X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

Super Bowl Predictions: Top-Five Dark Horse Contenders

Joe Flacco - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

With the final regular season game of the 2023 NFL season now in the books, the playoff picture is clear. However, anything can happen in the NFL postseason, as magical Super Bowl runs are very possible in the modern game.

While we are all aware of the list of current Super Bowl favorites that includes teams that both pass the eye test and have terrific records like the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers, it’s fun to wonder who are the teams that are a bit out of the picture at the moment but could potentially make a deep run over the next few weeks.

We’ll rank those potential spoilers here, as we dive into the top-five dark horse Super Bowl contenders!

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for the 2025 playoffs:

 

#1. Kansas City Chiefs (11-6)

Current Odds to Win Super Bowl: +1000

I know, I know... it's crazy to call the defending Super Bowl champions "dark horses". However, the Chiefs currently have just the fifth-best odds to win the Super Bowl (+1000), according to most sportsbooks.

It's certainly not been a typical year for Andy Reid and company, as Patrick Mahomes has looked human and Travis Kelce has looked, well, old. Mahomes' passing yards, TDs, and yards per attempt totals are all at their lowest since his injury-shortened 2019 campaign, while his 14 interceptions represent the most he's ever thrown in his career. As for Kelce, he might well be winning at life, but his production on the field has noticeably dipped in 2023, as he failed to reach 1,000 receiving yards for the first time since 2015.

Though the Chiefs haven't looked as explosive offensively, they head into the NFL playoffs with a weapon they haven't always had...a great defense. Kansas City allowed the second-fewest yards per game in the NFL during the regular season while holding opponents to just 17.3 points per game, which was the second-best mark in the league in 2023.

With a defense that can keep them in games, and the dynamic duo of Mahomes and Kelce still capable of finding a rhythm in Andy Reid's offensive scheme, it would be a mistake to write off the defending champs.

 

#2. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6)

Current Odds to Win Super Bowl: +1800

The team the Chiefs narrowly defeated in last year's Super Bowl, the Philadelphia Eagles, enter this year's NFL playoffs with plenty of their own problems.

After sprinting out of the gates with a dominant 10-1 start this season, there appeared to be little doubt that Philly was on track to return to the Super Bowl in 2023. However, the Eagles have proceeded to implode down the stretch and finished out the regular season by losing five of their last six games.

It's tough to make an impassioned argument for a team that looked so horrible over the last two months of the season, but let's keep in mind this is an Eagles squad that's defeated the Dolphins, Cowboys, Chiefs, and Bills this season.

The offense, though dormant recently, still has explosive pieces all over the field in A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, and D'Andre Swift. Not to mention the dual-threat prowess of Jalen Hurts, a player who led Philadelphia to the cusp of a Super Bowl title in 2022 and looked like the best quarterback in the league over the first half of 2023 behind an offensive line that remains one of the best units in the NFL.

The Eagles will undoubtedly need to fix their pronounced defensive issues ahead of their Wild Card matchup against the Tampa Bay Bucs, but Philadelphia isn't too far removed from playing at an elite level.

 

#3. Detroit Lions (12-5)

Current Odds to Win Super Bowl: +2200

Can we consider a 12-5 squad a "dark horse"? Well... I think that's fair when we take into consideration that the Detroit Lions have not only never won a Super Bowl, they've never even made it to a Super Bowl. That's right, never. As in hasn't ever happened.

This long-suffering Detroit franchise hasn't even won a playoff game since 1991 and owns the NFL's longest active streak without a playoff victory. Dan Campbell and his kneecap-biting squad of lovable losers will look to put an end to that streak this weekend when they host -- that's right, host a playoff game for the first time in 30 years -- the Los Angeles Rams at Ford Field. It's an advantage, as the Lions went 6-2 on their home turf this season.

Campbell has spent his entire tenure with Detroit trying to change the culture and instill grit into this organization's DNA. After a promising 2022 campaign, it's fully taking hold this year. The Lions boast a high-octane offense that finished fifth in the NFL at 27.1 points per game, while their defense has certainly had lapses, but was one of the league's best run-stopping units on the year.

