Sept. 15, 2026Up to date Sept. 16, 2026, 3:17 a.m. ET
NFL energy rankings coming into Week 2 of the 2026 season (earlier rank in parentheses):
1. Seattle Seahawks (2): Ought to’ve identified they’d demand and command the respect of a reigning champion that deserves the No. 1 slot till confirmed in any other case. Did the ‘Hawks look spectacular whereas successful their Tremendous Bowl rematch with the Patriots, regardless of dropping QB Sam Darnold 5 performs in to a hip damage? Nope. Did they present their typical grit and dominant protection whereas once more vanquishing a top quality opponent? Yep. And loads of upward mobility, as they’re going to let you know. “We’ll enhance our operation,” mentioned coach Mike Macdonald after the win. “(W)e can get so significantly better in a short time.” Good wager they’ll.
2. San Francisco 49ers (7): Their “Sleep tight” tweet served because the mic drop of Week 1 after the Niners, who had been at the very least near full energy after juggling so many accidents in 2025, caught it to the apparently jet-lagged Rams in Australia. The NFC West is already shaping up as a three-way heavyweight bout as soon as once more, and the 49ers − if wholesome − have actually proven they have the products to be a Tremendous Sunday menace. They had been clicking in all three phases out of the field.
3. Buffalo Payments (4): The Nice Lakes Bengals? The Payments barely performed a lick of protection Sunday in Houston however however seemed like a crew very a lot able to making a run to Tremendous Bowl 61 − particularly with Josh Allen, now the quickest participant in NFL historical past (129 video games) to gather at the very least 300 mixed passing/speeding TDs, on the helm.
4. Chicago Bears (5): The Windy Metropolis Cowboys? The Bears barely performed a lick of protection Sunday in Charlotte however however seemed like a crew very a lot able to making a run to Tremendous Bowl 61 − particularly with Caleb Williams, contemporary off his first recreation with a number of TD passes and runs (even he is not Allen-esque … but), on the helm.
5. Los Angeles Rams (1): Woof. At the least you could not blame the particular groups for this loss? However the Rams scored their fewest factors of the Matthew Stafford period, whereas WR Puka Nacau had extra tackles (1) than ballyhooed offseason acquisition Myles Garrett, who might be out at the very least the following month – apparently he ought to’ve stayed in L.A. with Aaron Donald. This was doubtless an anomalous defeat, if a reminder that the Lombardi Trophy is assured to no crew.
6. Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (13): Return of the King? Having a Tremendous Bowl MVP tandem backfield of Patrick Mahomes and Kenneth Walker III was much more than it was cracked as much as be within the opener, when Ok.C. made an emphatic assertion that it is able to reclaim its AFC West throne from Denver. And perhaps extra.
7. Baltimore Ravens (12): Regardless of a gradual churn of offensive coordinators, beginner Declan Doyle now within the put up, they’re the one crew to attain at the very least 20 factors in Week 1 over the previous 10 seasons … which tells you ways good Lamar Jackson (and Joe Flacco) has been.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars (14): Among the many many causes the Jags, who already sit alone in first place as they embark on their AFC South title protection, ought to get a bit extra respect is the sting tandem of Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker … even when it isn’t one of the best one of their division.
9. Cincinnati Bengals (8): May the notoriously gradual starters get out of the gate 2-0 for the second straight season … for all the great it did them final 12 months, when dropped 11 of their ultimate 15? However Sunday’s defensive effort ought to sow hope for the Stripes amid their modest offensive debut.
10. New England Patriots (6): QB Drake Maye has 4 multi-interception video games in his three-year profession, half of them in his previous two begins towards Seattle. However, hey, at the very least he wasn’t hit almost as a lot within the opener as he was in Tremendous Bowl 60.
11. Houston Texans (10): That is 9 turnovers in QB C.J. Stroud’s final three video games. Value questioning if he ought to have taken no matter extension was provided somewhat than tabling negotiations.
12. Detroit Lions (11): If you happen to did not assume lacking beginning safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Department was an enormous deal, you then did not see Saints QB Tyler Shough raid this protection for 410 yards by means of the air Sunday.
13. Denver Broncos (3): How lengthy earlier than Sean Payton reclaims play-calling duties from newly promoted OC Davis Webb? In all probability not very with one other efficiency like Monday night time’s in Ok.C.
14. New York Giants (23): Do not wish to overrate them this early, however Sunday night time’s victory over the Cowboys was no fluke. This was environment friendly, smashmouth, John Harbaugh soccer, and the remainder of the NFC East is formally on discover.
