NFL Power Rankings: Week 6

By Evan Copeland

Week five of the 2026 NFL season is in the books and it’s all change in this week’s power rankings. We saw overtime shootouts, the first bye weeks of the year and another thriller in London. Let’s get into this week’s rankings and what we should expect in week six.

D Tier – Catastrophic Situations on Tank Watch

32. Tennessee Titans (=) – This team is heading rapidly towards the number one pick, and they offered no resistance against the Texans. I expected more from Robert Saleh’s team in 2026, but it’s fair to say the talent on this roster is severely lacking.

31. Miami Dolphins (=) – One of only three teams yet to find the win column so far this season after a one score loss to the Bengals, with a potential tank well and truly on the cards for Miami. The game wasn’t close. Malik Willis has looked really poor, albeit with a dismal supporting cast. It seems like it’s quarterback or Jeremiah Smith for the Dolphins in next year’s draft, a decision which will depend on who lands the number one pick.

30. Los Angeles Chargers (-1) – Kept it close in Denver, coming up short in a one-possession divisional game. I think this is the end of the road for the 2026 Chargers, who couldn’t afford to keep slipping up in an increasingly tough schedule. Changes will come in this offseason, where and how significant we will have to see, but this season has been a disaster.

C Tier – Not much hope for the season

29. Arizona Cardinals (-3) – The Cardinals defense never had a chance against a generational offense, it’s as simple as that. A worry for Arizona would be the lack of offensive production against the Lions, who have given up 24+ points in all games this year. Jeremiyah Love couldn’t get anything going on the ground, which may be a worry.

28. Washington Commanders (-3) – Like the Giants, questions will be asked as to how Washington didn’t win this game, only there will be a lot more heat on the Commanders for their role in overtime. I don’t know what Jayden Daniels was thinking, he would’ve known they were out of timeouts. As a quarterback he has to be aware of what cannot happen in a situation like that, it cost them a crucial division win.

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3) – Rookie Jalon Daniels finally got Tampa into the win column in week five, pulling off a huge upset win in Dallas. The Buccaneer rushing attack looked excellent, Bucky Irving coming up with a big game on the ground. Whether it was Dallas being below standard or not, Tampa won’t care, they have snapped a four-game winless streak.

26. New Orleans Saints (-7) – A lot of the hype around this team is starting to die down, and I can see why. They were absolutely stifled on offense against this monster Vikings defensive unit, Brian Flores is doing a tremendous job over there and Tyler Shough had no chance. They are just missing something on both sides of the ball, not a finished article just yet.

25. New York Jets (+2) – A solid win for the Jets, they used the east coast weather to their advantage, taking a lead in the fourth and weathering the Cleveland storm. David Bailey, selected second overall in this year’s draft, had a true breakout game with five tackles and three sacks. He has announced himself in New York, great to see from such a talented player.

B Tier – Contenders in a slump, or dark horses

24. Philadelphia Eagles (-3) – More of the same for Philadelphia, who once again failed to close out a fourth-quarter lead and fell to 2-3. It’s a three-game losing streak for the Eagles, in part down to a host of injuries on both sides of the ball. The offense is really struggling without DeVonta Smith and numerous starting linemen.
Nick Sirianni’s decision to kick the ball to the Jaguars returner rather than into the endzone for the last gasp fireworks was a strange one to say the least. This loss, despite the injuries, sits firmly on his shoulders.

23. Las Vegas Raiders (-3) – Certainly, a step-back for this team, suffering a blowout loss to the New England Patriots. Fernando Mendoza got his first snaps for the Raiders after the game was lost and looked decent in his first appearance in the league. He’s got a level head which will serve him well in the NFL, I wonder how long we will wait before he takes over as starter in Vegas.

22. Houston Texans (+6) – Houston is finally on the board in week five, getting a vital win that keeps their season alive. CJ Stroud has looked excellent all year and was again against the Titans, eliminating the turnovers has been key for him. They face another crucial divisional matchup this week, heading to London to face the Jags.

21. Cleveland Browns (-3) – Despite another attempt at fourth quarter magic by DeShaun Watson, the Browns had a three-match win streak snapped at MetLife, falling to 3-2. I would be surprised if any Cleveland fan is disappointed with that start. I know they could and maybe should have beaten the Jets, but this is a team on the up, if they can figure out the quarterback position for good.

20. Indianapolis Colts (-5) – A tough week for the Colts, who fell further behind Jacksonville in the AFC South after a loss in Pittsburgh. The game wasn’t as close as the score suggested, Indy couldn’t get anything going on offense. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt this week as a hangover from last week’s trip across the pond will have been a factor.

19. Atlanta Falcons (-5) – Michael Penix’s injury killed all the Falcon’s hopes against the Ravens, which is a concern for this team given his injury history. Tua, when he came into the game late on, looked like he was forcing the issue and that ended in an interception. I’ve still got hope for this team in one of the league’s weaker divisions.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers (+6) – This team keeps flip-flopping from mediocre to incredible, with Aaron Rodgers leading the Steelers to the latter performance to advance to 3-2. A lot of Pittsburgh’s success will depend on Rodgers and his offense, who have been hit and miss throughout 2026. The defense did everything they needed to, restricting Jonathan Taylor all game long. If the offense finds a consistent standard, they could be dangerous down the stretch.