If the Lions take care of business against the Rams in the Wild Card round, their next challenge would either be a rematch with a Dallas Cowboys team they almost (some say did) beat recently or they would host another home game against either the Bucs or Eagles. Neither scenario feels too daunting for this up-and-coming squad.

 

#4. Cleveland Browns (11-6)

Current Odds to Win Super Bowl: +3300

Can we please just get a Browns vs. Lions matchup in the Super Bowl? Imagine how glorious it would be to guarantee an end to the seemingly never-ending torture for at least one of these long-suffering fan bases.

The Browns have overcome one obstacle after another in 2023 and have helped their fans to feel something they haven't felt in quite some time...joy. Despite season-ending injuries to star running back Nick Chubb, starting quarterback Deshaun Watson, seemingly their entire offensive line, and even their kicker, Cleveland continued to fight this year and finished the regular season with a rock-solid 11-6 record.

While the list of players that have stepped up for the Browns is a long one, none is more prominent than veteran QB Joe Flacco, a former Super Bowl winner with the rival Baltimore Ravens. Thanks to Flacco's emergence down the stretch, along with superstar performances from Amari Cooper and a Cleveland defensive unit that held opponents to a league-low 270.2 yards per game in 2023, the Browns head into a Wild Card matchup against the Houston Texans feeling optimistic about their chances to advance in the NFL postseason.

 

#5. Los Angeles Rams (10-7)

Current Odds to Win Super Bowl: +5000

Although the Rams enter Wild Card Weekend as just the sixth seed in the NFC and with long Super Bowls of 50-1, Sean McVay's squad might hold the title of "Team That Nobody Really Wants To Play" in this year's NFL playoffs.

L.A. has experience and talent on both sides of the ball in stalwarts Matthew Stafford and Aaron Donald. Following an abysmal 2022 campaign, Stafford has stayed relatively healthy this year, throwing for nearly 4,000 yards along with 24 TDs.

He's been aided by a supporting cast that continued to grow and impress as the season unfolded, including dynamic second-year running back Kyren Williams and record-breaking rookie wideout Puka Nacua. Stafford also rediscovered a nice connection with Cooper Kupp down the stretch, as the Rams averaged an eye-opening 29.9 points per game over their last seven outings of the regular season.

A defensive unit that features few names you know outside of Donald has been middling, but good enough to keep them in ballgames, although the Rams will need to shore up a special teams unit that ranked last in the NFL this season if they are to make a postseason run.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Ladd McConkey3 hours ago

Has A Strong End To His Rookie Year
Justin Herbert3 hours ago

Has The Worst Game Of His Career On Saturday
Jerami Grant3 hours ago

Still Dealing With Jaw And Neck Soreness
Cameron Johnson4 hours ago

Still Out On Sunday
Andre Drummond4 hours ago

Won't Play On Sunday
D'Angelo Russell5 hours ago

Unavailable Sunday
Malcolm Brogdon5 hours ago

Not Ready To Return On Sunday
Alex Caruso5 hours ago

To Remain Out For 10th Consecutive Game
Ty Jerome5 hours ago

Unlikely To Play Sunday
Josh Richardson5 hours ago

Remains Out Saturday
Robert Williams III6 hours ago

Misses Saturday's Action Due To Illness
Deandre Ayton6 hours ago

Will Not Play Against Heat
Trey Murphy III6 hours ago

Returning To Action Sunday
Dejounte Murray6 hours ago

Questionable To Play Against Celtics
Patrick Williams6 hours ago

Labeled As Probable For Sunday
Kyle Lowry6 hours ago

Out For Fourth Straight Game
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope6 hours ago

Listed As Probable For Sunday
Nico Collins6 hours ago

Big Day For Nico Collins In Wild-Card Win
Houston Texans6 hours ago

Texans D/ST Hits Paydirt Against Bolts
Joe Mixon6 hours ago

Recovers To Help Houston Ice Victory
Jalen Suggs6 hours ago

To Remain Out Sunday
Paolo Banchero7 hours ago

Not Listed On Injury Report Ahead Of Sunday
Joel Embiid7 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Sunday's Game
Miles McBride7 hours ago

