NFL Power Rankings: Rams Falter, Jets, Jags, Cardinals Biggest Risers in Rankings After Surprising Starts
he 2026 NFL season wasted no time shaking up the league hierarchy, with several contenders making statements and a handful of preseason favorites stumbling out of the gate. Week 1 matters, but these rankings balance the opening results with roster strength, quarterback play, injuries and the way teams are still being valued entering their next matchup. Check out the latest NFL Power Rankings entering Week 2 of the 2026 season.
Peter Alexis - September 15, 2026, 8:15 PM EDT
3 Minute ReadNFL Power Rankings After Week 1
One game should not erase an entire offseason of expectations, which is why the Rams remain firmly among the NFL's elite despite a rough opener against San Francisco. At the same time, teams such as Jacksonville, Arizona and the Jets earned meaningful respect by producing convincing Week 1 victories rather than simply being held down by preseason projections.
The rankings will become increasingly reactive as the sample grows, but the early balance is important. Buffalo and Baltimore looked every bit like championship threats, Chicago's offense exploded, Jacksonville made one of the biggest jumps in the league and the bottom tier is reserved for teams that already showed legitimate reasons for concern.
Click here for complete NFL Odds
NFL Power Rankings Breakdown - Entering Week 2
Super Bowl Contenders
1. Buffalo Bills
Buffalo survived Houston 36-31 behind another huge Josh Allen performance, opening the year with exactly the type of high-level win expected from a championship favorite. The Bills host Detroit on Thursday night as 3.5-point favorites.
2. Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore rolled up 506 yards in a 41-23 win at Indianapolis as Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and Zay Flowers overwhelmed the Colts. Flowers' hamstring injury is worth monitoring, but Baltimore remains an 8.5-point home favorite over New Orleans.
3. Seattle Seahawks
Seattle survived New England 13-10 despite losing Sam Darnold on the opening drive, reinforcing how deep the defending champions remain. Darnold will miss Week 2, leaving Drew Lock to start with the Seahawks still laying 4.5 points at Arizona.
4. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams were thoroughly outplayed in a 27-7 loss to San Francisco, but one bad game does not erase a roster that entered the season as one of the NFL's strongest. Myles Garrett's knee surgery and injured-reserve stint hurt, but Los Angeles is still a 7-point home favorite over the Giants.
5. Chicago Bears
Chicago produced the offensive performance of Week 1, hanging 59 points on Carolina as Caleb Williams immediately looked comfortable directing the attack. The Bears are 5.5-point home favorites against Minnesota after opening closer to a field goal.
6. San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco made perhaps the strongest opening statement by dismantling the Rams 27-7 in Australia. The 49ers now return home with one of Week 2's biggest spreads as 12.5-point favorites against Miami.
7. Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati opened with a 33-27 win over Tampa Bay while forcing four turnovers, an encouraging early sign for a defense that needed to improve. The Bengals get a tougher test at Houston as 3-point underdogs.
8. Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City looked revitalized in a 31-10 rout of Denver, with Kenneth Walker III rushing for 173 yards and giving Patrick Mahomes a dangerous new dimension. The Chiefs host Indianapolis as 6.5-point favorites.
Edge of Contention
9. Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia was pushed to the finish by Washington but escaped with a 24-22 divisional victory. Losing Pro Bowl guard Landon Dickerson to injured reserve hurts the offensive line, though the Eagles remain 7-point road favorites at Tennessee.
10. Houston Texans
Houston fell 36-31 to Buffalo, but going punch-for-punch with one of the league's strongest teams did little to damage its standing. The Texans remain respected as 3-point home favorites against undefeated Cincinnati.
11. Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville deserves one of the week's biggest jumps after demolishing Cleveland 34-10 behind four Trevor Lawrence touchdown passes. Brian Thomas Jr. is expected to play through a shoulder issue, and the Jaguars are only 2.5-point underdogs at Denver despite the Broncos' strong preseason reputation.
12. Denver Broncos
Denver's 31-10 loss at Kansas City was a major disappointment after last season's 13-win campaign, with both the offense and normally reliable defense struggling. The Broncos get a chance to stabilize as 2.5-point home favorites over Jacksonville.
13. Detroit Lions
Detroit nearly squandered a huge lead but recovered to beat New Orleans 31-30 in overtime, with Jahmyr Gibbs again serving as the engine of the offense. The Lions now face a major measuring stick as 3.5-point underdogs at Buffalo.
14. New England Patriots
New England led Seattle late before falling 13-10, so the opener was hardly a disaster against the defending champions. Losing A.J. Brown to injured reserve with a high ankle sprain is a major concern, but the Patriots are 5.5-point home favorites over Pittsburgh.
