NFL Power Rankings - Preseason Edition
Preseason Power Rankings are back!
I did this power rankings series last year. Every single week we ranked all 32 teams.
This season, I will be releasing a ranking every other week, making the rankings more diverse from each article.
In this specific article, the rankings will simply be based my belief in each team's roster. How strong are they at the top, and what does the depth look like? In the regular season, it is obviously determined by how well I think each team has looked in their matchups. But for now, it's how I think of their squad headed into the year. Not how good I think each team will be.
The + and - indicate where each team stood after our final 2025 Power Ranking. Let's get into the first ranking of the 2026 season!
Los Angeles Rams. +1
The Rams were a couple plays away from a Super Bowl appearance and added Jaylen Watson, Trent McDuffie, Myles Garrett, and Aaron Donald to their roster. The roster is not perfect as people hype it up to be, but still.
This defensive ceiling is absurd, and they are returning all starters on an offense that was the best in the NFL by a good chunk.
Philadelphia Eagles. +11
Players came and went from Philadelphia, but this roster might be better in 2026. Vic Fangio's defense has elite talent on all levels and has the opportunity to be the best in the NFL.
Offensively, a new system may come with some early struggles, but the unit is still loaded. Hopefully that offensive line stays healthy and their rookie skill players are ready to contribute.
Houston Texans. +6
This is the best defense in the NFL, in my opinion. Quite easily, in fact. Multiple All-Pros at each level of the defense, and they added 2nd round DT Kayden McDonald and veteran S Reed Blankenship.
Offensively, they have the talent to be successful. The receiver room is highly skilled, and the RB room and offensive line were upgraded with veterans and rookie 1st rounder Keylan Rutledge. It's up to C.J. Stroud to raise the ceiling of this offense.
Seattle Seahawks. -3
The reigning champions lost some key pieces across the board. But they still have Mike Macdonald and the necessary difference makers on defense for Macdonald to produce an elite unit.
I do think Seattle saw the best possible outcome once they hit the 2025 postseason. The offense was not that great statistically in 2025 and possible got worse, losing their play-caller and SBMVP RB.
Baltimore Ravens. +11
The defense looks stacked for new HC Jesse Minter. The new pieces, Trey Hendrickson, Zion Young, and Jaylinn Hawkins, need to play their part for Baltimore to be elite, but this unit has a good floor.
And how can you not trust a (healthy) Lamar Jackson led offense? The interior offensive line had some shuffling done, and it remains to be seen if that was a net positive. But an offense with Lamar will be elite.
New England Patriots. -3
How confident are you in Drake Maye maintaining the level of play he showed in 2025? The surroundings are upgraded, with better weapons and offensive line. I have a good feeling about it.
Defensively, New England overachieved in the postseason, and will need to do so again this year. Maybe veteran addition Kevin Byard will add some turnovers to New England's total.
Buffalo Bills. -2
An elite rushing game along with a (hopefully) upgraded receiving group. Plus Josh Allen at the helm. I'd be surprised if this offense wasn't elite.
Defensively, they spent big resources in improving the edge unit. But Buffalo is counting on improvement from the youth, such as DT Deone Walker and CB Maxwell Hairston, for their defense to return to form.
Denver Broncos. -4
Adding Jaylen Waddle to this offense is fantastic, but what will fix the run game? An elite offensive line did not help in 2025, but it does not hurt. Bo Nix needs to keep improving as he has for Denver's offense to truly take a step.
Defensively, they lost John Franklin-Myers and not much else changed. It does seem as though DE Jonathan Cooper may be suspended, so other pass rushers must step up to maintain elite sack production.
Los Angeles Chargers. +1
Losing DC Jesse Minter is tough on the Chargers defense. They are not a loaded unit, but it is still a strength. Hopefully 1st round DE Akheem Mesidor adds more pass rush juice.
Adding Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator is a great addition. Not having an elite weapon may limit the ceiling of the offense, but it is an incredibly solid group led by an elite QB and elite playcaller. That's a recipe for success. If the offensive tackles are on the field, both of the Chargers' units should push for top 10.
Minnesota Vikings. +7
A 9 win team that had 3 QBs start in 2025 adds Kyler Murray as their starter. The offense is solid all around, and Kyler should add to their middling running game as well.
Defensively, losing Jonathan Greenard concerns me. They need someone to step up as a pass rusher. I trust Brian Flores to produce an elite defense regardless.
