly owns defending division champion, Tampa Bay, and an offense that has moved away from the short quick passing game of Sean Payton and Drew Brees for a more vertical passing game and big arm of Jameis Winston, the Saints quietly have assembled one of the most feared offenses once again with dual-threat TB Alvin Kamara and WR’s Jarvis Landry, Michael Thomas and rookie Chris Olave. Watch out!
5.) Philadelphia Eagles – Thanks to trading for A.J. Brown and a surprise Wild Card playoff appearance, the Eagles look set to fly once again under the creative offensive mind of Nick Sirianni.
Heading into his second year, Jalen Hurts looks primed to take his play to the next level thanks to the addition of the aforementioned Brown, alongside DeVonta Smith Jaelen Raegor and TE Dallas Goedert. I trust Philadelphia’s defense more than the Dallas Cowboys, in what will be a fierce back and forth tug-of-war for the NFC East, and it wouldn’t surprise me if the Eagles not only come out of the NFC East, but make a surprise run deep into the playoffs.