2018 NFL Power Rankings: Philadelphia Eagles begin preseason on top

11. Carolina Panthers

Cam Newton is going to be surrounded by plenty of young talent once again in 2018, and if all goes according to plan for the Carolina Panthers, the quarterback could find his name in the MVP conversation when the time comes. But most importantly, Newton isn’t going to worry about taking home MVP honors for the second time in his career since the most important factor is whether the Panthers earn a trip to the playoffs for a second year in a row.

Losing to the New Orleans Saints the way they did during Wild Card Weekend was a tough pill to swallow for Carolina, but at least this team is talented enough to make another serious run. Ron Rivera realizes how lucky he is to have one of the top overall teams in the NFL since the defense has proven they can play at a high level, but it’s the offense that’s going to be the difference maker for Carolina.

With Jonathan Stewart no longer part of the picture, Christian McCaffrey is expected to take on a larger role during his sophomore campaign with the team. When looking at all of the different ways he can be used on both offense and special teams, the Panthers know McCaffrey is a one of a kind player.