NFL power rankings 2026: Chiefs close on No. 1, Giants dart up in way-too-early projections

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With Super Bowl 60 behind us, the race for Super Bowl 61 is underway, starting with the newly crowned Seattle Seahawks and the rest of the league as they head into the all-important 2026 offseason of free agency and the draft, with all 32 teams looking to improve their championship chances.

While some familiar heavyweight contenders—including the two teams that played in the latest Super Bowl—are favorites to remain playoff powers, surprises are likely, just as the Seahawks and New England Patriots have shown.

Here’s a way-too-early look at the NFL hierarchy, from the best in the NFC West to the worst in the Jets:

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NFL Power Rankings 2026

1. Seattle Seahawks (final 2025 regular season ranking: 1)

The Seahawks, fresh off winning Super Bowl 60, have a lot of cap space to keep some of their key young defensive pieces intact for Mike Macdonald and will be in good shape further helping Sam Darnold by keeping similar offensive concepts with Klint Kubiak about to leave for Las Vegas.

2. Los Angeles Rams (6)

The Rams should be right in the mix to win the NFC and push the Seahawks and 49ers for the best record in the West with MVP Matthew Stafford returning to lead Sean McVay's most prolific offense yet and the young defense still growing.

3. Buffalo Bills (10)

The Bills moved on from Sean McDermott but kept the key offensive continuity for their MVP QB, Josh Allen, by promoting Joe Brady. Buffalo is still very close to its big breakthrough to a Super Bowl ring.

4. New England Patriots (2)

The Patriots will be in the hunt again and be a consistent AFC playoff staple thanks to the leadership of Mike Vrabel and quarterbacking of Drake Maye. They will work to keep the right defensive pieces and have proved they are willing to spend with Maye on a rookie deal. He will get the line and receiving help he needs for Year 3.

5. Kansas City Chiefs (24)

The Chiefs won't be falling off from contention with one down non-playoff season with Patrick Mahomes. Andy Reid is still there, too, with the right offensive and defensive reinforcements on the way.

6. Philadelphia Eagles (8)

The Eagles are right there ready to rebound with the Chiefs after not being able to get back to the Super Bowl with Jalen Hurts and some new offensive optimism to go with a strong young defensive foundation.

7. San Francisco 49ers (5)

The 49ers should be back with better health defensively to make that a strength again but there are some age, injury and receiving personnel questions developing for Kyle Shahanan's offense.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars (4)

The Jaguars are feeling with it MVP candidate QB Trevor Lawrence leading Liam Coen's offense in Year 2 and they also avoided defensive coaching brain drain for a dynamic front seven with secondary improvements on deck.

9. Chicago Bears (7)

The Bears won't be going away in the NFC title race and should become more complete to repeat in the North with Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson getting more complementary defensive stability.

10. Denver Broncos (3)

The Broncos will be hoping for further passing evoluation of Bo Nix in the offense with more help from the running game. The defense should be good enough for a third consecutive playoff trip.

11. Houston Texans (9)

The Texans have become a defensive dominant team under DeMeco Ryans but need to support C.J. Stroud better with the offensive line and steadier running game.

12. Green Bay Packers (12)

The Packers kept Matt LaFleur despite another playoff disappointment and their defense will hope Micah Parsons can be healthy soon for the new scheme. Jordan Love and the offense have some free-agent concerns, too.

13. Los Angeles Chargers (11)

The Chargers will hope for a better run of health at running back and the offensive line to help Justin Herbert's play improve in Mike McDaniel's system. Jim Harbaugh needs his breakthrough soon after the Broncos were first to displace the Chiefs.

14. Baltimore Ravens (14)

The Ravens are rebooting without John Harbaugh but borrowed well from Jim and John with Jesse Minter taking over as defensive-minded coach. They should be right back in the AFC title mix with a healthy Lamar Jackson.

15. Detroit Lions (15)

The Lions didn't take advantage of their big winning window and injuries helped derail the grand plans under Dan Campbell. They hope to rediscover their coaching mojo and also get better defensive talent around Aidan Hutchinson and Jack Campbell.

16. Cincinnati Bengals (25)

The Bengals are a tough team to read because they stuck with Zac Taylor and the defense still needs work. Joe Burrow makes them a high-reward team but there's high risk, too, putting them in the middle for now.

17. Dallas Cowboys (19)

The Cowboys are stuck behind the Eagles and should see the Commanders rebound and the Giants greatly improve. They got more respectable defensively late and need to build on that to consistently complement Dak Prescott in Brian Schottenheimer's offense.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers (13)

The Steelers are trying to re-create the Packers' magic that beat them in Super Bowl 45 with the Aaron Rodgers-Mike McCarthy combination. They will need to help defense more than one would think and

19. Indianapolis Colts (17)

The Colts will need to figure out how much they want to keep Daniel Jones coming off his torn Achilles' and then fix plenty more defensively while also facing some offensive free-agent losses.

20. Minnesota Vikings (18)

The Vikings are at a crossroads with J.J. McCarthy and need to bring in some new competition to help Kevin O'Connell offense reobund, now without GM Kwesi Adolfo-Mensah making the decisions.

21. New York Giants (28)

The Giants will be a buzzy team to watch for a big turnaround a la the Patriots in 2025 because of Jaxson Dart's big second-year passing upside and optimism over John Harbaugh bringing superior Tom Coughlin-like coaching.

22. Washington Commanders (27)

The Commanders will want to go back to buzzing with Jayden Daniels, hoping their own dynamic dual threat QB will be healthy to deliver rookie-like play in Year 3.

23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (21)

The Buccaneers are the best of the weak NFC South despite their stumbling finish with Baker Mayfield and the defense. They will hope yet another offensive change will lift Mayfield

24. Atlanta Falcons (20)

The Falcons have some good optimism with Kevin Stefanski taking over the team and offense but it comes down to what they can get out of Michael Penix Jr with him in the latter's Year 3.

25. New Orleans Saints (23)

The Saints will hope to have a big second-year breakthrough with Tyler Shough under Kellen Moore and they have a shot at winning the division with key defensive improvements.

26. Carolina Panthers (16)

The Panthers were able to sneak into the playoffs and had plenty of optimism with Bryce Young under Dave Canales, but everything points to this division being topsy-turvy again.

27. Tennessee Titans (29)

The Titans have some promise with Cam Ward under Brian Daboll but they will need to trust a lot of offensive youth and Robert Saleh needs some defensive upgrades to get pleasing resutls

28. Las Vegas Raiders (32)

The Raiders jump up nicely from the bottom thanks to knowing they will have top pick QB Fernando Mendoza fresh off his Heismn and natty run, to become the new face of the part Tom Brady-owned franchise under the best possible offensive hire in Kubiak.

MORE: Ranking the Raiders' draft targets with presumed No. 1 pick

29. Cleveland Browns (26)

The Browns have Myles Garrett for new coach Todd Monken but will take some lumps defensively with Jim Schwartz gone. Offense remains a mess with a line overhaul needed with Shedeur Sanders being no surefire QB answer.

30. Miami Dolphins (22)

The Dolphins are starting the Jeff Halfey era with real questions about the QB future of Tua Tagovailoa and need plenty of work to improve defense, which the former Boston College coach and Packers assistant will make a priority.

Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers Week 15

31. Arizona Cardinals (30)

The Cardinals look like they will be changing QBs from Kyler Murray under new offensive-minded coach Mike LaFleur, who also will deal with some real defensive issues.

32. New York Jets (31)

The Jets don't have a real quarterback solution and fired their offensive coordinator under Aaron Glenn while desperate with limited personnel. The Jets need a real rebuild and may need to get even worse to get better.

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