Probable For Sunday
Gary Trent Jr.7 hours ago

Questionable For Sunday's Action
Khris Middleton7 hours ago

Likely To Play Against Knicks
New England Patriots8 hours ago

Patriots Expected To Hire Mike Vrabel As Head Coach
Alexander Wennberg8 hours ago

Unavailable Saturday
Cole Sillinger8 hours ago

Back In Blue Jackets Lineup Saturday
Connor Zary9 hours ago

Out Indefinitely
Ivan Barbashev9 hours ago

On Track To Return Saturday
Ilya Sorokin9 hours ago

Out With An Illness
Patrik Laine9 hours ago

A Game-Time Call On Saturday
Steven Stamkos9 hours ago

Ready To Go Saturday
Hayden Hurst11 hours ago

Kimani Vidal Inactive
John Metchie III11 hours ago

Active On Saturday
Quentin Johnston11 hours ago

Active On Saturday
J.K. Dobbins11 hours ago

Active On Saturday
Zay Flowers12 hours ago

Could Miss Divisional Round If Baltimore Advances
J.K. Dobbins14 hours ago

Expected To Play In Wild-Card Round
Sandy Alcantara17 hours ago

Will Not Be Traded Before Opening Day
Patrick Kane19 hours ago

Dishes Out Three Helpers On Friday
Karel Vejmelka19 hours ago

Snaps Skid On Friday Night
Adrian Kempe19 hours ago

Leads The Way On Friday Night
Cole Caufield19 hours ago

Extends Goal Streak To Five Games
Charlie Lindgren19 hours ago

Exits Early On Friday
Dustin Tokarski19 hours ago

Posts Shutout On Friday
Jeff Hoffman1 day ago

Inks Three-Year Deal With Toronto
Evander Kane1 day ago

Recovering From Knee Surgery
Dylan Samberg1 day ago

Returns To Jets Lineup Friday
Alex Lyon1 day ago

Unavailable Friday
Thatcher Demko1 day ago

Expected To Return To Action Friday
Fabian Zetterlund1 day ago

Active On Friday
Dylan Guenther1 day ago

Ruled Out Indefinitely
Elias Pettersson1 day ago

Activated From Injured Reserve
Quentin Johnston1 day ago

"Good To Go" For Saturday
Jordan Love1 day ago

Malik Willis Off The Injury Report
Jayden Daniels1 day ago

Off The Injury Report, Set For First Playoff Start
DeVonta Smith1 day ago

Off The Injury Report
A.J. Brown1 day ago

Off The Injury Report Prior To Wild-Card Weekend
Amanda Ribas1 day ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Mackenzie Dern1 day ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 101
Zac Gallen1 day ago

Diamondbacks Avoid Arbitration With Zac Gallen
Josh Jung2 days ago

Will Be Full-Go For Spring Training
Santiago Ponzinibbio2 days ago

Set For Co-Main Event
Tampa Bay Buccaneers2 days ago

Antoine Winfield Jr. Will Play On Sunday
Carlston Harris2 days ago

Set For Welterweight Matchup
Pete Alonso2 days ago

No Deal Close Between Pete Alonso And The Mets
Abdul Razak Alhassan2 days ago

Returns To Action At UFC Vegas 101
Cesar Almeida2 days ago

Looks For His Third UFC Win
DeVonta Smith2 days ago

Missing Practice, Still Expected To Play
Isiah Pacheco2 days ago

Returns To Practice On Friday
Jalen Hurts2 days ago

Clears Concussion Protocol, Ready To Go For Sunday
Uros Medic2 days ago

Opens Up UFC Vegas 101 Main Card
Punahele Soriano2 days ago

Remains At Welterweight At UFC Vegas 101
Christian Rodriguez2 days ago

Looks To Start Off 2025 On Right Note At UFC Vegas 101
Austin Bashi2 days ago

Makes UFC Debut At UFC Vegas 101
Roman Kopylov2 days ago

Looks to Extend Winning Streak At UFC Vegas 101
Chris Curtis2 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 101
Josh Naylor2 days ago

Diamondbacks Avoid Arbitration
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.2 days ago

