NFL Power Rankings: Week 1 (2026)
Myles Garrett #95 of the Los Angeles Rams walks onto the field for a training camp practice, Sunday, July 26, 2026, at Loyola Marymount University, in Los Angeles, CA. (Ric Tapia/Getty Images)
Here. We. Go! After seven long months, the NFL is officially back in full swing, with the 2026 regular season kicking off on September 9th as the New England Patriots travel to the Pacific Northwest to take on the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in a rematch of last season's Super Bowl.
Many teams could viably claim to be the top contender to dethrone the Seahawks this season, but the team that stands above the rest are the Los Angeles Rams, who managed to add All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie and the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Myles Garrett, via trade during the offseason. Last week presented the cherry on top, as future Hall of Fame defensive tackle Aaron Donald announced he would be coming out of retirement to rejoin the Rams, creating the closest thing to a superteam we've seen in the NFL in a long time.
The Rams and Seahawks start the season at #1 and #2, respectively, in my power rankings, but what about everyone else? Here's how I see all 32 teams stacking up as the season begins.
1. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams had a fantastic season in 2025, winning 12 games and making a deep playoff run before losing in close fashion in the NFC Championship Game to the eventual champion Seahawks. As I previously mentioned, L.A. managed to add two elite players in McDuffie and Garrett to a team that already had the NFL's best offence last season, led by the reigning MVP in quarterback Matthew Stafford, Pro Bowl running back Kyren Williams, All-Pro wide receiver Puka Nacua, and future Hall of Fame wide receiver Davante Adams, while being coached by an elite head coach in Sean McVay. If Aaron Donald is even 40% of the player he was before he retired and the rest of the squad can stay healthy, the Rams, at the very least, should make it back to the NFC Championship Game, and it would be a major disappointment if they don't end up ultimately winning the Super Bowl.
Led by the best defensive mind in the NFL in head coach Mike Macdonald, Pro Bowl quarterback Sam Darnold, and the reigning Offensive Player of the Year and All-Pro wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the Seahawks were the best team in the NFL last season, riding the league's top scoring defence to 14 wins in the regular season followed by a dominant performance in the postseason that saw them win three playoff games by a margin of 55 points on the way to winning Super Bowl 60. While the team did lose some key players to free agency this offseason, such as starting running back and reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, this is still a very good team that has most of its core players intact and should be the Rams' top competition in both the NFC West and the NFC in general in 2026.
In 2025, the Broncos enjoyed their best season in a decade, winning the AFC West and securing the AFC's top seed coming into the playoffs for the first time since 2015. And if starting quarterback Bo Nix hadn't suffered a season-ending ankle injury during the team's divisional round playoff win over the Buffalo Bills, Denver likely would've made it to the Super Bowl last season. They have a great defence (second in total defence in 2025) and the offence should be more explosive in 2026 with the addition of electric wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. Sean Payton's squad should be the top favourite to represent the AFC in Super Bowl 61.
The Texans have been one of the best teams in the AFC over the last few years, as DeMeco Ryans' team has won 10+ games in each of the last three seasons while also making it to the divisional round of the playoffs each time, but this could be the year Houston takes the leap from being a good team to becoming a downright juggernaut. They already have the league's best defence, which boasts five Pro Bowlers, including All-Pro edge rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, as well as All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. If quarterback C.J. Stroud can rebound from a rough playoff performance this past January, the Texans will have a legit shot at appearing in the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history.
The Patriots were the NFL's most surprising team last season. Led by young star quarterback and MVP runner-up Drake Maye along with new head coach Mike Vrabel, they managed to win 14 games and make it all the way to the Super Bowl. And while New England certainly benefited from having a very easy schedule in 2025, they also made some nice offseason additions by adding All-Pro wide receiver A.J. Brown to improve the weaponry around Maye, and All-Pro safety Kevin Byard to improve the defence. I don't think they'll win 14 games again this season, but this is still a very good team that should contend in the AFC and make the playoffs in 2026.
