Week 1 is here, and the Jaguars are walking into the 2026 season with plenty of outside doubt still hanging around them. Jacksonville gets Cleveland at home to open the year, and the first batch of power rankings shows a wide range of opinion on just how dangerous this team really is.
The strongest vote of confidence comes from Pete Prisco of CBS Sports, who has the Jaguars at No. 3.
“Too many people are sleeping on this team heading into the season. They won 13 games last year, and they are a better team.
Trevor Lawrence just might be the MVP.”
Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report slots Jacksonville at No. 7, calling the Jaguars “the NFL's best team over the second half of the 2025 regular season.” He also pointed to Trevor Lawrence, Travis Hunter and Jakobi Meyers as reasons this group could be even more dangerous, while noting that the team needs “a full season of consistent performance, not just half of one.”
Mike Florio of NBC Sports also has Jacksonville in the top 10 at No. 9, writing: “In Year 2 of the Liam Coen/Trevor Lawrence marriage, the sky is the limit.”
NFL.com’s Nick Shook puts the Jaguars at No. 9 as well, though with a slight dip from where they were before. His concern centers on the offensive line, especially tackle Cole Van Lanen’s knee issue and the possibility of starting rookie Emmanuel Pregnon at guard. Still, he added, “Fortunately, they host Cleveland in Week 1.”
There’s more skepticism from other outlets. Nate Davis of USA Today has Jacksonville at No. 14, while Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports ranks them at No. 12 and points to preseason injury issues across the receiving corps and uncertainty in the running back room. Chad Graff and Josh Kendall of The Athletic also have the Jaguars at No. 13, stressing that the team won 13 games last season and noting the questions that remain after the departure of Travis Etienne in free agency.
Frank Schwab of Yahoo! Sports places Jacksonville at No. 14 and says the opener against the Browns is the kind of game the Jaguars “better win” before a tougher stretch that includes Denver, New England, Cincinnati, Philadelphia and Houston. He adds that getting through that run at 3-3 “wouldn't be bad,” though he doesn’t see that as likely if Jacksonville stumbles in Week 1.
Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus rounds things out at No. 14, praising Jacksonville’s 2025 rise under Liam Coen and Trevor Lawrence, while also flagging the departures of Devin Lloyd and Travis Etienne Jr. as a major storyline heading into 2026.
In Other News...
Jaguars Defense Has A Week 1 Concern Fans Can't Ignore
Anthony Campanile enters his second season running the Jaguars defense with something this staff has wanted for a while: continuity. There is still plenty of adjustment ahead, though, because the secondary is getting a new look with Travis Hunter and Antonio Johnson moving into starting roles, and new defensive pass game coordinator Mathieu Araujo bringing a different coverage scheme into the mix.
The bigger early concern may be what happens behind them. Jacksonville has to replace Devin Lloyd after his departure in free agency, leaving Ventrell Miller and Branson Combs to take on more responsibility at linebacker, while the pass rush still leans heavily on veterans Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen with a young group of backups behind them. On paper, the pieces are there, but the Jaguars will find out quickly in Week 1 whether all of those moving parts are ready at once. [Read more 🡒]
Travis Hunter Just Changed A Big Jaguars Week 1 Debate
The Jaguars first unofficial depth chart for Week 1 offered an early glimpse at how they plan to use Travis Hunter, and it comes with a notable twist. After spending most of the conversation around him as a receiver, Hunter is now listed as a starting cornerback and a backup wide receiver, a sign that Jacksonville is already adjusting its plans based on the shape of its roster on both sides of the ball.
For a team trying to sort out its wide receiver depth while also tightening things up defensively, Hunters placement could matter in more ways than one. His usage may end up influencing not just how the Jaguars line up in the secondary, but also how snaps are distributed in the passing game as the season gets underway. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Already Have A Week 1 QB Issue Jaguars Fans Should Note
The Browns have settled on Deshaun Watson as their Week 1 starter against Jacksonville, but the quarterback picture behind him already looks more fluid than a clean depth chart. Shedeur Sanders is expected to back him up, and the Browns also carried rookie Taylen Green onto the 53-man roster after placing Dillon Gabriel on injured reserve, keeping a young arm in the mix as they head into the opener.
Todd Monken did not sound like a coach intent on keeping Green parked on the sideline for long. He said the rookie could see some playing time in the season opener, praising Greens athleticism and intelligence while also stressing that he still has skills to refine. For the Jaguars, it is a reminder that Week 1 could feature more moving parts at quarterback than the usual opening-day matchup suggests. [Read more 🡒]