Blue Jays Avoid Arbitration
Andrew Kittredge2 days ago

Inks One-Year Deal With Baltimore
Robert Thomas2 days ago

Nets Two Goals On Thursday
Framber Valdez2 days ago

Astros Avoid Arbitration
Randy Arozarena2 days ago

Mariners Avoid Arbitration
Jake Knapp2 days ago

Withdraws From Sony Open
Michael Thorbjornsen2 days ago

Withdraws From Sony Open
Luis Arraez2 days ago

Padres Settle On $14 Million Deal
Tarik Skubal2 days ago

Tigers Avoid Arbitration
Dylan Cease2 days ago

And Padres Avoid Arbitration
Logan Gilbert2 days ago

Mariners Avoid Arbitration
Garrett Crochet3 days ago

Boston Discussing Long-Term Deal
Davis Thompson3 days ago

Starts 2025 Season Well
PGA3 days ago

J.T. Poston A High-Upside Play At Sony Open
PGA3 days ago

J.T. Poston Disappoints At The Sentry
Chris Kirk3 days ago

Sputters At The Sentry
Billy Horschel3 days ago

Looks Forward To Sony Open
Brian Harman3 days ago

Gets 2025 Started With A Rough Start
PGA3 days ago

Cameron Davis Finishes Strong At The Sentry
Keegan Bradley3 days ago

Starts 2025 Season Well
Davis Thompson3 days ago

Looking For Consistency At Sony Open
Braxton Garrett4 days ago

To Miss 2025 Season Following Elbow Surgery
Taylor Pendrith4 days ago

Is A Dark-Horse Pick For Sony Open
Eric Cole4 days ago

Looking For Bounce-Back Performance At Sony Open
Sahith Theegala4 days ago

A Big Name To Stay Away From At Sony Open
Nick Dunlap4 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back At Sony Open
Tom Kim4 days ago

Making Season Debut At Sony Open
Hideki Matsuyama4 days ago

Looks To Make History At Waialae
Tanner Scott4 days ago

Mets Meet With Tanner Scott
Justin Verlander4 days ago

Signs One-Year Contract With San Francisco
Brandon Woodruff4 days ago

Hopes To Be Ready By Opening Day
Luke Clanton5 days ago

A Player To Watch At Sony Open
Thomas Detry5 days ago

In Solid Form Ahead Of Sony Open
Russell Henley5 days ago

A Course Horse At Sony Open
Stephan Jaeger5 days ago

A Risky Option At Sony Open
Brent Rooker5 days ago

Signs Five-Year Extension
Nolan Arenado5 days ago

Red Sox Emerge As Strong Candidate To Land Nolan Arenado

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Nico Collins - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em - Wild Card Weekend Matchups Analysis

Welcome back, RotoBallers, to another start'em and sit'em piece as we look ahead to Wild Card Weekend! If you are new here, this matchups analysis and Start 'Em, Sit 'Em article will look at the best and worst matchups of the week.  Whether you are looking for some DFS plays this weekend or are playing in a fantasy […]


Lamar Jackson - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

NFL Playoffs Rankings: Fantasy Football Draft Rankings and FFPC Playoff Challenge (2025)

Welcome, RotoBallers, to the 2025 NFL Playoffs and our continuing coverage of fantasy football playoff leagues. Fantasy football is still going strong during the NFL playoffs – including new drafts and contests forming before the Wild Card Weekend games. The NFL postseason starts with one of the most challenging and unique fantasy football playoff leagues […]


Brian Robinson Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings Running Backs, Waiver Wire Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

Wild Card Weekend Fantasy Football Busts? Players Who May Disappoint Include Brian Robinson Jr., Najee Harris, Mike Evans, Amari Cooper, Jordan Love

Welcome back, RotoBallers, to our Wild Card Weekend fantasy football busts, or players who may disappoint. The regular fantasy football season is over but the games don't stop now. Whether you play in a playoff fantasy league or set DFS lineups, you'll want to avoid potential landmines. Below are my five fantasy football busts, or […]


Marvin Mims Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

WR/CB Matchups to Upgrade and Downgrade - Fantasy Football Wild Card Round (2025)

