LAS VEGAS -- The Seattle Seahawks are the No. 1 team in ESPN Chalk's NFL Vegas Rankings entering the regular season, but with an asterisk.
The New England Patriots are the 6-1 Super Bowl favorites at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, but quarterback Tom Brady is suspended for the first four games of the season. We'll adjust New England's power rating when Brady returns. For now, the Patriots are tied for the No. 6 spot with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Our rankings aren't too far off from the Westgate Super Bowl futures, so we've added those to the accompanying chart as another way to rank the teams.
Let's take a look at all 32 teams, and then we'll do what we do every week and try to find value in the current points spreads.
Note: The NFL Vegas Rankings are compiled by taking the average of the power ratings of ESPN Chalk handicappers, including Erin Rynning, yours truly and ESPN's Football Power Index, and are used to compare two teams as if they were to meet on a neutral field (after which most teams get 2.5 points for home-field advantage) and can be used to compare to the current point spread.
1. Seattle Seahawks (27)
If not for falling behind 31-0 to the Panthers in the divisional round (a game Seattle eventually lost 31-24), we could be talking about a dynasty. Even with the retirement of running back Marshawn Lynch, the Seahawks have the most balanced roster in the league. There are some concerns about the offensive line's ability to protect the passer, but elusive quarterback Russell Wilson can turn those breakdowns into big plays.