Led by star quarterback Josh Allen, the Bills have the longest active playoff streak in the NFL, as they have made the playoffs in each of the last seven seasons while making it to the AFC Championship Game twice. However, they have not been able to make it to the Super Bowl during this span. Led by Allen, last season's leading rusher in running back James Cook, and one of the league's best offensive lines, the Bills have an extremely high floor, but the ceiling will be determined by new head coach Joe Brady and new defensive coordinator Jim Leonard. If both of those hires prove to work out, perhaps Buffalo will manage to finally get over the hump and get to the Super Bowl for the first time in three decades.
The Eagles have been one of the NFL's best teams over the decade, as they've won 50 games over the last four seasons (the most in the NFL over that span), three NFC East division titles, and have made two trips to the Super Bowl, winning Super Bowl 59 in 2025. Led by highly esteemed defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, All-Pro defensive tackle Jalen Carter, and All-Pro defensive backs in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, the Eagles have one of the best defences in the league (fifth in total defence last season), but their ceiling in 2026 will be determined by their offence. Philly will be undergoing a very interesting offensive transformation this season, with Sean Mannion taking over as the offensive coordinator. If quarterback Jalen Hurts can effectively adapt to this new scheme and make more throws over the middle of the field, the Eagles will have a legit chance of making another deep playoff run and winning the Super Bowl for the second time in three years.
For the first time since 2007, the Ravens will have a new head coach, as Jesse Minter takes over for John Harbaugh. Minter, who did a fantastic job coaching the Chargers' defence over the last two seasons (The Chargers ranked 1st in scoring defence in 2024 and ninth in scoring defence in 2025), will now take over a Ravens defence that features more talented players than he had to work with in L.A., such as star edge rusher Trey Hendrickson and All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton. If two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson can stay healthy and mesh well with new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, look for the Ravens to win the AFC North and reclaim their place as one of the AFC's top Super Bowl contenders this season.
Outside of the Patriots, the Jaguars were the biggest surprise last season, as they won 13 games and won the AFC South in head coach Liam Coen's first season with the team. Coen and Trevor Lawrence appear to be one of the best quarterback-head coach duos in the NFL, and the front office has done a great job of surrounding Lawrence with great weapons in the passing game. If the defence (eighth in scoring defence, second in takeaways in 2025) can continue to play at a good level, the Jaguars should be able to make the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1998-99 and do some damage once they get there.
In 2025, head coach Kyle Shanahan performed the greatest coaching job of his career, leading a 49ers team that was ravaged by injuries throughout the season to 12 wins and a playoff victory over the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles in the wildcard round of the playoffs before bowing out in the divisional round to the eventual champion and NFC West rival Seahawks. With Shanahan, Pro Bowl quarterback Brock Purdy, and All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey leading the way, the 49ers have a great foundation laid to be one of football's highest-scoring offences this season, while the defence, led by All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner and the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year edge rusher Nick Bosa, should be solid. But this is also an aging roster full of players with a rough injury history. Anything short of a playoff appearance this season will raise a lot of questions for this team moving forward.
The Bears enjoyed their best season in recent memory last year, as they won 11 games, the NFC North title, and a playoff game (over their biggest rival nonetheless) for the first time in 15 years in Ben Johnson's first year at the helm as the head coach. Chicago's defence (29th in total defence in 2025) really struggled last season outside of generating takeaways, and the team didn't do much to add to that side of the ball during the offseason, but the offence led by Johnson (one of the best offensive minds in the NFL) and talented third-year quarterback Caleb Williams should be just as dynamic as it was last season. If Williams can be more consistent this season, the Bears could have the NFL's best offence and repeat as NFC North champs in 2026.
The Packers looked like one of the best teams in the NFC for most of 2025, as they raced out to a 9-3-1 record heading into the latter part of the season. Then the wheels fell off, as All-Pro edge rusher and prized offseason acquisition Micah Parsons tore his ACL, leading to the team ending the season on a five-game losing streak that concluded with a playoff collapse to the bitter rival Bears in the wildcard round. The front office decided to keep head coach Matt LaFleur (who has lost five of his last six playoff games) at the helm during the offseason. With Parsons on the shelf for at least the first four games of the season, combined with star running back Josh Jacobs potentially being out for the entire season, LaFleur would be wise to lean heavily on star quarterback Jordan Love and a very efficient passing game. If LaFleur indeed allows Love to "cook", the Packers could rise to the top of the NFC North in 2026 and be a legit contender in the NFC once Parsons returns from his injury.