15. Dallas Cowboys (9): Do not wish to underrate them this early, however Sunday night time’s loss to the Giants was no fluke. America’s Staff nonetheless has loads of time to make a long-awaited Tremendous Bowl push … but should nonetheless disprove the notion that these are the identical underachieving Cowboys.
16. Minnesota Vikings (18): The unhealthy information? Quarterback disarray stays the baseline right here. The excellent news? Resurgent WR Justin Jefferson has already matched his 2025 TD whole (2).
17. New Orleans Saints (19):If you happen to did not pay attention six weeks in the past, are you acquire in now? And simply wait till they’ve Cam Jordan, Alvin Kamara and Jordyn Tyson again.
18. Philadelphia Eagles (17): They’re 6-0 in openers underneath HC Nick Sirianni and QB Jalen Hurts. And regardless of the skeptics − hand raised − may assume, Philly has but to overlook the playoffs with that duo, both.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (20): Rookie LB Josiah Trotter turned the primary NFL participant to start out his profession with a sack and pick-six in his debut recreation since sacks turned an official stat in 1982. Nonetheless, no rookie has ever had a sack, pick-six and notched a win out of the chute.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers (21):OLB T.J. Watt appeared revived Sunday after a subpar 2025 season. He (and Joey Porter?) additionally seemed like a participant who may be an amazing goal at this season’s commerce deadline.
21. Washington Commanders (25): Regardless of all of the summer season handwringing concerning the offensive line, QB Jayden Daniels was solely sacked as soon as and hit twice Sunday. Clear up their psychological errors, and the Commanders doubtless escape Philly with a W.
22. Inexperienced Bay Packers (16): The absences of OLB Micah Parsons and RB Josh Jacobs had been fairly evident throughout a second-half meltdown that noticed the Pack give up 29 consecutive factors.
23. Carolina Panthers (24): They seemed good (did you see the matte black helmets?). Additionally they seemed horrible − defensively − surrendering a franchise file 59 factors in Sunday’s loss to Chicago.
24. Arizona Cardinals (31): After beginning 12 video games in 2025, QB Jacoby Brissett has already matched final season’s win whole. Robust to see the Playing cards escaping the NFC West cellar this 12 months, both, however they confirmed Sunday that different groups can be unwise to take their fleet of playmakers flippantly.
25. Los Angeles Chargers (15): Jim Harbaugh had by no means misplaced an opener as an NFL head coach … till Sunday, a defeat that dropped him to 6-1 in Week 1. The Bolts’ putrid efficiency additionally makes it value questioning if Harbs is headed to his first sub-.500 marketing campaign underneath an NFL headset.
26. Indianapolis Colts (22): It is only one recreation … but additionally a recreation that continues to make one marvel why they ran it again, at such nice expenditure, with QB Daniel Jones and WR Alec Pierce.
27. New York Jets (27): Rookie Kenyon Sadiq joined Corridor of Famer Ozzie Newsome as the one tight ends to hurry for a TD of their NFL debuts. This is hoping the NYJ have the foresight to kick Sadiq upstairs as soon as his taking part in days are executed.
28. Atlanta Falcons (26): All-galaxy RB Bijan Robinson had 173 yards from scrimmage at Pittsburgh. Superior. He additionally accounted for 73% of the Falcons’ offense. Problematic.
29. Las Vegas Raiders (29): Wonderful what RB Ashton Jeanty can do (147 whole yards, 2 TDs) with the advantage of competent quarterback play … nevertheless lengthy that may final towards non-South Floridian opponents.
30. Tennessee Titans (28): You may take Robert Saleh and Brian Daboll out of New York however − so far − you possibly can’t take the New York soccer hex out of the previous HCs of the Jets and Giants … although these groups are 2-0 collectively in Week 1 for the primary time since 2009, by the way, a lot to the Titans’ chagrin.
31. Cleveland Browns (30): Shedeur SZN (Week 3?) is definitely nearly right here, Browns followers − notably if Baker Mayfield lastly exacts revenge on the franchise that dumped him in favor of Deshaun Watson 4 years in the past.
32. Miami Dolphins (32): Piling up tackles is not essentially indicative of an elite defender, however rookie LB Jacob Rodriguez’s 14 stops − second most league-wide in Week 1 − in his professional debut portend the good and energetic participant the second-rounder was projected to be popping out of Texas Tech.
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