NFL Power rankings: Who is heating up after Week One?

By Evan Copeland

The 2026 NFL season has officially begun and the race to Super Bowl LXI in Los Angeles is underway. With Week One now in the books, let’s take a look at how the 32 teams stack up after the weekend’s action.

Which teams failed to live up to expectations? Did anyone outperform the odds heading into the match? Who is in the Super Bowl conversation and is anyone already looking at the draft?

We rank all 32 NFL teams heading into week two, below.

D Tier – get watching College Football

32. Cleveland Browns (-3) – It took until midway through the third quarter for the Browns to get on the board against the Jaguars in week one, by which point they were down 31 points. The DeShaun Watson experiment already looks dead in the water, expect Shedeur Sanders to takeover in the coming weeks.

31. Miami Dolphins (+1) – I feel like Miami have to move off rock bottom based on how poor the Browns were, but this won’t be a trend. The Dolphins were comfortably beaten by the Raiders in week one despite two Kirk Cousins interceptions. One positive is rookie receiver Caleb Douglas, with nearly 100 yards on his NFL debut.

30. Tennessee Titans (-2) – The Titans come into year two with Quarterback Cam Ward, but didn’t look particularly inspiring against the Jets, with their first touchdown coming in the dying minutes of the game.
Ward was promising in his rookie year but needs to show more to fully convince me he is the guy in Nashville. I was disappointed in Robert Saleh’s defense after his impressive stint as DC of the 49ers, I need to see more from this team.

C Tier – No man’s land

29. Atlanta Falcons (-5) – The definition of quarterback hell. Having to choose between Michael Penix and Tua is bad enough, but injuries to both saw Cooper Rush under centre against the Steelers. They will always have a chance in the NFC South but could quickly slip into the lower tier if they continue to spiral.

28. New York Jets (+3) – Yes, it’s only the Titans, which is why the Jets only move up three spots this week. However, the Jets really impressed me to start the season, looking like a normal, functional football team, a rarity in New York.
Geno Smith wasn’t flashy but looked serviceable, and will have plenty of help this season, with the Jets core having plenty of potential. Look out for this team in the future.

27. Las Vegas Raiders (=) – As expected, Vegas cruised past a lacklustre Dolphins team, but it was Ashton Jeanty who stole the headlines. The second-year Running Back had 100 yards on the ground and two receiving touchdowns and could be in line for a breakout year. This team is one for the future and Jeanty will be crucial to that.

26. Washington Commanders (=) – Competed better than expected against the Eagles, in Philadelphia, but I still lack faith in this team. Jayden Daniels was average at best, a shadow of his rookie season, with the offense seeming out of gear for the most part. Stefon Diggs looked promising on his team debut.

25. Arizona Cardinals (+5) – Arguably the shock of the week. Whether or not the Chargers had an off day, Arizona looked excellent on both sides of the ball. Jacoby Brissett looked impressive alongside an underrated group of offensive weapons, with Jeremiyah Love finding his first career touchdown.
The defense was arguably even better for the Cardinals, shutting down one of the league’s most hyped-up offenses in LA. They’re in the hardest division in football, but don’t count out the Cardinals.

24. Indianapolis Colts (-1) – Indy got steamrolled by an impressive Ravens team on Daniel Jones’ return from injury, causing this small drop in the rankings. They just couldn’t keep up with the Ravens power-scoring but keep an eye on Jones as he continues to recover from the Achilles tear that ended his 2025 season.

B Tier – Outside shot at the playoffs

23. Pittsburgh Steelers (-4) – I know they are 1-0, but any win against the Atlanta Falcons and their dysfunctional quarterback room will do little to change my opinion. It looked slightly uninspiring from Pittsburgh on Mike McCarthy’s coaching debut, but a win this weekend at New England would boost their position.

22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-1) – Took a tough loss to the Bengals in week one but kept it at a one-score game despite four turnovers. They competed well against an impressive Cincinnati team and are well in the race to win the NFC South.

21. Carolina Panthers (+1) – Bryce Young and the Panthers offense looked terrific against the Bears, recording nearly 500 yards and 37 points but still trailing by three scores by the end of the fourth.
Simply put they came up against a nearly unstoppable offense which they couldn’t keep up with. Bryce Young looked excellent and if the defense can tighten up, they will challenge for a playoff berth.

20. Dallas Cowboys (-6) – Unfortunately it’s seeming like the same old story in Dallas, who took a tough loss to an impressive Giants team in week one. Last season’s high-powered offense didn’t make it to MetLife, with Dallas seeming out of gear to start the year. With the talent on the roster, we have to give them time, but pressure is mounting on Brian Schottenheimer.

19. Green Bay Packers (-4) – A concerning start to the year to say the least. Despite intercepting Kyler Murray within a minute and leading 10-0, Green Bay were torn apart by backup Carson Wentz, suffering an early divisional loss to the Vikings.
This offense is far too inconsistent to have the Packers in regular contention, with Matt LeFleur already on the hot seat after a six-game losing streak. This week’s trip to face the Jets is now pivotal.

