2026 NFL Power Rankings: Midseason Edition
We just completed week 9, which means that we’re at the approximate halfway point of the 2026 campaign. That means it’s also trade deadline time! That has just passed, so as in prior years, it’s time to re-evaluate where everyone stands. Much change has taken place since week 1, and we’ve learned a great deal about the 32 teams. How have our perceptions shifted? Spoiler alert: a lot. For reference, I list each team’s week 1 ranking in parentheses. Enjoy my updated midseason 2026 NFL power rankings!
32. Los Angeles Chargers (0-8; Previous Ranking: 16)
I dropped the Chargers last time because I thought better of my optimism. This team always finds a way to mess things up. Wow though; even I couldn’t have predicted THIS. New OC Mike McDaniel was supposed to supercharge the offense. Instead, Justin Herbert is now the league’s worst starting QB, the Bolts went 37 drives without a touchdown, and they haven’t won a single game. At this point, I’m not sure when they will win one. The defense had been playing well enough to win, but they finally collapsed this past week. Week 16 against the Dolphins may be the most critical game on the schedule with respect to the #1 draft pick.
31. Philadelphia Eagles (2-7; Previous Ranking: 9)
I don’t believe I’ve ever had such a precipitous drop by a team from one set of rankings to the next. Injuries, especially blood clots suffered by QB Jalen Hurts after being cleated, have ravaged this team. Since a 2-0 start, Philly has dropped 7 straight, but the problems actually predated the loss of Hurts (and numerous others). The offense did not jell, and the defense wore out at the end of each game from overuse. We’ve reached a rare situation: GM Howie Roseman actually sold at the trade deadline. He correctly recognized that this team is doomed, and he’s building a treasure trove of draft capital. The Eagles’ turnaround could be quick.
30. Indianapolis Colts (2-7; Previous Ranking: 26)
RB Jonathan Taylor remains a Colt, but Indy still had a fire sale. WRs Josh Downs and Keenan Allen, DT DeForest Buckner, and G Quenton Nelson are all gone, and this team was poor when they were all present! In fact, their GM already got fired because things went so badly. Indianapolis’ trade for CB Sauce Gardner has been a disaster, but I can’t fully fault them for re-signing QB Daniel Jones. Jones has been bad, but that seems to be common for QBs coming off torn Achilles. There’s hope he can be better next year (if they even keep him), but the roster is otherwise full of holes. The GM that gets hired has plenty of work to do.
29. Tennessee Titans (1-7; Previous Ranking: 29)
While the Titans haven’t improved their ranking (or their win total), I’ve seen some signs of growth from this team. RB Tony Pollard rediscovered his Dallas form, QB Cam Ward produced his best pro game in week 7, and the defense…well that one’s not so good after trading the unit’s 2 best players. Still, Tennessee has been more competitive recently, which is a welcome sight after they were so listless early on. They still have very far to go; their talent isn’t close to that of other teams. I’m looking for them to continue to get better on a weekly basis, as that is the only true measure of success for a team such as this one.
28. New York Jets (2-7; Previous Ranking: 24)
On paper, New York looked improved this season. Their offense has actually been solid overall. After a promising few weeks though, the Jets forgot how to win games, especially ones they had to close out. Losing to the previously winless Dolphins is pretty unforgiveable. Part of the problem is that while he coordinate a defense, Aaron Glenn does not seem to be a good HC. In fairness, he has almost nothing to work with on the defensive side of the ball. He needs to be better at in-game decision-making though, as the Jets somehow manage to take close games and turn them into wins for the other team after halftime.
27. Miami Dolphins (1-7; Previous Ranking: 32)
Based on their level of talent, Miami might rank dead last in the NFL. I’ve liked what I’ve seen from a couple rookies, including WR Caleb Douglas and LB Jacob Rodriguez, but this is a team that tore itself down to undertake a rebuilt. The biggest compliment I can give the Dolphins is that they’ve competed hard every week. Despite being outmanned, they’ve played teams tough (such as the Lions this past week). QB Malik Willis is a bust, but he’s now hurt, so we’ll see what Kyle McCord can do. Don’t expect many wins from the Fins this season, and instead judge them based on how their incredibly young team grows with experience.