Welcome back to our WR/CB Matchups for the Wild Card Round of the 2024 fantasy football season. Congrats to all of you who won a championship or reached the title game! For those unfamiliar, this weekly series looks at fantasy football matchups for wide receivers versus the cornerbacks who are projected to cover them. The […]


Jared Goff - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

NFL Playoffs Power Rankings for Fantasy Football - FFPC Playoff Challenge Draft Picks By Team

When building your fantasy football playoff rosters, the first steps are to forecast how the conference brackets will shake out and how many games each team can potentially play. Those exercises are vital in the Fantasy Football Players Championship (FFPC) Playoff Challenge, where you can only roster one player from each NFL team. My NFL […]


Jayden Daniels - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Wild Card Weekend DraftKings NFL DFS Lineup Picks - Main Slate: Jayden Daniels, Bucky Irving, Puka Nacua, and more

Welcome back, RotoBallers! We shift gears a bit this week, as we enter the NFL playoffs. Wild Card Weekend consists of six games spread across three days, and while the info found in this article is applicable across all the different slates that DraftKings is offering, this was written with the Sat-Mon "Main Slate" in […]


Courtland Sutton - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL DFS Lineup Picks For FanDuel, DraftKings - Bills vs. Broncos Showdown Wild Card Weekend

Welcome back, RotoBallers! Hopefully, everyone's first day of wild card weekend went well. We start the Sunday slate with one of the more lopsided games on the weekend. The Buffalo Bills (13-4) host the Denver Broncos (10-7) as an 8.5-point favorite. We have been pretty successful so far with these showdown slates, and hopefully, that […]


Justice Hill - Fantasy Football Rankings, Injury Report

Fantasy Football Injury Reports For NFL RBs: Wild Card Weekend Updates for Aaron Jones, J.K. Dobbins, Justice Hill, Gus Edwards

Below is our fantasy football injuries report for running backs on Wild Card Weekend, as of January 11. The injury statuses for various NFL running backs are up in the air for Wild Card Weekend, including Aaron Jones, J.K. Dobbins, Justice Hill, and Gus Edwards. As the NFL playoffs get underway and fantasy football continues […]


Quentin Johnston - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Lineup Picks

Fantasy Football WR Injury Reports: Wild Card Weekend Updates For Zay Flowers, Quentin Johnston, Jamison Crowder, Christian Watson, John Metchie III

Whether you're still nose-deep in fantasy games or rooting for your favorite team to win the Super Bowl, we have wide receiver injuries to keep an eye on this week and throughout the postseason. To keep close tabs on all of the news across the NFL, make sure to favorite or bookmark the fantasy football […]


Lamar Jackson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Ranking the Best Fantasy Football QB Seasons of All-Time

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson just had one of the greatest fantasy football seasons of all time, but how does it stack up to the other great seasons from quarterbacks? Let's take a look at the 10 best fantasy football seasons ever from quarterbacks. Below are the 10 best fantasy football quarterback seasons of all […]


Chase Brown - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire Pickups, Draft Sleepers

Fantasy Football Running Back Breakouts From 2024 Season

Whether they showed potential before or the stars aligned to give them an opportunity, these running backs became fantasy football darlings in 2024. Chase Brown, Chuba Hubbard, Bucky Irving, and Rico Dowdle saw a significant increase in production, despite obstacles that stood in their way. Fantasy managers who had one (or more) of the quartet […]


Brian Robinson Jr. - Jayden Daniels - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Predicting The Leading AFC, NFC Leading Passer, Rusher, and Receiver For Wild Card Weekend

The first games of the 2024-2025 NFL season's postseason will start in very short order. On Saturday, January 11, the Los Angeles Chargers will face the Houston Texans and the Pittsburgh Steelers will head to Maryland to take on the Baltimore Ravens. On Sunday, January 12, we'll see the Denver Broncos square off against the […]


Fantasy Football Matchups We Love - Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Picks for The Wild Card Round Include Jayden Daniels, Bucky Irving, Puka Nacua, T.J. Hockenson

The regular season may be over, but fantasy football sure is not. DFS and playoff leagues are in full swing as fantasy degenerates attempt to keep the magic alive. Fantasy football never truly dies throughout the year. In some ways, fantasy football becomes more exciting during the playoffs. Every team in the big dance is […]