Walt
I'm going to use these rankings as the order for my 2027 NFL Mock Draft during the early stages of the 2026 season. Follow @walterfootball.
NFL Power Rankings updated Oct. 13, 2026
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San Francisco 49ers (5-0)Team Hub - Previously: 1.
It's hard to argue against the 49ers having the top spot in the power rankings. Granted, the Seahawks gifted them plenty of points, but San Francisco took advantage, and Mike Evans was dominant.
If you haven't visited the site in a while, you may have noticed the new look. Yes, after nearly two decades, we've finally re-designed our site to be more modern. This was not done on a whim, but rather out of necessity because of what occurred during the 2023 NFL Draft. Our site crashed during the entire first day of the draft, which was disastrous for our revenue stream because we make more money during the draft than any other time. The site crashed because a line of code conflicted with the old format of the site, so we had to transition to this new look.
Because we lost so much money during the draft, I want to point out that you can really help support the site by paying for the ad-free version of it. It's $8.99 per month, but you'll get a super-fast site with no ads. My developer will be adding new features to paid subscribers as well, so look for that in the near future. If you don't want to pay, please spread the word about the site through word of mouth. That would also be a big help!
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Buffalo Bills (4-1)Team Hub - Previously: 2.
The Bills had an incredible win in Los Angeles. However, the pass defense continues to be a huge problem. If the Rams didn't inexplicably settle for a field goal with Melvis in overtime, the Bills likely would have lost two in a row. They should target a defensive back at the trade deadline.
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Los Angeles Rams (2-3)Team Hub - Previously: 3.
It's hard to believe that the Rams are 2-3. So much for those 17-0 predictions! Despite their current record, the Rams have a great chance to win the Super Bowl. They're going to be a dangerous force once they get Myles Garrett back from injury.
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Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1)Team Hub - Previously: 4.
Liam Coen had a dismal coaching performance in London. The Jaguars were not prepared to play whatsoever, committing countless penalties and constantly derailing their chances of winning. They outgained the Eagles, 408-232, and averaged 6.0 yards per play compared to Philadelphia's 3.9, yet they needed a miraculous kickoff return to win because of all their mistakes.
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Baltimore Ravens (4-1)Team Hub - Previously: 5.
What a comeback by the Ravens on Sunday night. Tyler Huntley was amazing down the stretch. That was a huge win for Baltimore, allowing the team to tread water as it waits for Lamar Jackson to return.
This ranking assumes Jackson will return this week.
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Seattle Seahawks (3-2)Team Hub - Previously: 6.
The Seahawks only had themselves to blame. They made numerous mistakes on offense that gifted the 49ers free points. Then, at the very end, Jaxon Smith-Njigba dropped a pass that would have led to a game-tying field goal at the very least.
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Kansas City Chiefs (4-0)Team Hub - Previously: 7.
The Chiefs haven't looked too convincing following their Week 1 blowout over Denver. They're 4-0, but they beat the Colts by three in overtime and then allowed the Dolphins and Raiders to hang around for most of those game. They beat the Raiders by three, but needed a fumbled kickoff return to get the victory.
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Cincinnati Bengals (3-2)Team Hub - Previously: 9.
The Bengals bounced back well following their embarrassing loss to the Jaguars. The final score says it was only 31-24, but Cincinnati led 28-10 at the end of the third quarter and 31-18 with two minutes remaining. The Dolphins naturally managed a backdoor push, but couldn't quite get the cover because of a missed extra point.
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Chicago Bears (3-2)Team Hub - Previously: 8.
So much for Tyson Bagent being one of the better backup quarterbacks in the NFL. He was utterly atrocious against the Packers, and I guess we should have seen it coming because he had three interceptions negated by penalties against the Jets. Caleb Williams can't get back on the field soon enough, and I imagine he's going to miraculously feel better this week.
I'm not moving the Bears down because Williams is likely to return next week.
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New England Patriots (3-2)Team Hub - Previously: 14.
Drake Maye was seen crying on the sidelines two weeks ago. Ever since then, he went to Buffalo and upset the Bills before destroying the Raiders, who were ranked seventh defensively heading into Week 5.
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Detroit Lions (3-2)Team Hub - Previously: 12.