It's commonly known that to succeed in the NFL, you need to be a good team on both sides of the ball, and the 2025 Dallas Cowboys are a great example of why that's the case. Last season, led by Pro Bowl quarterback Dak Prescott and their star wide receiver duo of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, the Cowboys finished second in total offence. But the defence completely collapsed (which was no surprise considering the front office decided to trade Micah Parsons to the Packers right before the start of the season), finishing last in points allowed per game. The team did add a lot of talent to the defensive side of the ball during the offseason, such as highly touted defensive back Caleb Downs during the draft, and the hope now is that new defensive coordinator Christian Parker can coax better play from the defence in 2026. If he can, combined with their elite offence, Dallas will be a very good regular-season team, with potential to make a deep playoff run in the NFC this season.
The last two seasons for the Chargers have looked remarkably similar: an 11-win campaign that ends dismally in the AFC wildcard round. But overall, this is a solid team that could be a dark-horse contender in the AFC season. If new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel can mesh well with Pro Bowl quarterback Justin Herbert, and the defence doesn't fall off too much with the loss of Jesse Minter as the defensive coordinator, the Chargers will have a great chance of winning the AFC West for the first time since 2009, and give Herbert another chance to win a playoff game for the first time in his career.
After winning the NFC North in 2023 and 2024, the Lions took a huge step back in 2025, winning only nine games and failing to make the playoffs. Coming into this season, Detroit should continue to boast one of the best offences in the NFL, led by Pro Bowl quarterback Jared Goff, and talented weapons such as All-Pro running back Jahmyr Gibbs, All-Pro wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, speedy wide receiver Jameson Williams, and All-Pro tight end Sam LaPorta. But the defence, outside of All-Pro edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, lacks top-tier talent and depth, and it remains to be seen if star safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph will be able to play this season after suffering injuries last season. I expect the Lions to be in the NFC North race, but I can't shake the feeling that this team has already peaked and their championship window has closed.
The Bengals are the AFC's version of the Cowboys; they have an elite offence centered around a star quarterback (Joe Burrow) and two star wide receivers (Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins), but they have missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons due to poor play on defence (25th in total defence in 2024, 31st in total defence in 2025). However, the front office made some shrewd moves this offseason, acquiring All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence from the New York Giants and signing young, talented players such as edge rusher Boye Mafe and safety Bryan Cook in free agency. If those moves end up panning out, the Bengals should be able to make a return trip to the playoffs this season, while also battling the Ravens for supremacy in the AFC North. But if they don't, it wouldn't be shocking if the 2026 season ends up being the final season for head coach Zac Taylor in Cincinnati.
After making three consecutive trips to the Super Bowl (while winning it twice), the Chiefs endured a very difficult 2025 season, as the team missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014. After being known for being elite at winning close games over the last few seasons, Patrick Mahomes and company were unable to keep that up last season, as they finished with a 1-9 record in one-score games (i.e., games decided by eight points or fewer) in 2025. Mahomes is coming off a torn ACL and LCL, and the talent on this team isn't as good as it was a few seasons ago (particularly on the defensive side of the ball), but led by their future Hall of Fame foursome of Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce, defensive tackle Chris Jones, and head coach Andy Reid, they should be able to get back into the AFC playoff race this season. And we all know it would be foolish to count out Mahomes in a playoff setting.
The 2025 NFL season was a massive disappointment for the Vikings, as they went from a 14-3 record in 2024 to a 9-8 record last season. The main reason why was because of poor quarterback play, as second-year starter J.J. McCarthy struggled mightily, leading to Minnesota finishing 28th in total offence. The Vikings' starting quarterback this season will be Kyler Murray, who is in his first season with the team. If Murray--the number one overall pick from the 2019 NFL Draft--can just give Minnesota average play at the quarterback position, the Vikings, who already have a very good defence and coaching staff, will have a great chance of competing to win the NFC North in 2026.