San Francisco 49ers. -3
The 49ers roster is rock solid, but the (valid) health concerns create a wide range of outcomes. If certain veterans, such as free agent addition Mike Evans, stay healthy, San Francisco looks to be elite once again. It just feels as though the top players they are relying on all have health concerns.
Can new DC Raheem Morris help launch this unit close to the top 10 in the NFL with a healthy Nick Bosa and Fred Warner?
Detroit Lions. +1
I'd like to say Detroit will be healthier, but two of their most important defenders are starting on the PUP list. Can 2nd round DE Derrick Moore be the guy they need across from Aidan Hutchinson?
Offensively, they were elite in 2025 despite the offensive line taking a step back. It seems as if that issue will be mitigated this season, and the Lions will be one of the best offenses in the NFL.
Jacksonville Jaguars. -7
I personally have concerns about the front seven, as the only move Jacksonville made was swapping DT Maason Smith for DT Ruke Orhorhoro. Can the pass rush be good enough to be an elite team?
And the offensive line is not in the best shape. And considering the way Jacksonville will have to win games, through the passing game, it's not the best situation. The Jaguars lost a couple key players and did not replace them externally.
Dallas Cowboys. +8
Dallas has had a ridiculously awful defense the past couple of years. This season, they enter with a more intriguing unit, including 1st round safety Caleb Downs. It's not complete, but the pieces are improved under new DC Christian Parker.
I expect the offense to stay at an elite level as it has been for years.
Cincinnati Bengals. +8
The Bengals added Dexter Lawrence to the front of this defense, and Bryan Cook to the backend. Two significant additions that should change their fortunes, especially with the new players in the edge room. The Bengals defense needs that DE room to be great.
Like Dallas, I believe this Bengals offense will stay elite.
Green Bay Packers. -5
Green Bay added a veteran and rookie to their DT room, but I have my doubts about their defensive front outside of Micah Parsons. Especially considering their CB room did not improve.
The offensive line is a big question on offense. They drafted LT Jordan Morgan in the 1st round and RG Anthony Belton in the 2nd, and now it's time for them to finally start. A bit of a make or break situation, especially with the state of their run game.
Kansas City Chiefs. +11
The Chiefs roster is solid, despite their secondary falling apart. To be frank, Patrick Mahomes is boosting this ranking by at least two spots. Adding Kenneth Walker to the offense does not hurt either.
Kansas City reworked their defensive line, and I am a big fan. We'll see how productive they are. I mentioned the secondary fell apart, but I still believe in the cornerback room.
Pittsburgh Steelers. -4
Once again, Pittsburgh has a rock solid roster. Their quarterback is holding them back, along with the question of how good their receivers can actually be.
The defense is fairly great, with a question mark when it comes to the safety room. Can DC Patrick Graham take this defense back to the glory days?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers. +1
The trenches look strong in Tampa Bay, especially on the defensive line. Adding Rueben Bain and Al-Quadin Muhammad to the defensive line creates an incredible front. If they get better play out of their CBs, Todd Bowles' defense looks strong.
Offensively, the depth chart is good. It really comes down to who steps up at WR to help out Baker Mayfield, and how new OC Zac Robinson handles the group.
Indianapolis Colts. -1
A similar roster to the one that started 2025 by going 7-1, I like the Colts starting unit. The depth, particularly defensively, is less than ideal. Beyond the starting group on the defensive line, where, I have little faith, especially when it comes to the pass rush. And Indianapolis desperately needs Day 2 rookies LB C.J. Allen and A.J. Haulcy to be good right away.
I like the offense still, but how reliable is Daniel Jones coming off of an achilles tear?
New Orleans Saints. --
New Orleans' defense ranked very well in 2025, but there are a fair amount of positions where I have questions about the starter. But the Saints do have options defensively, particularly up front.
The offensive starters, on the other hand, I am fairly confident in. The starters are locked in on the offensive line, which should be great if Erik McCoy stays healthy. Also what type of Year 2 leap can Tyler Shough take? It may be pending the health of this WR room.
Chicago Bears. -13
The offense still looks great, despite losing their starting center, LT, and top WR from a year ago. Still, it is looking up on offense for Chicago.
But the defense just looks rough. It already did, but big free agent addition, S Coby Bryant, it out for the season, and who knows if Kyler Gordon is healthy. And on the defensive line, will they be able to get pressure? I don't have faith in a single facet of the Bears defense.
Washington Commanders. +4
Without Laremy Tunsil, the offensive line is concerning. But the Commanders look solid across the board at the skill positions, adding Stefon Diggs, Chig Okonkwo, and Rachaad White.
