What happened: Los Angeles held the same spot in Yahoo Sports' offseason countdown last month. The Week 1 order arrived two days before Thursday's season opener.
Why it matters: The ranking carries no standings value, but it sets the expectation Los Angeles will face from Week 1. Early results will test whether that preseason consensus holds.
By the numbers: PFF separately projected the Rams for the most wins among all 32 teams.
What to watch: The opener will provide the first regular-season result against the preseason billing.