For the first time since 2007, the Steelers will enter a season without Mike Tomlin, as Mike McCarthy takes over head coaching duties for the franchise. McCarthy will reunite with future quarterback Aaron Rodgers in what will be the future Hall of Famer's final NFL season. However, while Rodgers and McCarthy enjoyed a lot of success together in Green Bay and this team has a lot of talent on the defensive side of the ball, Rodgers is 42 years old and no longer an elite quarterback. It's more likely the Steelers continue to be the NFL's definition of being in no man's land--not good enough to win the Super Bowl, but not bad enough to be picking high in the draft--than it is for them to be a true championship contender in 2026.
The Panthers took a huge step forward in head coach Dave Canales' second season with the team, as they won the NFC South for the first time in a decade (though they had a losing record) and gave the Rams a huge scare in the wildcard round of the playoffs. The front office made some nice additions to the defence during the offseason, signing All-Pro linebacker Devin Lloyd and Pro Bowl edge rusher Jaelan Phillips to long-term contracts in free agency. Carolina's ceiling will depend on the play of fourth-year quarterback Bryce Young. If Young can play at a higher, more consistent level this season, the Panthers should be able to repeat as NFC South champs this season and make back-to-back trips to the playoffs for the first time since 2014-15.
For the first time since 2019, the Buccaneers missed the playoffs last season in horrific fashion, as they won just two of their last nine games after starting off the year with a 6-2 record. And along with that, Pro Bowl quarterback Baker Mayfield isn't too enamoured with the team's front office after the two sides failed to come to an agreement on a contract extension this offseason. There is a lot of pressure on this franchise right now. If the Bucs miss the playoffs again in 2026, it wouldn't be too surprising if both Mayfield and head coach Todd Bowles are gone after this season.
The Saints come into the 2026 NFL season on a high note, finishing the 2025 campaign by winning four of their last five games, and they could be a sneaky team to watch this season. Quarterback Tyler Shough and head coach Kellen Moore will both head into their second year together, and they have some solid pieces on that side of the ball, including All-Pro wide receiver Chris Olave and running back Travis Etienne Jr., whom they signed in free agency. And they weren't too shabby on the defensive side of the ball either (fifth in success rate, ninth in total defence). It wouldn't shock me to see the Saints compete for or even win the NFC South this year.
Similarly to the Buccaneers, the Colts got off to a hot start last season with an 8-2 record and one of the best offences in the NFL before injuries took their toll, resulting in them becoming the first team since the 1995 Raiders to start off a season with an 8-2 record and still miss the playoffs. The infrastructure is still in place for this team to be very good offensively, with All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor running behind a very good offensive line anchored by perennial All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson. However, it remains to be seen how good quarterback Daniel Jones will play as he recovers from a torn Achilles he suffered late in 2025, and there will be pressure on head coach Shane Steichen to snap the team's six-year playoff drought.
The NFL is a very unpredictable league, and the last two seasons for the Washington Commanders are a prime example of that. In 2024, the Commanders came out of nowhere to win 12 games and made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game behind an all-time rookie season by quarterback Jayden Daniels. But in 2025, Daniels struggled to stay healthy, the team struggled to pull out close games the way they did the year before, and the Commanders fell to a 5-12 record as a result. Daniels is healthy coming into this season, and the defence, led by rookie linebacker Sonny Styles, should be better, but I don't think they have enough talent from top to bottom to truly compete for a playoff spot in the NFC in 2026.
The John Harbaugh era begins in New York, as the former longtime coach of the Ravens now takes over a proud Giants franchise that is longing to return to past glory. There is some solid talent on this team on both sides of the ball, with quarterback Jaxson Dart and wide receiver Malik Nabers leading the way on offence, while the defensive front (led by All-Pro edge rusher Brian Burns and second-year pass rusher Abdul Carter) should be very good. I don't see them competing for a playoff spot this season, but I do think Harbaugh will help establish a sustainable, hard-working culture that will pay dividends in the coming years.