The Lions got off to a rocky start against the Cardinals but bounced back incredibly well. Unfortunately for us, Jared Goff couldn't quite complete the ladder, falling just four yards shy of the top rung. We've been snakebitten on those this year, but we'll get them soon.
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Minnesota Vikings (5-0)Team Hub - Previously: 13.
The Vikings are 5-0, but they're so difficult to trust. They had trouble pulling away from the Saints and needed Tyler Shough to make multiple mistakes. Granted, the Vikings shot themselves in the foot a couple of times as well. However, when they go up against a great offense, it's going to be difficult for them to engage the opponent in a shootout.
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Denver Broncos (3-2)Team Hub - Previously: 11.
The Broncos won their first game with Sean Payton calling the plays this year, but let's not get too excited. They were outgained by a Chargers team playing four rookies on the offensive line, and they averaged just 3.9 yards per play.
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Carolina Panthers (2-2)Team Hub - Previously: 17.
The Panthers look like a legitimate playoff team. They could easily be 3-1 right now, and Bryce Young is finally performing like a No. 1 overall pick.
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Dallas Cowboys (2-3)Team Hub - Previously: 10.
Let's see. The Cowboys scored 31 against the Ravens in Brazil and then 34 against the Texans in Houston. But they couldn't get more than 10 against the Antoine Winfield-less Buccaneers in garbage time? Either the fix was in, or the Cowboys put forth zero effort in the game.
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Houston Texans (1-4)Team Hub - Previously: 18.
The Texans were 0-3 last year before getting off the schneid with a 26-0 victory over the Titans. They were 0-4 this year before getting off the schneid with a 26-3 win over Tennessee. Can Houston once again reach the playoffs like it did in 2025? Either way, it's really paid off for the Texans that they've been able to schedule their homecoming game at the right time each year.
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Atlanta Falcons (2-3)Team Hub - Previously: 15.
The Falcons actually looked like a competent football team with professional quarterbacking. Unfortunately for them, Michael Penix Jr. might miss some action because of the injury he suffered at the end of the Baltimore loss. Tua Tagovailoa is also left-handed, but his brain is scrambled.
I've moved the Falcons down a bit in anticipation of Penix being sidelined.
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Green Bay Packers (3-2)Team Hub - Previously: 21.
The Packers are somehow 3-2 despite struggling on defense and being unable to block. They destroyed the Bears, but I think this makes them even more overrated, as Tyson Bagent basically handed them the game. I can't, however, ignore the praise that Jordan Love deserves for his amazing performance.
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Las Vegas Raiders (3-2)Team Hub - Previously: 16.
So much for the Raiders having a top-10 defense. They were ranked seventh defensively heading into their game at New England, but didn't stand a chance against Drake Maye, who probably could have put 50 points on them if he wanted to.
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Washington Redskins (1-3-1)Team Hub - Previously: 20.
I think we've seen enough from Dan Quinn as a head coach. There's no reason the Redskins should have run a play when they could have just kicked the field goal. Quinn is a brilliant defensive coordinator, but he has now failed twice as a head coach, and the Redskins need to go in a different direction next year.
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Indianapolis Colts (2-3)Team Hub - Previously: 22.
I don't know why the Colts didn't take a bye. They screwed themselves in this game against the Steelers. They looked exhausted defensively and couldn't stop anything Pittsburgh was doing following their international game and a road trip to Pittsburgh.
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New York Jets (2-3)Team Hub - Previously: 23.
The Jets' defense couldn't get off the field against the Bears in Week 4, but it responded very well, albeit against Deshaun Watson. The Jets limited Cleveland to just 198 net yards of offense and three yards per play.
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Cleveland Browns (3-2)Team Hub - Previously: 24.
The Browns were well rested heading into their game against the Jets, but perhaps they had too much time to hear about how great they were against the Steelers because they were completely outplayed by New York. Outside of one deep pass to Denzel Boston, they did nothing offensively the entire game.
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Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2)Team Hub - Previously: 25.
The Steelers are now 3-2 after rebounding well from their loss to the Browns. I'm still very skeptical about this offense, especially given that they can't block very well. The defense also allowed way too much production to an Indianapolis team with an injured quarterback.
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Philadelphia Eagles (2-3)Team Hub - Previously: 19.
