The 2026 NFL season is finally here, and the Super Bowl race already looks wide open. With Week 1 approaching, teams are being judged on their 2025 performances, offseason moves, roster strength, quarterback play and their potential to compete for Super Bowl LXI.
Our NFL Power Rankings Week 1 2026 put the Los Angeles Rams at No. 1, followed closely by the defending champion Seattle Seahawks and the Buffalo Bills.
The rankings are still preseason projections because every team enters Week 1 with a 0-0 record. However, several teams have already separated themselves from the rest of the league on paper.
NFL Power Rankings Week 1 2026
| Rank | Team | Outlook |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles Rams | Super Bowl Favorite |
| 2 | Seattle Seahawks | Defending Champions |
| 3 | Buffalo Bills | AFC Contender |
| 4 | Houston Texans | Rising Super Bowl Threat |
| 5 | Baltimore Ravens | Major Comeback Candidate |
| 6 | Philadelphia Eagles | NFC Contender |
| 7 | Denver Broncos | AFC Dark Horse |
| 8 | Los Angeles Chargers | Playoff Threat |
| 9 | San Francisco 49ers | Dangerous Veteran Core |
| 10 | Kansas City Chiefs | High-Upside Bounce-Back Team |
Before diving into our latest power rankings, check out the NFL Standings to see where every team currently sits in the league.
1. Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams enter the season as our No. 1 team.
The Rams already had one of the NFL’s strongest rosters, but their offseason additions made the team even more dangerous. The arrival of Myles Garrett and other defensive reinforcements gives Los Angeles an elite combination of pass rush and secondary talent.
Matthew Stafford also gives the Rams something extremely valuable: veteran experience at quarterback.
PFF has the Rams No. 1 entering Week 1 and gives them a 79% chance of making the playoffs and a 14% chance of winning the Super Bowl.
The biggest question is whether the Rams can finally finish the job after falling short against Seattle last season.
Power Ranking: No. 1
2. Seattle Seahawks
The defending Super Bowl champions deserve plenty of respect.
Seattle enters 2026 with a strong defense and an offense led by Jaxon Smith-Njigba and quarterback Sam Darnold. The Seahawks also have the advantage of entering the season with a championship-tested roster.
PFF ranks Seattle No. 2, while PFT has the Seahawks at No. 1. That difference shows just how close the top of the league is entering Week 1.
Seattle’s first major test comes immediately against the New England Patriots on September 9.
Power Ranking: No. 2
3. Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen remains the biggest reason to believe Buffalo can finally win its first Super Bowl of the modern era.
The Bills have been one of the AFC’s most consistent teams, and the promotion of Joe Brady to head coach creates an interesting new chapter for the franchise.
Buffalo’s biggest concern is its defense. If the unit can become more consistent, the Bills could be one of the toughest teams to beat in January.
PFF gives Buffalo a 77% playoff probability and an 8% Super Bowl probability entering the season.
Power Ranking: No. 3
4. Houston Texans
Houston could be one of the biggest stories of the 2026 NFL season.
The Texans already have an impressive defense featuring players such as Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. The biggest question is whether C.J. Stroud and the offense can take a major step forward.
Houston’s defense gives the team a high floor, but its championship ceiling depends heavily on the offense creating more explosive plays.
PFF ranks Houston sixth, while PFT places the Texans third, showing how highly analysts view their potential.
Power Ranking: No. 4
5. Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens are one of the biggest bounce-back candidates in the NFL.
Baltimore missed the playoffs last season, but a healthy Lamar Jackson could completely change the team’s outlook.
The Ravens also have a new defensive direction under Jesse Minter. If that defense quickly adapts, Baltimore has enough talent to challenge for the AFC championship.
PFF ranks Baltimore fourth entering Week 1.
Power Ranking: No. 5
6. Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia remains one of the NFC’s most talented teams.
The Eagles did not have the season they wanted in 2025, but the roster still has enough star power to compete for the playoffs and potentially make a deep postseason run.
The biggest question is consistency.
