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Washington Redskins
Overall: 108
Title track: 47
Ownership: 100
Coaching: 80
Players: 76
Fan relations: 93
Affordability: 115
Stadium experience: 116
Bang for the buck: 94
Change from last year: +12
This is the sort of ranking you get when you have made just five playoff appearances since the 1992 season and you have a team that can be quite expensive to watch. It's a tough combination for fans and will remain that way until the Redskins win more often. The silver lining for the Skins: They're up 12 spots this year, and no longer worst in the NFL.
What's good
The Redskins' highest ranking comes in players (at 76th), and it's true that the team has slowly improved their roster under GM Scot McCloughan. They have good talent at receiver, where they hope it has been fortified by rookie receiver Josh Doctson. He gives them three good young targets, including tight end Jordan Reed and receiver Jamison Crowder, around whom they can build. A lot will depend on if Kirk Cousins finishes strong in 2016 and becomes a consistent quality player. But they also have a young line that, if they develop, could provide help for a few years. They do have a lot of work to do defensively -- but adding corner Josh Norman certainly warranted the 39-spot uptick in this ranking.
What's bad
Ever since FedEx Field opened in 1997, there has been a steady drumbeat of complaints (it's ranked just 116th this year). It lacks the atmosphere of RFK Stadium, home to their glory years in the 1980s and early '90s. It's also expensive -- only five NFL teams have a higher cost per game. Maybe that's why opposing fans so often take up quite a few seats, especially for the Steelers and Cowboys games. The Redskins have tried to enhance the experience through better food options and more organized tailgating lots, but for many fans, it's prohibitively expensive -- and the team isn't very good. The Redskins already are searching for a new home, but if they really want to improve the experience, they should think about winning.
What's new
The Redskins haven't been on a legitimate title track for a long time, but last year's winning season (after two years with seven total wins) clearly made an impression on fans: Both bang for the buck and title track jumped 20 spots. But beware: Every time the Redskins seem to turn it around (2000, 2008, 2013), a coach ends up getting fired (Norv Turner, Mike Shanahan) or resigns (Joe Gibbs). The point is, it hasn't only been a long time since Washington won a championship (1991), it has been a frustrating ride; every time the Redskins appear on a certain path, they get derailed. There's a sense of optimism because of McCloughan, but so many questions remain that it's always hard to know exactly which direction their season will take.
Next: Detroit Lions | Full rankings