'Dancing With the Stars' power rankings

THE SHOW "Dancing With the Stars"

WHEN | WHERE Season premiere Monday night at 8 on ABC/7

WHAT TO EXPECT Couples will dance either the fox-trot or cha-cha the first night.

HANDICAPPING THE DANCERS So to the stars we go, ranking them in order, from the most favored, to the least:

William Levy / Cheryl Burke

Odds-on favorite to win, especially with Burke as his partner. Known as the Latin Brad Pitt -- only better-looking -- he's a telenovela actor who boxed as a kid (he's 31) which means he probably has foot speed. Starred (sort of) in that JLo video last year (he was the semi-naked guy covered in sand).

Donald Driver / Peta Murgatroyd

SEE PHOTOSDancing badly with the stars

Great athletes in their prime are almost always favorites and should be; Driver (Green Bay Packers' wide receiver) also has looks, charm and TV smarts (he has worked in front of the camera as an analyst). The weak link here may be Peta, who joined last season and couldn't do much with Metta World Peace (aka Ron Artest), the first elimination (an exception to the above rule).

Roshon Fegan / Chelsie Hightower

Never heard of this 20-year old Disney Channel star ("Shake it Up")? You will soon, when he blows away everyone on the dance floor. He has moves upon moves -- he's an accomplished freestyle dancer -- and the only thing needed for this is discipline. Will go very far.

Jaleel White / Kym Johnson

The guy who played Steven Quincy Urkel on "Family Matters" will undoubtedly do the Urkel Dance at some point. In the meantime, he will surprise everyone. A show-biz veteran -- and a savvy one -- at the ripe old age of 34, he'll charm judges and fans up through the final rounds.

Maria Menounos / Derek Hough

Will go very far, especially with Hough (three-time champ) at her side. Plus, don't think of her as host of "Extra" -- but as a tag team female wrestler who's had a couple of WWE bouts (seriously.) She's tough.

Sherri Shepherd / Val Chmerkovskiy

Rumors she's already been in training -- which she has denied -- but "The View" fame will give her fan support. Judges are another story.

Gladys Knight / Tristan MacManus

Great R&B singers don't win "DWTS;" they're here -- or at least Knight is -- to prove that the show really does occasionally get major stars. She'll do fine, for a time.

Gavin DeGraw / Karina Smirnoff

Strange (strange) career move for a singer ("I Don't Want To Be") who seems to be at the top of his game in the music world. His fans don't normally watch this kind of show, so his viewer/vote base is already diminished.

Martina Navratilova / Tony Dovolani

Once one of the world's greatest tennis players, but will she be able to summon that on-court moxie of old?

Melissa Gilbert / Maksim Chmerkovskiy

Major question mark here is health. Gilbert underwent major back surgery a couple of years ago. But she too is tough and could go far here, unless her back doesn't.

Jack Wagner / Anna Trebunskaya

Let's not write off Jack! He's a musician and veteran actor, and could surprise everyone. Let's hope he does.

Katherine Jenkins / Mark Ballas

If this were a singing competition, the opera mezzo-soprano might even win. But it's a dancing competition.