26. Arizona Cardinals (3-6; Previous Ranking: 30)
The Jacoby Brissett reign ran its course, but it went a little better than I thought it might. Arizona upset both Los Angeles teams at SoFi Stadium, but it’s clear now that they’re not on the same tier as the better teams in the league. Injuries are forcing third-round rookie QB Carson Beck into action, and that might be the most interesting thing for Cardinals fans to look forward to. We knew they’d be a mess on defense, and the Jeremiyah Love pick was an easily predictable blunder. TE Trey McBride is still one of the most fun players to watch in the league though, so we can enjoy that while Arizona inhabits the cellar of the NFC West.
25. Washington Commanders (2-5-1; Previous Ranking: 28)
Sorry Commanders supporters: I saw this one coming a mile away. Washington caught lightning in a bottle when they made it to the NFC Championship game in 2024. Nothing about that run felt truly sustainable, particularly if QB Jayden Daniels couldn’t stay healthy. After missing more time early this year, Daniels is back and actually playing pretty well. Time management seems to elude him though, and most of the other talent on the roster is either underwhelming or injured. It seems unfair to me, but HC Dan Quinn is likely losing his job at the end of the season. Ironically, his error was probably winning too much early in his tenure.
24. Las Vegas Raiders (4-5; Previous Ranking: 25)
Las Vegas paid a price for me doing this rankings after the trade deadline. I would’ve likely slotted them somewhere in the teens had they kept QB Kirk Cousins. Instead, they shipped him off to Minnesota for a measly 3rd-round pick, and they’ll now throw #1 pick Fernando Mendoza to the wolves against the Seattle defense. Cousins was the primary reason that the Raiders were 4-5 and not much worse. Their receivers are poor, they can’t run the ball, and the defensive backfield is a mess. Asking a rookie to bail them out of all that is a recipe for failure. LV’s time competing is over. Everything is about Mendoza’s development now.
23. Atlanta Falcons (3-6; Previous Ranking: 23)
Ranking the Falcons proved difficult because they look like a different team nearly every week. Occasionally, they looked like world-beaters. More often than not though (and definitely the past two weeks), they’ve underwhelmed. Not even their awful division can inflate their record. I’m souring on the prospects of Michael Penix Jr as a franchise QB, and not even the greatness of RB Bijan Robinson can make this offense consistently go. Trading S Jessie Bates takes away a good defensive strength, so things might get worse before they get better. I think they picked the right coach this time in Kevin Stefanski at least.
22. New Orleans Saints (3-6; Previous Ranking: 22)
You probably aren’t shocked to see the NFC South teams this low. Each has just 3 wins. New Orleans is an interesting case though. Whereas the Falcons are inconsistent from week to week, the Saints are inconsistent within the same game. Take their two wins over the Ravens and Browns. NO played terribly in the first half before catching fire late. There are signs of potential here, including the play of 2nd-year QB Tyler Shough. He’s going pretty well without a running game, while the defense is competitive. This team went on a second-half run last season, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they went on another in 2026.
21. Dallas Cowboys (4-5; Previous Ranking: 7)
Here’s one of the teams who have really disappointed me. Dallas spent so much effort on improving their defense, and it just didn’t work. I like what I’ve seen from rookie S Caleb Downs, but the edge rush is nonexistent, and the Cowboys still can’t stop the run. The supposedly elite offense has been just that at times, but they haven’t produced often enough. WR George Pickens is strangely absent, while QB Dak Prescott isn’t playing like a $60M guy. Thanks to the state of the NFC East, I still think Dallas is the most talented team in their division. They need to get going soon though or all that talent will be at home in January.
