Week 4 is in the books, and the 2026 NFL season’s Week 5 power rankings bring a little movement at the top, plenty of churn in the middle, and the usual chaos near the bottom.
Kansas City stays put at No. 1 as the lone undefeated team in the AFC and one of just three unbeaten teams left in the league. With the Chargers next on the schedule, the Chiefs are positioned to move to 5-0.
San Francisco climbs to No. 2 after sitting at No. 3 last week. The 49ers have a strong argument for being the NFL’s best team, though their path has been softer than Kansas City’s. Their Week 5 matchup with Seattle should tell us plenty.
Seattle checks in at No. 3 after bouncing back from its Week 3 loss. The reigning Super Bowl champs now get a chance to try to take control of the NFC West from San Francisco.
Baltimore lands at No. 4.
Lamar Jackson’s injury is a concern, but the offense has looked sharp when he’s on the field. The Ravens also made a Cam Jurgens trade as they searched for help at center, and whether that move pays off remains to be seen.
Buffalo falls to No. 5 after a home loss to New England for the second straight year. The Bills are still very good, but there’s been just enough silliness mixed in to keep them from looking fully buttoned up.
Minnesota remains unbeaten at No. 6.
The defense has been doing the heavy lifting, but that probably can’t hold forever if the offense stays this shaky. Still, being undefeated is undefeated.
Chicago sits at No. 7, and Ben Johnson keeps adding to the case that the Bears are for real in the NFC. He won in Week 3 with his third-string quarterback and in Week 4 with his second-string quarterback.
The Rams hold steady at No. 8 after barely avoiding a collapse against an undermanned Eagles team. A loss would have dropped them to 1-3, but they survived, and Myles Garrett could be back as soon as next week.
Dallas moves up to No. 9. The offense has shown it can carry the defense, and the 28-point second-half outburst against the Texans was another reminder that the Cowboys can claim superiority in Texas.
Jacksonville jumps to No. 10. The Jaguars are second in point differential and second in DVOA, which is about as clean a signal as you can ask for this early.
Las Vegas rises to No. 11 and remains the league’s only team undefeated against the spread at 4-0. The Raiders lost to Kansas City, but they also pushed the top team in the league, and that earns them credit.
Detroit drops to No. 12, and the defensive issues are starting to look like the kind that can block a real championship run. At this point, a wild card spot might be the ceiling.
Cincinnati falls to No. 13 after back-to-back losses, though a bounce-back chance against Miami is next.
New England climbs to No. 14 after a huge win in Buffalo that keeps the Patriots alive in the AFC East race.
Philadelphia drops to No. 15.
The Eagles nearly beat the Rams, but they didn’t, and the injury list is piling up. Lane Johnson is out, and more losses look likely.
Denver falls to No. 16. Sean Payton is reportedly set to get more involved in the play-calling after Davis Webb struggled, and the idea of moving away from Payton running things doesn’t exactly make much sense.
New York jumps to No. 17 and, for the first time since the prehistoric era, sits atop the NFC East. That probably won’t last long, but the Giants do have a stretch of more manageable games ahead.
Carolina moves to No. 18, and Bryce Young is putting together a strong start. He leads the NFL in passing yards and has a 100.0 passer rating.
Atlanta rises to No. 19, and the difference between starting Cooper Rush and starting Michael Penix showed up fast. The Falcons are still alive.
New Orleans slides to No. 20 after an encouraging start gave way to a cooler stretch. The early momentum may not have meant as much as it looked like it did.
Indianapolis is No. 21 after beating Athan Kaliakmanis, though it’s hard to know exactly what that told us.
Cleveland moves up to No. 22. Todd Monken sure isn’t tanking.
Green Bay sits at No. 23 after beating a team starting an undrafted rookie free agent quarterback by just three points. The Packers also look primed to lose to the Bears this week.
Pittsburgh drops to No. 24, and the Aaron Rodgers-Mike McCarthy reunion doesn’t exactly look like a perfect fit so far.
Washington falls to No. 25 after a Week 4 loss with its third-string rookie quarterback, who actually didn’t play all that badly relative to expectations. Jayden Daniels’ return could give the Commanders a spark in Week 5, but they need a win to avoid falling to 0-3 in division games.
Houston drops to No. 26 after going 0-3 in one-score games. The Texans aren’t good, but they’ve also had bad luck working against them.
Tampa Bay remains at No. 27, and Todd Bowles is on track to be the first head coach fired this season. The Buccaneers are staring at 0-5 with Dallas laying 8.5 points in Week 5.
The Jets stay at No. 28, and their -8 point differential is the best in the league among losing teams. Maybe that makes them one of the better bad teams.
Arizona remains at No. 29 and is now 0-3 since beating the Chargers in Week 1.
Los Angeles holds at No. 30. The Justin Herbert-Mike McDaniel pairing hasn’t gone the way people hoped.
Tennessee stays last at No. 31, though the Titans are at least 2-2 against the spread. That’s something, even if it isn’t much.
In Other News...
Eagles Pass Game Gets A Huge Week 5 Test Against Jacksonville
The Eagles head into Week 5 with their offense in a tricky spot, and the matchup in Jacksonville looks like the kind that can force some answers. With Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith likely unavailable, Philadelphia may have to lean harder than usual on its passing game, which has not been especially sharp so far. Even so, the Jaguars have struggled against the pass, giving the Eagles a clear opening to get something going through the air.
Jacksonvilles stout run defense adds another layer to the challenge, making it even more likely that Sean Mannion and Jalen Hurts will need to guide the game plan with the ball in hand. For an Eagles attack that has been searching for rhythm, this is the kind of opponent that can either help restore some confidence or deepen the questions. How much progress Philadelphia makes in this one could say plenty about where the passing game stands right now. [Read more 🡒]
Jalen Hurts Opens Up On Eagles Line Shakeup Before Week 5
Jalen Hurts spent part of the week reflecting on two familiar faces no longer in the mix, acknowledging the departure of Cam Jurgens and Lane Johnson and thanking them for what they meant to the group. For an Eagles offense built on continuity up front, losing linemen who have been part of the everyday rhythm is never a small thing, especially this deep into the season.
Hurts also made clear the next man up mentality is already in motion, describing the new starters as hungry and eager to compete. As Philadelphia turns toward Week 5, the focus has shifted quickly from what was lost to how the unit responds, with Hurts stressing commitment and teamwork as the best way to keep the offense moving in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Johnson Decision Sparked An Eagles Debate Fans Will Understand
Lane Johnsons mid-season retirement hit the Eagles with the kind of jolt that reaches far beyond the offensive line. A veteran cornerstone stepping away in the middle of the year is never a small thing, especially for a team built around toughness and continuity, and Johnson said his decision was tied to mental health reasons. The news immediately shifted the conversation from football to something more personal, with the focus landing on what it means when a player decides he needs to step away.
Stephen A. Smith only added to the controversy when he criticized the timing of Johnsons move, drawing a swift backlash from around the Eagles orbit. Former teammate C.J. Gardner-Johnson was among those who pushed back publicly, and the response was strong enough that Smith later apologized. Even in a league that rarely slows down for anything, this became one of those moments that reminded everyone how quickly a football story can turn into a bigger conversation about respect, judgment and where the line is when it comes to mental health. [Read more 🡒]