1 | MINNESOTA

2017 | 13-3, first in North

Last year in playoffs | 2017

THREE PLAYERS WHO MUST COME THROUGH

QB Kirk Cousins: The Vikings signed Cousins to a three-year,

$84 million deal and sent their three quarterbacks from last season packing: Case Keenum (Denver), Teddy Bridgewater (New York Jets) and Sam Bradford (Arizona).

WR Stefon Diggs: Who can forget the “Minnesota Miracle”? Diggs’ last-gasp playoff touchdown against New Orleans is firmly entrenched in Vikings lore. But now that he has his massive contract, can the former Maryland star prove that he’s among the NFL elite? Teammate Adam Thielen was better last year.

LB Anthony Barr: Now that the Vikings have signed their quarterback and given extensions to defensive end Danielle Hunter, linebacker Eric Kendricks and Diggs, Barr is next in line for a monster contract. He is a wrecking ball.

THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH

C Pat Elflein: A second-round pick last season who was hurt in the NFC championship game, he is the linchpin of Minnesota’s offensive line and makes all the calls.

RB Dalvin Cook: Cook suffered a knee injury early last season, opening the door for Jerick McKinnon. This year, the Vikings see Cook and Latavius Murray forming a devastating 1-2 punch at running back.

QB Trevor Siemian: Why is a backup such a big deal? Well, coach Mike Zimmer has had only one season in which he ended with the same quarterback who started the season.

2 | GREEN BAY

2017 | 7-9, third in North

Last year in playoffs | 2016

THREE PLAYERS WHO MUST COME THROUGH

QB Aaron Rodgers: For the Packers to get where they want to go, Rodgers will need to play like the NFL’s Most Valuable Player. He has sat out chunks of two seasons because of broken collarbones.

TE Jimmy Graham: Besides Davante Adams and Randall Cobb, the Packers are young and inexperienced at receiver. Graham is an experienced, sure-handed target.

CB Kevin King: He started five games as a rookie before suffering a shoulder injury. King is tall (6 feet 3) and athletic, with outstanding range. He needs to bolster a suspect secondary.

THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH

ILB Oren Burks: A third-round pick from Vanderbilt who looks as if he’ll be a starter, Burks will help improve the Green Bay pass coverage in nickel and dime packages.

DL Muhammad Wilkerson: Wilkerson had 12 sacks three years ago, and Green Bay is hoping he can get back to that type of production. It could help that Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine was Wilkerson’s first coordinator when they were with the New York Jets.

RB Aaron Jones: One of three running backs drafted by the Packers last year, Jones is clearly the team’s best runner. He suffered injuries to both knees last year and battled a hamstring injury this summer. Can he stay injury-free?

3 | CHICAGO

2017 | 5-11, fourth in North

Last year in playoffs | 2010

THREE PLAYERS WHO MUST COME THROUGH

OLB Khalil Mack: After a holdout led the Raiders to trading him away, Mack became the highest-paid defensive player in league history. Since his rookie season in 2014, he leads the NFL in quarterback pressures.

QB Mitchell Trubisky: The Bears are banking on him taking another step up after a promising rookie season. Trubisky has a young, innovative, QB-minded staff around him in coach Matt Nagy, offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich and quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone.

TE Trey Burton: He came on strong for Philadelphia late last season and was the passer on the “Philly Special” touchdown to Nick Foles. Nagy, who came from Kansas City, is hoping to turn him into Chicago’s version of Travis Kelce.

THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH

LB Roquan Smith: The No. 8 pick held out for much of training camp. Smith has to get up to speed quickly because the Bears are hoping he’ll handle a lot of the calls, checks and presnap diagnoses for the defense.

WR Anthony Miller: A second-round pick from Memphis, he’s a great route runner, tireless worker and overflowing with confidence. He should be excellent in the slot.

RG Kyle Long: Long, who made the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons, is coming off three offseason surgeries (back, shoulder, elbow). He’s still bothered by an ankle injury that required surgery in 2016. The Bears need him to solidify the interior of their line.

4 | DETROIT

2017 | 9-7, second in North

Last year in playoffs | 2016

THREE PLAYERS WHO MUST COME THROUGH

DE Ziggy Ansah: When it comes to rushing the passer, the Lions don’t have a lot of firepower. The oft-injured Ansah is the best they have, and he had 12 sacks last year, nine of which came in three games.

QB Matthew Stafford: If Stafford doesn’t play well, the Lions don’t have a chance. He’s 30 and in the first year of a five-year contract extension.

RB Kerryon Johnson: The Lions haven’t had a running back gain 100 yards rushing in a game since Reggie Bush did so on Thanksgiving Day in 2013. They’re piling a lot of hope and expectations on the shoulders of this second-round pick from Auburn.

THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH

LB Devon Kennard: Signed as a free agent after four years with the Giants, he can pressure passers from the strongside linebacker position.

TE Luke Willson: Once a fixture in Seattle, the 6-foot-5 Willson provides Stafford with a big target who also can do some blocking.

CB Jamal Agnew: Agnew can play defense, yes, but he might be most valuable as a punt returner. He ran two punts back for touchdowns last season and led the NFL in average yards per return.

— Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times