Don't be fooled by the Eagles' near victory against the Jaguars in London. They were outgained by nearly 200 yards and averaged 2.1 fewer yards per play. The only reason they were close was that the Jaguars were a complete no-show. Despite Jacksonville playing one of its worst games possible, the Eagles still lost.
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New York Giants (3-1-1)Team Hub - Previously: 26.
The Giants got away with a tie in a game they should have lost based on how poorly they played through three quarters. However, they have to feel like they were robbed of a win because their kicker missed several field goals and Cam Skattebo lost a fumble in field goal range in overtime. Then again, perhaps Skattebo shouldn't be too down on himself because the Giants probably would have missed the field goal anyway.
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Arizona Cardinals (1-4)Team Hub - Previously: 28.
Arizona's win over the Chargers seems like a million years ago. The Cardinals have lost every game since that victory, with two of those defeats being blowouts at home.
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New Orleans Saints (1-4)Team Hub - Previously: 27.
It's quite apparent that many of us overrated the Saints heading into the season. They needed two comebacks against unfocused teams to look competent to start the year, but they've been dreadful since. Having said that, they have several injuries on defense, so when those players return, they'll play a little better.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-4)Team Hub - Previously: 31.
Jalon Daniels was incredible against the Cowboys. Incredible relative to what we saw in Green Bay, that is. There's no way a poor quarterback on just three days of prep time would have done so well, so maybe Tampa Bay has something in him.
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San Angeles Chargers (0-5)Team Hub - Previously: 29.
The Chargers are a complete disaster. It's actually pretty impressive that they were within one score of the Broncos, considering that they had no healthy receivers and their offensive line was comprised of four rookies, with only one of those blockers drafted before the fourth round.
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Tennessee Titans (0-5)Team Hub - Previously: 30.
No bulls**t backdoor cover for the Titans this week. Thankfully, the Texans shut the door on Tennessee's terrible offense and were able to dominate throughout the entire afternoon.
The Titans, by the way, are now 11-29 against the spread since firing Mike Vrabel. I guess that was the wrong decision.
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Miami Dolphins (0-5)Team Hub - Previously: 32.
In a sad state of affairs, Malik Willis had two interceptions and only one completion late in the second quarter against Cincinnati. Willis, however, made it count because he led a backdoor push drive that would have been a backdoor cover if not for a missed extra point. As the saying goes, good teams win, great teams cover.
Group A:
Group B:
Group C:
Group D:
Group F:
2026 NFL MVP Projection:
1. Josh Allen, QB, Bills
2. Brock Purdy, QB, 49ers
3. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs
4. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jaguars
5. Dallas Turner, DE, Vikings
Go to 2027 NFL Mock Draft
NFL Picks - Oct. 14
2027 NFL Mock Draft - Oct. 14
NFL Power Rankings - Oct. 12
Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 7
2022 NFL Power Rankings. Week:
Post-Super Bowl Power Rankings |
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Post-NFL Draft Power Rankings |
Post-Preseason Power Rankings |
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2021 NFL Power Rankings. Week: Post-Super Bowl Power Rankings | Preseason Power Rankings | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | Playoffs |
2020 NFL Power Rankings. Week: Post-Super Bowl Power Rankings 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Playoffs |
2021 NFL Power Rankings. Week: Post-Super Bowl Power Rankings | Preseason Power Rankings | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | Playoffs |
2020 NFL Power Rankings. Week: Post-Super Bowl Power Rankings 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Playoffs |
Charlie Campbell
I love this time of the season. Walt’s NFL Power Rankings come into first contact with the season. Not an easy business. I guess the Rams may have been a tad high, Seattle a tad low…maybe (TBD), 49ers a tad low. Patriots probably at the right spot.
The Bills being named the best team in the AFC after that Detroit demolition feels right — it was as complete a performance as I’ve seen from them, and they made it look easy. I can’t get on the Rams for losing in Australia either, because that kind of travel genuinely drains you before the game even starts, no matter the roster. I’d been messing around on https://1dollardeposit.com before this and honestly, this breakdown was a far better use of my attention span.
I really do enjoy coming here every season to get a good laugh. It’s always so obvious as to which teams you like and which teams you don’t. The teams you do like you always make excuses for their losses (“if not for some bad calls they would have won”) and the ones you don’t you always make excuses for their wins (“if not for some bad calls this team would have lost”) and if you didn’t do it for the same teams every year somebody might actually believe you
“The Broncos are 2-1, but they got outgained by the Rams, 482-257 in net yards and averaged only 4.3 yards per play compared to the Rams’ 5.9. The officials gave Denver the victory on a silver platter with a bogus interception at the end.”