17. New York Giants (-5) – A strange game for a strange division. Having faced a two-touchdown deficit midway through the final quarter, the Giants I’m sure would’ve settled for a tie. However, the overtime game-management, from both teams, was unforgivable. The farce on Washington’s final drive will see the Giants in a better light, but don’t get me wrong there will be questions as to why they aren’t 4-1 heading into week six.Nick Sirianni’s decision to kick the ball to the Jaguars returner rather than into the endzone for the last gasp fireworks was a strange one to say the least. This loss, despite the injuries, sits firmly on his shoulders.

A Tier – Contenders for a playoff win

16. Green Bay Packers (+7) – Like New England, the Packers have shown up when it mattered most, taking advantage of a Bears team without Caleb Williams to pull off the huge upset. It was all air-raid for Matt LaFleur’s offense in week five, he knows Chicago’s weakness is in the secondary and they used it to devastating effect. Jordan Love looked excellent, but the lack of a run game is still a worry in Green Bay.

15. Dallas Cowboys (-4) – An absolute catastrophe, and that’s being generous. I saw this as a bit of a freebie for a Cowboys team who have one of the best offenses in the NFL. We all know the issues they have on defense, but facing a 0-4 Tampa team, at home, it looked almost too easy. They have missed a massive opportunity to steal a march in the NFC East, which looks anyone’s game at the moment.

14. New England Patriots (+8) – Last week’s win in Buffalo has ignited New England’s season, they are a team full of confidence and momentum, which showed in week five. Drake Maye has really turned his season around with successive impressive games, he was absolutely sensational against the Raiders and is back in MVP-like form.

13. Chicago Bears (-4) – This game exposed what is wrong on Chicago right now, but unfortunately only one issue will be fixed soon. The Bears need Caleb Williams desperately; he is crucial to this offense and his absence was key to the loss to Green Bay. As for the secondary, that will be a harder issue to fix, Jordan Love had a day against this defense and that’s the main reason as to why.

12. Cincinnati Bengals (+4) – Joe Burrow and company cruised to victory in Miami, putting back-to-back losses behind them in a game that wasn’t particularly close. It felt like a good confidence booster for this team after two disappointing losses. The Bengals have had a really tough schedule to start the season, but it feels like they can get a run going heading into the bye week.

11. Detroit Lions (+6) – I know it’s only the Cardinals, but this was much better from the Lions, especially on the defensive side of the ball. There is still work to be done but it was certainly an improvement as they will hope to get Brian Branch back in the building. I’m surprised Jared Goff isn’t higher in the MVP race, he consistently plays excellent football, but he remains criminally underrated.

10. Carolina Panthers (+3) – Took a bye week in week five, but I have to move them up. They’ve got momentum and promise, something I can’t say for a lot of the teams around them.

9. Denver Broncos (+1) – The inability to start games on the front foot is going to cost Denver down the stretch, or at least it should. They have had a knack of the last season and a half to win games they had no place winning. I just don’t see it as sustainable; the offense needs something different to contend for the Super Bowl.

8. Minnesota Vikings (=) – They move to 5-0 after another impressive win, where we finally saw some life from this offense and Kyler Murray. That Justin Jefferson touchdown catch, wow, plays like that make him one of the best playmakers in this league, regardless of his recent quarterback situations.

S Tier – True Super Bowl Contenders

7. Los Angeles Rams (-1) – It just isn’t clicking so far for the Rams ‘superteam’, this special team’s unit is an absolute disaster. They are still a Super Bowl contender; I can’t rule them out with all the talent on the roster and coaching staff. On the bright side for the LA, the offense and defense are both playing at league-leading levels, if they can fix the special teams, they will be hard to stop.

6. Baltimore Ravens (+1) – Took a crucial overtime victory over the Falcons on Sunday night, despite missing Lamar Jackson. They have been impressive to start this year, and it seems like Baltimore haven’t fully hit their stride. The Ravens will face two critical division matchups against the Browns and the Bengals as their next two games.

5. Seattle Seahawks (-2) – Fell to 3-2 after a back-and-forth divisional matchup with the 49ers. This team remains a force in the NFC, but I have a few questions about the offense. Sam Darnold hasn’t returned to his Super Bowl winning form, and the running game is a disaster. However, this defense is enough to make the playoffs on its own.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (+1) – It wasn’t pretty, but thanks to some Special Teams magic in the dying seconds of the game, the Jags moved to 4-1 in their first London outing. Cam Little is something special, to drill a 57-yarder under all that pressure takes some nerve. That’s not mentioning defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton filling in as a replacement long-snapper. They face the Texans at Wembley in a week six divisional matchup.

3. Buffalo Bills (+1) – It’s fair to say they got away with it in overtime after James Cook fumbled the ball, seemingly handing the Rams the win. They took advantage of the LA special team’s issues to secure a hard-fought victory. Josh Allen was superb all night, he is at his best when Joe Brady gives him the freedom to do what he does best. He did, to devastating effect, and the Bills are 4-1.

2. Kansas City Chiefs (-1) – While on bye week, the 49ers took a massive win in Seattle, at Lumen Field, as the underdog. The Chiefs have looked excellent this year, but the 49ers have done enough to take this week’s top spot.

1. San Francisco 49ers (+1) – As it stands, I can’t see a weakness in this team. Injuries down the line have troubled this roster for multiple years, it’s an old roster and that’s to be expected. For now, though, they are looking unbeatable. Brock Purdy and Mike Evans are a dangerous, of course if Evans is healthy.

EVAN COPELAND

NFL ANALYST

Evan is a Los Angeles Rams fan and sports journalism student at Lincoln University, with a keen interest in NFL writing, alongside golf and football. You can keep up with all of his content on X at @EvanCopeland26.

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