18. New Orleans Saints (+2) – After a slow start from Tyler Shough in etroit, the Saints offense bounced back in style in the second half to push the Lions all the way into overtime. Outgaining the dynamic Detroit offense will boost this team’s momentum.
I still see them as favourites for the NFC South, and the second half at Ford Field only boosted my confidence.

17. New York Giants (+8) – Are the G men back under John Harbaugh? It certainly looks like that could be the case after they dominated the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football, with the Dart and Skattebo duo back in full force.
I believe the Giants could be an outside pick to win the division this season. The core of the team has bags of potential and Harbaugh is building something special in New York. With doubts over the Eagles and Cowboys, could the Giants win the East?

16. Minnesota Vikings (+2) – Defeated a lacklustre Green Bay team to put themselves well in the race to win the NFC North. The quarterback situation, with Murray going down with a confusion in week one, still remains a question mark heading into the rest of the year.

A Tier – Outside Super Bowl chance

15. New England Patriots (-5) – Last year’s AFC Champions endured a torrid evening at Lumen Field to start the year, narrowly falling to the defending champion Seahawks, who lost Sam Darnold on the first drive. Drake Maye looked uncomfortable all night, throwing three crucial picks, and the Patriots have lost AJ Brown to IR. They face the Steelers in Foxborough in week two.

14. Los Angeles Chargers (-8) – I think catastrophe sums it up. The media had Justin Herbert and the Chargers offense in MVP conversations heading into the season, but they flattered to deceive those expectations.
You would think the Cardinals, followed by the Raiders up next, were two gimmies to start an absolute gauntlet of a schedule. There is now a very realistic chance they are almost out of playoff contention heading into midseason.

13. Houston Texans (-2) – I can’t offer too much criticism when you come up against Josh Allen in that kind of form. He is just unplayable. I thought CJ Stroud and the Texans offense looked promising for the large part, despite a game sealing fumble on the final drive.

12. Jacksonville Jaguars (+5) – There is a significant argument for the Jags to be ranked higher this week, after they dismantled the Browns to start their season. Trevor Lawrence looked fantastic and it seemed effortless for Jacksonville. Bear in mind, it’s only the Browns but watch out for the Jaguars this year.

11. Cincinnati Bengals (+5) – Another big riser in this week’s rankings, as the Bengals got off to the perfect start against a solid Bucs team. Joe Burrow was solid but didn’t have to be more, as the defense disrupted Tampa Bay all game. They should push the Ravens all the way in the AFC North.

10. Detroit Lions (+3) – Detroit took a narrow win over an impressive Saints team but expect more to come from the Lions. The offense didn’t look at its free flowing best throughout the game but did enough to get into the win column to start the season. They face the Bills on Thursday Night Football to begin week two.

9. Philadelphia Eagles (-1) – It might seem harsh after starting the season with a win, but they weren’t exactly impressive against the Commanders. Jalen Hurts showed flashes of brilliance through the air, but I need to see more from this team.

8. Denver Broncos (-4) – I’ll cut Denver some slack this week, even though they were dismantled by the Chiefs. Bo Nix is coming off a major injury to end last season, and the signs were still there that he is not quite at his best. However, like the Chargers, they face a gauntlet over the next few games and can’t let the Chiefs get away in the AFC West.

7. San Francisco 49ers (+5) – While the Melbourne game is a bit of a one-off, the 49ers looked really impressive and dominated the Rams down under. The roster is full of big-time players, and they should make a dep run if they can stay healthy.

6. Kansas City Chiefs (+4) – Are the Chiefs back? The arrival of Kenneth Walkker seems to have unlocked this offense, taking the pressure off Mahomes to perform immediately after his ACL tear. When he gets back to full strength this team look scary.
Mansoor Delane impressed on debut, picking off Bo Nix, as it seems Steve Spagnuolo has got this Chefs defense back firing.

S Tier – Juggernauts

5. Chicago Bears (+2) – Ben Johnson and Caleb Willaims want a record-setting offense, and they could get just that. The Bears looked tremendous against the Carolina Panthers in week one, with 59 points an absurd level of scoring. The defense looks leaky and could be a concern against better opposition.

4. Los Angeles Rams (-3) – I am willing to give Sean McVay and his team the benefit of the doubt this week. The Melbourne game was always going to be tricky, and I don’t think the Rams helped themselves with their travel plans.
With Myles Garrett now on IR, they face a tricky test in week two, hosting the Giants as they seek a quick bounce back.

3. Baltimore Ravens (+2) – Lamar Jackson’s third MVP campaign starts now, as does Jesse Mibter’s for Coach of the Year. This Baltimore team looked excellent on both sides of the ball and could be a powerhouse in 2026. Well in the running for the number one seed in the AFC.

2. Seattle Seahawks (=) – Despite the Rams’ loss, I don’t think the champions did enough to move into the top spot this week, despite starting with a win. I just need to see a bit more from the offense. They will be without Sam Darnold as they face the Cardinals this week.

1. Buffalo Bills (+2) – Heading into Sunday’s action, I felt a strong Bills win and performance would seem them take top spot. Houston has often had Josh Allen’s number in the past, but the 2024 MVP was unplayable in week one.
The Bills looked impressive on both sides of the ball and gave Joe Brady a signature debut win. They are my team to beat heading into week two.

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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