20. Carolina Panthers (3-5; Previous Ranking: 15)
Just when they appeared to be backing up last season’s NFC South title, Carolina fell back to Earth. On the plus side, QB Bryce Young has mostly maintained his gains from last year and improved upon them. Conversely, the defense imploded, which got DC Ejiro Evero fired. My opinion of a team sours when someone gets scapegoated like that. Evero was not the issue; it’s a talent and injury problem. These Panthers are competing with good teams; they beat the great Lions’ offense in a shootout and came close to upsetting Denver. Carolina has a decent ceiling, but they have to play up to it. At 3-5, they’re actually leading their division.
19. New York Giants (5-2-1; Previous Ranking: 27)
A team’s record isn’t always the full story (sorry Bill Parcells). New York has had one of the easiest schedules in football, and they haven’t beaten bad teams in a convincing way. I still have to credit new coach John Harbaugh, whose winning culture has enabled the Giants to win games that they would’ve lost in years past. With QB Jaxson Dart out for the year, this team could’ve rolled over. Instead, they banded together to take a commanding NFC East lead. I wouldn’t bet on them to win a playoff game or anything, but going from worst to first would be an excellent achievement. I still don’t trust JJ McCarthy one bit though.
18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6; Previous Ranking: 20)
Surprisingly to many (and less surprisingly to some), Tampa had an atrocious start to the season. They started 0-4 and lost QB Baker Mayfield to a thumb injury. Instead of crumbling, the Bucs pivoted to a strong Bucky Irving-led run game and good defense to win 3 of their last five. Mayfield is back but not throwing the ball often (or that well), which is a concern to monitor. I don’t love the pass catchers either. But TB has a clear identity that is serving them all. Also beneficial? Their division is bad enough that 3-6 leaves the Buccaneers just .5 games back of first place. In fact, I think they could win the NFC South in the end.
17. Cleveland Browns (5-4; Previous Ranking: 31)
Two things can be true. 1. I seriously underestimated their Browns. 2. They aren’t as good as their record suggests. New coach Todd Monken proved everyone wrong in naming Deshaun Watson his starting QB. He hasn’t been that good, but his 4th-quarter comebacks have been clutch, and he’s taking care of the football more often than not. The bigger surprise is that the defense remains strong despite trading Myles Garrett away before the season. That defense has carried the team, and while surviving until a late offensive surge is not a sustainable strategy, it has already produced more wins than one might have expected.
16. Baltimore Ravens (4-5; Previous Ranking: 10)
Losing QB Lamar Jackson to injuries has become a way of life for the Ravens given his play style, but I doubt Baltimore expected backup Tyler Huntley to go down as well. Since those two exited, the Ravens have been one of the NFL’s worst teams. This ranking assumes that trade acquisition Jacoby Brissett can straighten out the offense, because this team is doomed if he can’t. Should Brissett excel, there are plenty of things to like. RB Derrick Henry, WR Zay Flowers, and S Kyle Hamilton are among them. This turnaround has to come quickly though, as the strong nature of the AFC North currently has Baltimore in last place.
15. New England Patriots (5-4; Previous Ranking: 12)
We sort of have our answer regarding whether the Pats thrived last year solely because of a cupcake schedule. New England is still a solid team, but they’ve been much more volatile. They alternate between handing Buffalo their only loss and throwing 3 INTs a game. The one doing the latter is obviously QB Drake Maye, who has been very inconsistent this year. If you want a positive spin, it’s that the Patriots are far removed from the 4-13 team of 2024. They aren’t even in the same dimension. You can still see a roster that’s short on talent in some key places though, and that’s holding them back from reaching the next tier.
14. Houston Texans (3-5; Previous Ranking: 5)
A 3-5 team doesn’t usually end up ranked this high, but that’s a testament to how Houston has responded to their 0-4 start. The way they got here was unexpected: the vaunted defense struggled, while embattled QB CJ Stroud returned to stardom. Stroud has answered every question the team had, and he’s carrying them right now. HC DeMeco Ryans took over defensive play-calling duties, and that has produced improvement. One guy who didn’t change was DE Will Anderson Jr. He has been his normal elite self and could win DPOY. Houston’s recovery could be a bit too late, but they’ll be relevant at the very least down the stretch.
