2018 NFL Power Rankings: Philadelphia Eagles begin preseason on top

3. Los Angeles Rams

Should the Rams be this high on the list with Aaron Donald continuing to holdout with no end in sight? Believe it or not, Los Angeles does in fact deserve to be this high even if Donald’s holdout lasts until the regular season, because the Rams are that good of a football team.

Around this time last year, expectations weren’t too high for Los Angeles since this team seemed like it would go through a year or two of rebuilding while adjusting to Sean McVay’s new system, which obviously wasn’t the case. After emerging as a surprise contender in the NFC and knocking off the Seahawks for the NFC West title, expectations are higher than ever for the Rams heading into 2018, as many believe this team has the talent to make a serious run at the Super Bowl.

Between the weapons beyond Donald on defense along with the offense loaded with talent thanks to players like Jared Goff and Todd Gurley, there’s every reason to be high on Los Angeles. The pressure of entering a new season as a top contender may be new, but the Rams are ready for the challenge, as this team is hungry to advance further than last year when the Falcons eliminated them from the playoffs right away.