If Philadelphia can avoid the problems that affected the team last season, the Eagles could quickly move higher in these rankings.
Power Ranking: No. 6
7. Denver Broncos
Denver is one of the most interesting teams entering Week 1.
The Broncos have built a strong defense and added offensive weapons around their quarterback. The arrival of Jaylen Waddle could provide another dimension to the passing game.
PFT ranks Denver fourth in its Week 1 rankings, while PFF places the Chargers ahead of them.
That makes Denver one of the biggest teams to watch during the opening weeks.
Power Ranking: No. 7
8. Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers have made the playoffs in each of Jim Harbaugh’s first two seasons, but 2026 could be the year their offense finally takes another step.
Justin Herbert remains the centerpiece of the team.
The addition of Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator creates an intriguing combination of Herbert’s arm talent and a more creative offensive system.
PFF ranks Los Angeles fifth entering Week 1.
Power Ranking: No. 8
9. San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers may be ranked lower than their star power suggests, but they are still one of the NFL’s most dangerous teams.
The return of Nick Bosa is especially important. San Francisco’s defensive coordinator Raheem Morris confirmed that Bosa will play against the Rams in the season opener. George Kittle is also expected to have a chance to return after recovering from an Achilles injury.
With Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams, Bosa and Kittle, San Francisco has enough talent to climb quickly.
Power Ranking: No. 9
10. Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs are the biggest wild card in our top 10.
Kansas City missed the playoffs last season, but it is extremely difficult to count out a team led by Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid.
Mahomes is returning from ACL surgery, while the roster has undergone significant changes. Kenneth Walker III is expected to add another dimension to the rushing attack.
PFF ranks Kansas City 12th, while other Week 1 rankings place the Chiefs around the middle of the top 15.
If Mahomes returns to his normal form, the Chiefs could quickly climb these rankings.
Power Ranking: No. 10
Biggest NFL Power Ranking Questions Before Week 1
Can the Rams win Super Bowl LXI?
The Rams have one of the strongest rosters in football and enter the season as a major Super Bowl favorite.
Their biggest challenge will be staying healthy and navigating the NFC.
Can the Seahawks repeat?
Seattle has already proven it can win the biggest game.
Now the challenge is avoiding the Super Bowl hangover and replacing important pieces from last year’s championship roster.
Is Josh Allen finally going to win the Super Bowl?
Buffalo continues to have one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks.
The Bills’ defense could determine whether this becomes another playoff disappointment or a championship season.
Can Patrick Mahomes bring Kansas City back?
The Chiefs are one of the most difficult teams to rank.
They have enough talent to make a deep playoff run, but their quarterback’s recovery and the revamped roster create legitimate questions entering Week 1.
NFL Week 1 Games to Watch
The first week immediately gives fans several major storylines.
The defending champion Seattle Seahawks host the New England Patriots on September 9, while the San Francisco 49ers face the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne on September 10.
The 49ers-Rams matchup is especially interesting because Nick Bosa is expected to return for San Francisco.
Later in the week, Buffalo travels to Houston, Baltimore visits Indianapolis, Philadelphia hosts Washington and Dallas travels to the New York Giants.
The first Monday Night Football matchup features the Denver Broncos visiting the Kansas City Chiefs.
Final NFL Power Rankings Week 1 2026
The Rams are our No. 1 team entering the 2026 NFL season, but there is very little separating the top contenders.
Seattle has championship confidence, Buffalo has Josh Allen, Houston has an elite defense, Baltimore has Lamar Jackson and Kansas City still has Patrick Mahomes.
That means these rankings could change dramatically after just a few weeks.
The most important thing to remember is that these are preseason Week 1 power rankings, not actual standings. Every team is still 0-0, and the first month of the season will provide much more evidence about which teams are genuine Super Bowl contenders.
NFL Power Rankings Week 1 2026 — Top 10
- Los Angeles Rams
- Seattle Seahawks
- Buffalo Bills
- Houston Texans
- Baltimore Ravens
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Denver Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers
- San Francisco 49ers
- Kansas City Chiefs
The real race begins now.
