AFC West preview: Can Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers challenge Patrick Mahomes’ stranglehold on division?

A capsule look at the AFC West heading into the 2024 season, with teams listed in predicted order of finish.

Kansas City Chiefs

FanDuel says: Win Super Bowl: 6-1, Over/under wins: 11.5

Strengths: The Chiefs have Patrick Mahomes and 31 other teams do not. Tight end Travis Kelce and the defense are pretty good, too.

Weaknesses: The wideouts were pretty bad last year, but Marquise Brown and Xavier Worthy should help. Kansas City has won the past two Super Bowls and the narrative is this team is better than last year. Not exactly great news for the rest of the division.

Los Angeles Chargers

FanDuel says: Win Super Bowl: 40-1, Over/under wins: 8.5

Strengths: Quarterback Justin Herbert is going to have a chance to prove that those who have gushed about his arm talent were right. Jim Harbaugh will easily be the best head coach he’s had, either with Oregon or the Chargers. His offensive line, with bookend first-round tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater, could be good now and great later.

Weaknesses: This team wasn’t very good last year, and lost a lot of key contributors. Harbaugh will have his work cut out, with holes to fill on both sides of the ball. He worked magic before in San Francisco, but this could be an even greater challenge.

Denver Broncos

FanDuel says: Win Super Bowl: 250-1, Over/under wins: 5.5

Strengths: Cornerback Pat Surtain II is great. The offensive line, even without center Lloyd Cushenberry, might still be pretty good. Bo Nix offers hope for a way out of the quarterback purgatory the franchise has been stuck in ever since Peyton Manning called it a career.

Weaknesses: You might have heard that the last QB didn’t work out, and is chewing up a rather large chunk of the salary cap to not play in Denver for the next two seasons. The defense is short on difference-makers beyond Surtain, and the offense needs to find some — fast.

Las Vegas Raiders

FanDuel says: Win Super Bowl: 100-1, Over/under wins: 6.5

Strengths: Wide receiver Davante Adams is still great, despite substandard quarterback play. Defensive tackle Christian Wilkins was the biggest non-QB free-agent addition of the offseason. The Raiders might have some momentum after upgrading to “not terrible” after a midseason coaching change with Antonio Pierce now on the headset.

Weaknesses: The quarterback situation looks very likely to remain substandard with journeyman Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell battling it out. The defense, beyond a line led by Wilkins and Maxx Crosby, could be as well. It looks like a very top-heavy roster.

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