Damn!!! You sound big mad!!! Do you want a cookie????
This guy is a complete clown. He has teams he doesn’t like and when this teams win all he does is go to the box score and search for something that the other team did better and say they should have lost because of that. Then he always throws in some bad calls. He’s the complete opposite with the teams he likes. Looks for any stat that he can point to and say they should have won because of this stat and again throws in the blaming the refs for the loss.
You are 1000% correct. This whole website has clown vibes!
Sorry I hurt your feelings when I ranked your team too low, Sean. If you have an actual case to make about a team, I’m all ears
Until further notice, I am DONE with Walter football.com. I used to be a regular visitor, but lack of quality and clownish “hot takes” have earned y’all this. Everyone don’t waste your time closing ads just to waste more time reading a subpar article. Go to YouTube. Better quality and more entertaining than the mess they put out here!
We actually have the best power rankings in the business. Sorry to hear that I hurt your feelings by ranking your team too low!
List of overrated teams:
-Cleveland Browns
-Las Vegas Raiders
-Pittsburgh Steelers
-Minnesota Vikings
-New York Giants
-Detroit Lions
List of underrated teams:
-Tampa Bay Buccaneers, even if you’re not going to include them. They could easily be 3-1 right now.
-Cincinnati Bengals
-New England Patriots
-Atlanta Falcons
-Dallas Cowboys, for once.
Don’t be shocked if the Bucs wind up with Arch Manning/Darian Mensah/Dante Moore next April. Baker’s new contract is moveable in 2028 (~$50 in cap savings) so he can be an expensive bridge for 1 year
Wow, Walt, did you criticize Trump and I didn’t see it? Some of these guys act like MAGAs do with all that hate when you point out valid things their cult leader did wrong. Anyway, I think there MIGHT be some validity to you letting whether you like teams or not affect your rankings of them. I think it does with the Chiefs, anyway. They should be top 3 being undefeated this year and Mahomes back to playing well again. As far as not blowing other teams out, they rarely did that even in their Super Bowl winning seasons. I don’t know why, they always seem to let inferior teams keep it close until they pull it out in the end. But then they DO pull it out in exciting fashion. That’s why they are fun to watch. Of course, I am also letting my love for them affect my rankings, but they have been an incredibly successful franchise in the Mahomes era. Last year was a fluke.
Where do you have the Giants Ranked about 15. You have the Jets ranked over the Giants. Who biased joke.
“Who biased joke?” Bernard, the only joke here is the public school system
I remember this site back in the day, right now just found a random link to it and decided to visit it, but damnnnnnn! How can you take a site seriously that won’t even update team names and logos even though it’s been years?
Shows the owner is stuck in his ways and is inflexible and biased with his thoughts. If you can’t adapt, than you can’t see actual changes, it’s no wonder these rankings look like they been pulled out of a hat.
I’m guessing you’re referring to the Redskins. Sorry to hear that you hate Native Americans so much that you want to remove their imagery!
What exactly do you mean by “struggling to pull away”? The Vikings won by 10 and knelt it out. They outgained their opponent by ~200 yards and held one of the NFL’s leading passers in Shough to under 100 yards. They didn’t rely on mistakes, they forced mistakes with tons of pressure. Having the Bears who they beat and the lions who have arguably the worst defense in the league both over them is impossible to defend.
It was a one-score game most of the day
Don’t waste your time trying to understand this clown. Actual wins and losses mean nothing to him. He goes by cherry picked stats that will fit the narrative he wants. Minnesota is one of the teams he doesn’t like so whenever they win he’ll search for some stat or mistake that he can blame it on and ignore the win. He does the same with KC. Then he has teams like the Rams that he does the opposite when they lose. This is more of a list of which teams he likes than it is a power rankings.
This is my first time here and.. wow. The Ravens aren’t 3-2 first off and this is the only ranking that doesn’t put them in the top 10. I think you might have smoked something before you made this list. Not to mention there were some very valid points made in the comments as well that the writer seems to lash out at with childish responses instead of poised and thought out replies. Definitely wouldn’t recommend using this site, my lord.