13. Los Angeles Rams (5-4; Previous Ranking: 1)
So much for super team. Things haven’t gone according to plan for the Rams. New DE Myles Garrett hurt his knee and just returned (but looked great), while both of their elite WRs, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, are out for weeks. Most concerningly, QB Matthew Stafford has not been himself this year in terms of accuracy or decisions. Somehow though, LA has surged to 5-4 and the thick of the NFC playoff chase. Their defense is coming on very strong, and I love what I’ve seen from their ground game. The Rams aren’t guaranteed a playoff spot in the top-heavy NFC, but nobody will want to face them if they reach the dance.
12. Seattle Seahawks (5-4; Previous Ranking: 2)
The road to repeating has not been easy for the Super Bowl champs. I doubt they expected to have QB problems, but injuries and turnovers have plagued Sam Darnold. Backup Drew Lock is unbeaten in relief, but he’s hurt now too. Two constants have kept them afloat: the Dark Side defense and the unparalleled Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The reigning OPOY is the league’s best WR and is single-handedly driving the offense. He has some new help though, as Seattle’s RBs are finally back from injury. Last season, Seattle got hot in the second half and never looked back. A similar trajectory could be in store for the 2026 Seahawks.
11. Green Bay Packers (6-3; Previous Ranking: 17)
Last place in the NFC North. That’s an accurate description of the Packers, but don’t blame them. The division is just ridiculous. Green Bay is still a really good (albeit unbalanced team). QB Jordan Love is playing out of his mind. Nobody is throwing a better deep ball right now, and it’s not close. That’s good because the Packers cannot run the ball whatsoever. The defense is playing sneaky great football and will be getting edge rusher Micah Parsons back soon. Whether all of those positives can outweigh their inept rushing “attack” remains to be seen. I think they’re a scary team regardless though, especially with this version of Love.
10. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2; Previous Ranking: 21)
Underestimate the Steelers at your peril. We (myself included) thought that with Mike Tomlin’s departure, Pittsburgh could finally start to collapse. I like Mike McCarthy, but QB Aaron Rodgers is another year old, as is the veteran defense. WR DK Metcalf has been awful, so how could the offense excel? RB Jaylen Warren has been a revelation. The Steelers don’t seem very good at moving the ball, but Warren keeps them on schedule. That older defense has also roared back to life, reducing the number of points that the offense needs to produce. One-and-done in the playoffs still seems likely, but give Pittsburgh credit if they get there.
9. Kansas City Chiefs (6-2; Previous Ranking: 13)
No question in all of football was more important than “what would QB Patrick Mahomes look like after ACL surgery?” He has actually been pretty good, but amazingly, that’s not the story of KC’s offense. That would be new RB Kenneth Walker, who’s the best free agent signing of this class. He has transformed this offense to take pressure off of Mahomes, which was the best possible outcome. DC Steve Spagnuolo is once again doing his thing with a brand new secondary, while a hidden MVP might be rookie UDFA LT Kahlil Benson. Now if only K Harrison Butker could magically transform into…well…old Harrison Butker.
8. Cincinnati Bengals (6-2; Previous Ranking: 18)
Ask me to pick an MVP candidate right now, and I’d have to go with Joe Burrow. Aside from a weird trio of INTs to one guy, he has been playing QB at a ridiculous level. It helps to have the best WR duo in football in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, but someone has to throw them the ball. I hoped they’d trade for an RB before the deadline, but they didn’t. The biggest improvement has come on defense. DT Dexter Lawrence is playing at an All-Pro level, and the ripple effects throughout the unit are massive. Make no mistake: this team is still heavily weighted toward the offense. If this defense is merely average though, Cincy is cooking.
