2026 NFL Power Rankings: Top 32 Teams Revealed! [Rams #1, Seahawks #3] (2026)

The NFL Power Rankings: Rams enter preseason on top; Seahawks at No. 3, Patriots outside top 10

The "NFL Daily" crew interviews Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay at 2026 training camp practice.

The pads are cracking, the preseason has begun, and we can all acknowledge football is indeed back. There's no better time than now to sort out the order of power in the NFL.

As I noted in my division power rankings earlier this summer, I'm taking over for the excellent Eric Edholm and delivering weekly power rankings all season long. Please redirect all cheers and criticisms from Eric to me via social media by clicking here.

With that in mind, these rankings are coming in hot and fresh. There's no connection to past order here; we're starting anew together.

Rank

1

You've heard the sound bites, read the headlines and drowned in the tidal wave of optimism. The Rams are Lombardi Trophy favorites, seemingly destined for a march to a Super Bowl that will be played in their home stadium, the same location in which they won their last title. It's never that easy, of course, but GM Les Snead has built a monster in Los Angeles. With Myles Garrett trading brown and orange for royal blue and sol, Aaron Donald nearing a potential return from retirement to hop back onto the bandwagon he once captained, and Matthew Stafford coming off an MVP-winning season, this is a year the Rams go for it all. It will be up to them to make it through to the other side of a season-long gauntlet in their attempt to claim the throne.

Rank

2

After falling painfully short of the Super Bowl last season, the Broncos return one of the most complete rosters in the NFL with hope spilling out of their saddlebags. There's good reason for the optimism: Their core contributors return on both defense and offense, and they've added a new weapon in explosive receiver Jaylen Waddle. Theoretically, the team that finished 14-3 last season should be even better. The Broncos have enjoyed an ideally quiet camp, are led by a veteran coach with a history of high-level success, welcomed their quarterback back into the fold after his injury-related exit in January and are hoping J.K. Dobbins can fulfill his sky-high promises (including completing a full season). They also have five 2025 playoff qualifiers on their schedule in the first six weeks of the season. Right now, they're one of the elite contenders. They'll hope the same is true by the time winter arrives.

Rank

3

The reigning champs lost Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III in free agency, don't yet have his former running mate, Zach Charbonnet, available as he continues on his journey back from a torn ACL, and are placing a lot of backfield responsibility on the likes of rookie Jadarian Price and backup George Holani. Star defender Nick Emmanwori remains on the physically unable to perform list, too, although there's hope Mike Macdonald's ultimate chess piece can return in time for Week 1. Otherwise, everything is great for the Seahawks. Continuity will reign early in 2026, thanks in large part to the return of a familiar starting offensive lineup. The suffocating defense lost some pieces to free agency in the offseason, requiring reinforcement that could be tested, but there's little reason to think the 'Hawks will be anywhere but right back in the thick of the NFC race.

... (and so on for the rest of the article)