15. Green Bay Packers
Green Bay's 39-22 loss at Minnesota was one of Week 1's more disappointing results, but there is still too much talent here to overreact immediately. The Packers remain 4.5-point road favorites against a Jets team coming off an impressive win.
Middle of the Pack
16. Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota rallied past Green Bay 39-22 after Kyler Murray left with a concussion, with Carson Wentz throwing three touchdowns in relief. Wentz is expected to start at Chicago with the Vikings 5.5-point underdogs.
17. New York Giants
The Giants earned immediate respect by beating Dallas 28-20 in a prime-time opener that looked considerably more convincing than many preseason projections suggested. New York gets a much tougher test as a 7-point underdog at the Rams.
18. Arizona Cardinals
Arizona went on the road and stunned the Chargers 26-14, earning one of the biggest Week 1 upgrades in the league. The Cardinals now host Seattle as 4.5-point underdogs, a massive improvement from a line that originally opened around Seattle -10.
19. Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers looked rusty and flat in a 26-14 home loss to Arizona, an especially disappointing opener for a team with legitimate postseason expectations. Ladd McConkey is day-to-day with a rib injury, while Los Angeles is still favored by 7 over Las Vegas.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh leaned on its defense in a 20-13 road win over Atlanta and did enough offensively to control the game. The Steelers remain a difficult team to gauge and travel to New England as 5.5-point underdogs.
21. Dallas Cowboys
Dallas stumbled immediately with a 28-20 loss to the Giants, reopening concerns about whether the roster belongs among the NFC's upper tier. The Cowboys return home as 3.5-point favorites over Washington despite injuries to DeMarvion Overshown and Malik Hooker.
22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay moved the football effectively against Cincinnati but four turnovers ruined an otherwise competitive performance in a 33-27 loss. The Buccaneers get one of the week's best rebound spots as 8.5-point home favorites over Cleveland.
23. New Orleans Saints
New Orleans nearly erased a 21-point deficit before falling 31-30 in overtime at Detroit, giving the Saints far more encouragement than the final result alone suggests. The challenge becomes much harder this week as 8.5-point underdogs at Baltimore.
24. New York Jets
The Jets deserve a real bump after controlling Tennessee 23-10 on the road and looking like a much more functional team than expected. Injuries to Minkah Fitzpatrick and Omar Cooper Jr. bear watching before New York hosts Green Bay as a 4.5-point underdog.
25. Las Vegas Raiders
Las Vegas quietly handled Miami 27-13 in Klint Kubiak's debut, with Ashton Jeanty delivering the type of performance expected from him entering the season. Brock Bowers is day-to-day after a knee procedure, and the Raiders visit the Chargers as 7-point underdogs.
Needs Improvement
26. Washington Commanders
Washington lost 24-22 at Philadelphia but showed considerably more fight than its preseason expectations suggested, coming within a two-point conversion of potentially forcing overtime. The Commanders head to Dallas as 3.5-point underdogs.
27. Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis had no defensive answer for Baltimore in a 41-23 loss that saw the Ravens pile up more than 500 yards. The Colts now face another AFC heavyweight as 6.5-point underdogs at Kansas City.
28. Carolina Panthers
Carolina scoring 37 points was an encouraging sign for the offense, but allowing Chicago to score 59 makes it impossible to overlook the defensive problems. The Panthers are slight 1.5-point road favorites over Atlanta after opening as underdogs.
29. Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta managed only 13 points in a home loss to Pittsburgh and left the game with additional personnel concerns. Da'Shawn Hand is out for the season while Chris Lindstrom entered concussion protocol, and the Falcons are now slight home underdogs against Carolina.
Already Tanking for Next Year
30. Tennessee Titans
Tennessee produced only 10 points in a lifeless home loss to the Jets and struggled badly to establish any offensive rhythm. The Titans now host Philadelphia as 7-point underdogs with immediate pressure on the offense to show progress.
31. Miami Dolphins
Miami's rebuild opened with a 27-13 loss at Las Vegas as Malik Willis took five sacks and the offense struggled to sustain drives. Rookie safety Kyle Louis will also miss Week 2, when the Dolphins visit San Francisco as massive 12.5-point underdogs.
32. Cleveland Browns
Cleveland was demolished 34-10 by Jacksonville and offered very little reason for optimism on either side of the ball. The Browns remain at the bottom before visiting Tampa Bay as 8.5-point underdogs.
More NFL Odds
Affiliate Disclosure.
We are not a gambling or betting operator, but we receive a commission from these companies when we advertise their brands and refer customers to them (affiliate marketing). We provide information, odds information and links to websites of these companies. Some of the information made available on our site may be positioned as a result of a commission paid to us by a third party. We do not take or place bets/transactions and any information on Our Products is provided for entertainment purposes only.
