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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Last Season: 6-10

Fourth in NFC South

Preseason power ranking: 24

The Bucs are in their second year in a Dirk Koetter offense that finished fifth in the league last year, and all signs point to quarterback Jameis Winston having a strong sophomore campaign. He improved his conditioning, cleaned up his footwork, is showing better chemistry with Mike Evans and Adam Humphries, and he passed for 259 yards and two touchdowns against the Browns in the third preseason game. The Bucs also boosted two critical areas in the offseason, adding pass-rushers Noah Spence through the draft and Robert Ayers (9 ½ sacks last year with the Giants) in free agency. Four-time Pro Bowler Brent Grimes and first-round pick Vernon Hargreaves III should also help make an impact in the secondary. As far as the NFC South goes, the Carolina Panthers are the only sure thing, so there is opportunity if things come together for Tampa Bay.

In their first five games, the Bucs face both Super Bowl teams and the NFC West champion Arizona Cardinals, whom they face in Arizona, plus two trips to California. That's a lot of traveling out West. The Bucs also face several teams operating 3-4 defenses, and their up-tempo, no-huddle approach to neutralize that won't work if they're stone-walled and go three-and-out, as Koetter has pointed out. The Buccaneers are also starting the season without starting left guard J.R. Sweezy, who is on the PUP list and guard Ali Marpet just got out of a walking boot. They're very thin at safety, with rookie Ryan Smith, a newcomer at the position, serving as one of two backups. There are also concerns with their kicking game. Second-round pick Roberto Aguayo missed two field goals and an extra point in the first two preseason games, before making all five field goals in his last two preseason games, including kicks from 48 and 50 yards out.

Buccaneers' percentage chance to win each game

Sept. 11 @ Atlanta: 38.7

Sept. 18 @ Arizona: 24.3

Sept. 25 vs. Los Angeles: 59.5

Oct. 2 vs. Denver: 46.5

Oct. 10 @ Carolina: 24.6

Oct. 23 @ San Francisco: 49.1

Oct. 30 vs. Oakland: 52.5

Nov. 3 vs. Atlanta: 57.1

Nov. 13 vs. Chicago: 59.6

Nov. 20 @ Kansas City: 25.4

Nov. 27 vs. Seattle: 44.1

Dec. 4 @ San Diego: 38.3

Dec. 11 vs. New Orleans: 58.6

Dec. 18 @ Dallas: 37.1

Dec. 24 @ New Orleans: 40.6

Jan. 1 vs. Carolina: 42.2

Jenna Laine’s game-by-game predictions

It’s hard to be confident in any player after one year, but Winston was everything the Bucs could have hoped for in a rookie. There’s no reason he can’t build on it. Backup Mike Glennon has 18 starts, making this situation as solid as any other built around young guys. -- Dan Graziano

Defensive end Ayers lines up all along a defensive line that produced eight sacks in the third preseason game. He makes those guys go, along with Gerald McCoy. Also, if Mike Evans produces like he did in preseason Game 3 (five catches for 115 yards), he’ll be a big reason why Winston and the offense explode.

Winston could go from the fantasy bench to a starter, especially if he and the offense can continue to successfully utilize tempo the way they did against the Browns in the preseason. Winston’s biggest issue was the red zone last year. He had the second-worst completion percentage in the league there behind Nick Foles at 42 percent. A healthy Vincent Jackson, a more improved Humphries and Evans, plus the emergence of Cameron Brate and Charles Sims should help. Two sleepers to keep an eye on: Sims and Brate.

The Bucs could get two or even three more wins with the new additions they’ve made to a defense that gave up a 70 percent completion percentage last year and 46 percent of third-down conversions. Between those new pieces and defensive coordinator Mike Smith, the unit looks much improved. But the Bucs' success this season all starts with the continued development of Winston, who has the look of a quarterback ready to make a big leap in his second season.