They also added a lot to the defense, which is a good thing, but it is unlikely all those new pieces will work out. Especially with the cornerback room, which is ripe to be exposed.
Carolina Panthers. -9
My fear is the offensive ceiling is not high, considering they are running back the same group of pass catchers. Will Bryce Young's production or efficiency change at all?
Carolina upgraded the pass rush and LB position, but will it be enough? The Panthers LB position was the worst in the NFL last year. And they are now without DE Nic Scourton.
New York Jets. +7
The Jets were another team that made a lot of additions, at least defensively. How much will those veteran additions of Minkah Fitzpatrick, Demario Davis, Joseph Ossai, and others, actually help Aaron Glenn's defense? It is still far from a perfect unit.
New York's offensive infrastructure is solid. The offensive line is strong and they added to the pass catching room through the draft. Will this help Geno Smith bounce back, or will they lag behind again, this time being with Frank Reich as OC?
Atlanta Falcons. -8
Atlanta has stars, but they do not have a quarterback. And I'm not sure they have a pass rush either. These are fairly major problems if you want to win in the National Football League.
Even though the defensive front looks weak, there was a lot of shuffling that took place to get the guys the Falcons want. When James Pearce Jr is in the lineup, it could be decent, with additions like Maason Smith and Gervon Dexter.
Las Vegas Raiders. +4
Yet another roster that got notably better, yet still has issues. The QB and offensive line play should be significantly better than a year ago, and the defense has depth.
The Raiders were another one of those teams that loaded up in free agency, but unlike other organizations, the Raiders have options down the depth chart, We'll see how the defense meshes with a new play caller, and how consistent new HC Klint Kubiak can get the offense to be.
Arizona Cardinals. +2
The Cardinals roster is not as bad as the media likes to portray. They just do not have a sound quarterback option. The pass catchers are good, adding Kendrick Bourne this offseason. And the offensive line was upgraded with veterans as well.
Defensively, it is rough in Arizona, and I'm not sure a Roy Lopez or Andrew Wingard signing is changing much.
Tennessee Titans. +2
Improvements were made to the Titans roster via free agency, but how good can the defense actually be? New HC Robert Saleh has Jeffery Simmons up the middle, but how much will Jermaine Johnson help out? Or CBs Cor'Dale Flott and Alontae Taylor?
Offensively, is the addition of Carnell Tate and Wan'Dale Robinson enough? I'm concerned about the run game and offensive line around Year 2 Cam Ward. Tennessee just needs the young players to improve.
New York Giants. -4
The Giants had an awful defense in 2025 and lost their best CB in Cor'Dale Flott and best player in DT Dexter Lawrence. No matter how much you like Arvell Reese, you can not convince me this defense will be average.
Can a healthy Malik Nabers, along with free agent addition TE Isaiah Likely, and Jaxson Dart create a good enough offense to take New York out of the basement?
Cleveland Browns. -7
Losing Myles Garrett will never make your team better. This Browns defense still looks solid, but is without DC Jim Schwartz, and will almost certainly not replicate their top 5 finish from a year ago.
Offensively, Cleveland has made strides as they drafted two receivers highly and signed three new offensive linemen, all likely to start. But the QB situation is nightmarish.
Miami Dolphins. -7
There are very few players on this Miami team that I am intrigued by, let alone confident in. Let alone are there position groups as a whole I believe in.
A large draft class and some cheap one year deals to veterans, the Dolphins are just seeing if they can hit on some swings this season. We'll see what sticks.
I hyped up a lot of rosters, even those I ranked lower, but Miami is far and away the worst in the NFL.
It is very easy to be excited about rosters and depth charts during the offseason.
The top 24 were truly solid to me, and the following few are all intriguing teams who added a lot during the offseason.
Luckily, this will all come to rest in the next week, as the season is upon us. This is when we find out which rosters are actually good on grass and not just somewhat appealing on paper.
There's a lot of "oh yeah, I could see it", during the offseason. We like to see the good in players, especially as teams trust their own guys to grow into a more prominent role. But the reality is, most of these guys do not pan out to the level we imagine in our minds. We often end up picturing the best case scenario, when that scenario is really closer to a 1% probability.
This season, I will be posting a power ranking every other week, meaning I will be able to gather more information in between each article.
So I will see you after Week 2!
Stay tuned for more NFL and 49ers articles, news, and opinions!
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