You can count on teams rising from division cellars to the penthouses every season. In 2016, the Dallas Cowboys won the NFC East title after winning just four games in the year prior due to significant injuries to prominent players. In 2015, the Miami Dolphins flipped their 6-10 record to 10-6 in the following year en route to a wild-card berth. The previous season, the Oakland Raiders turned a 7-9 campaign into a 12-4 finish.
When predicting these surprises, it's best to look for clubs that underachieved due to injury or significantly improved through offseason acquisitions.
Typically, franchises that win free agency don't pan out to climb the ranks as quickly as expected, but the New York Giants changed that narrative in the past year with high-impact free-agent acquisitions for the defense.