7. Denver Broncos (7-2; Previous Ranking: 3)
These are basically the “lite” version of the 2025 Broncos. If anything, their defense may actually be improved. On offense though, the first 3 quarters are still a slog. HC Sean Payton took back play-calling duties, which definitely helped, but his team still has a habit of sleepwalking through games before storming back in the 4th quarter. Like last year, you can’t really argue with the results. I just wonder how sustainable it is this time with a lesser version of QB Bo Nix. Since returning from his broken ankle, Nix hasn’t looked like the same guy in terms of mobility and deep passing. He’ll need to return to form if Denver is to make a run.
6. Detroit Lions (6-2; Previous Ranking: 6)
A shaky start to the season masked an incredible start for RB Jahmyr Gibbs, who finally has the backfield all to himself. QB Jared Goff has been mostly excellent as well. The league’s worst defense cost the Lions a pair of early games, but even though they still rank last, I’ve seen significant recent improvement. Stopping Minnesota and Miami is practically meaningless, but their win over the Packers showed just how much better the unit is with S Brian Branch, who returned from a torn Achilles. The high-powered offense can keep up with anyone. They’ll need to play better on the defensive side to win the brutal NFC North.
5. Chicago Bears (7-2; Previous Ranking: 14)
Year 2 in the Ben Johnson system has been exceptional for QB Caleb Williams…minus a couple of quarters last week against Tampa (no idea what happened there). Other than that, this offense has been a well-oiled machine. WR Luther Burden is in the midst of a sophomore breakout, and the offensive line is great. A supposedly suspect defense held its own for a while, but the trade for DT Jeffery Simmons put it into overdrive. Personally, I think he’s the best DT in football, and the attention he draws is making everyone else better. These Bears were thinking championship with that trade, and they’ve got every right to feel that way.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2; Previous Ranking: 11)
Jacksonville is the epitome of a team that’s all in. They made not one, not two, but THREE trades at the deadline to bolster their roster, with the big acquisitions being S Jessie Bates III and DT Jordan Davis. This defense was already pretty good, but these new stars could put it over the top. Meanwhile, HC Liam Coen has done a masterful job with QB Trevor Lawrence, who is finally making good on his #1 pick status with sublime play. It’s his performance that gave the Jags the confidence to mortgage future draft capital for the present. In an open AFC, Jacksonville may be ahead of all but one other team, the one that…
3. Buffalo Bills (7-1; Previous Ranking: 4)
…beat the Jags in last year’s playoffs. Buffalo has postseason experience and an MVP-caliber QB to rely on. That man, Josh Allen, makes a few superhuman plays every week to lift his team. Let’s not forget the contributions of RB James Cook though, as he’s actually their offensive engine. The Bills’ defense worries me, but don’t blame DE Greg Rousseau. He’s having his best campaign yet, wreaking havoc on opposing backfields. I expect new S Amani Hooker to stabilize some things on the back end, which will be the key to Buffalo reaching their goals. After all, they might have the most trustworthy offense in football. But it needs help.
2. Minnesota Vikings (6-2; Previous Ranking: 19)
As you can tell, I’m INCREDIBLY bullish on Minnesota’s (re)-acquisition of QB Kirk Cousins. The league’s #1 defense, led by mastermind DC Brian Flores, has fought so hard. They willed the Vikings to a 6-0 record but couldn’t overcome horrendous QB play by Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz the past two games. Cousins gives them an offense to match their defensive output, instantly vaulting them to contender status. Nobody will be happier than WR Justin Jefferson to rekindle that old connection, and this one move changed my projected ranking for Minnesota from the mid-teens all the way up to #2. QBs are important!
1. San Francisco 49ers (7-1; Previous Ranking: 8)
Coaches of consistently good teams don’t win awards, but Kyle Shanahan should. The same injury problems that always plague these Niners are no different this year, and yet they’re the league’s best team. QB Brock Purdy is an MVP candidate, LT Trent Williams is elite as ever at age 38, and TE George Kittle and LB Fred Warner are their excellent selves despite coming off of serious injuries. In one of the league’s toughest divisions, SF has a 2.5-game lead. They traded for WR Keenan Allen with eyes on a Super Bowl, and they should absolutely be thinking that way. If half of their injured players get healthy, the 49ers can win it all.