If I was only ranking every team based on the level of talent they have on their roster, the Falcons would be much higher than 26. There are a lot of elite-level players on this team such as All-Pro running back Bijan Robinson, star wide receiver Drake London, All-Pro tight end Kyle Pitts and All-Pro safety Jessie Bates. Their offensive line, led by All-Pro guard Chris Lindstrom, is really good as well. However, the Falcons have had issues at the quarterback position ever since longtime starter and MVP quarterback Matt Ryan left the team in 2022, and that issue isn't going away this season with Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. battling for the starting job. Until they find a long-term solution at that position, Atlanta's current nine-year playoff drought will only continue to lengthen.
A new era has dawned in Las Vegas, as the Raiders have turned over the future of the franchise to new head coach Klint Kubiak. Kubiak did a fantastic job of helping Sam Darnold as the offensive coordinator with the Seahawks last season, and he'll now be entrusted with developing quarterback Fernando Mendoza, whom the team drafted with the first overall pick in this past year's draft. While Mendoza won't start right away, he will get a chance to play at some point, so this season for the Raiders will be all about his development as the future franchise quarterback moving forward.
There's only one way for the Jets to go in 2026, and it's up. Head coach Aaron Glenn's team really struggled throughout his first season leading the team, as the Jets won only three games and became the first team in NFL history to fail to record an interception in a single season. Adding veteran players such as quarterback Geno Smith, linebacker Demario Davis, and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick raises the floor for this team heading into this season, but their ceiling is capped as a rebuilding team in a division that features two Super Bowl contenders in the Patriots and Bills. A successful season would be Glenn proving he can be the right coach for this team moving forward while also securing a high draft pick to get one of the top quarterback prospects in next year's draft.
29. Tennessee Titans
The Titans come into this season with a new head coach, as Robert Saleh takes over at the helm. Saleh's first go-around as a head coach with the New York Jets didn't go so well, but it wasn't all his fault, and now he'll get another chance to lead a team in Tennessee. Second-year quarterback Cam Ward struggled during his rookie year last season, but he did show some flashes, and the infrastructure around him looks much better heading into 2026, with talented rookie wide receiver Carnell Tate and new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll joining the team. Daboll is well-known for being good at developing young quarterbacks, so if Ward can take a sophomore leap this season, the Titans' future will be in bright shape moving forward.
The Cardinals will be entering a new era this season, with Mike LaFleur (the brother of Packers head coach Matt LaFleur) taking over as the new head coach in Arizona. The Cardinals have a lot of talented players on offence, such as All-Pro tight end Trey McBride and rookie running back Jeremiyah Love, and LaFleur is an offensive-minded head coach, so this is a team that should be able to score a decent amount of points. But they might have the worst defence in the entire NFL, and also happen to be in the same division as the Rams, Seahawks, and 49ers. It will be at least a couple of years before this franchise is back in playoff contention.
It's same old, same old with the Browns heading into the 2026 NFL season. They have a new head coach in Todd Monken. They have some solid, young, talented players on both sides of the ball, including running back Quinshon Judkins and the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year in linebacker Carson Schwesinger. But man oh man, it just feels like they'll never be able to find a long-term franchise quarterback. Combined with the fact that they just traded one of their best players in franchise history in Myles Garrett, and it's safe to say the Browns are bound to continue to drown in futility.
The Mike McDaniel "Greatest Show on Surf" era in Miami is over, and in comes new head coach Jeff Hafley. Unfortunately, Hafley--who was the Packers' defensive coordinator over the last two seasons--doesn't have a lot of talent to work with heading into this season. 2026 for this franchise will be all about Hafley finding out who he can build his team around moving forward, and whether or not Malik Willis (who also comes over from Green Bay) can prove to be the team's franchise quarterback moving forward. If he can't, it wouldn't be surprising to see "March for Arch" bulletin boards all over Hard Rock Stadium midway through the season.
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