The AFC is a mess right now, and that’s exactly what makes Week 8 worth watching. There’s talent all over the conference, especially at quarterback, but plenty of teams are still stuck in the mud. As November nears and the NFL Trade Deadline gets closer, the updated AFC Power Rankings already reflect how unsettled things have become.
At the bottom, the Los Angeles Chargers sit at 0-6 and remain the NFL’s lone winless team. They were on a bye in Week 7, but that doesn’t change the bigger picture: the roster has been disappointing, injuries keep piling up, and the coaching hire has not worked out. Right now, the Chargers look like a complete mess, with just about everyone on the hot seat for the rest of the season.
The Tennessee Titans aren’t much better at 1-5. They’ve been one of the league’s least convincing teams, and quarterback Cam Ward hasn’t given them nearly enough in year two.
Robert Saleh hasn’t changed that either. With the deadline approaching, Tennessee could be heading toward sell mode, and it’s fair to wonder whether this current coaching setup or Ward is still around by 2027.
The Indianapolis Colts check in next at 2-5, and their slide has been hard to miss. They already fired General Manager Chris Ballard, and the season has gone the wrong way since that ridiculous 7-1 start in 2025. This feels like a team with little direction, and a deadline sell-off would make sense for a group that has settled into mediocrity.
The Miami Dolphins round out this stretch at 1-5, and their latest win over the New York Jets came with 156 rushing yards. There’s fight in this team; that part is obvious. But the talent level just isn’t enough to make winning easy, and given that Miami entered the year in a full rebuild, the slow start isn’t exactly a surprise.
In Other News...
Titans Suddenly Have A Real RB2 Debate Behind Tyjae Spears
Tyjae Spears was supposed to have a firmer grip on the Titans No. 2 running back job, but a knee injury and uneven play have opened the door for someone else. Michael Carter has been getting more work in recent games, and his ability to handle all three downs has caught attention from coach Robert Saleh. In a backfield that already leans heavily on Tony Pollard, the battle for touches behind him has become a real subplot.
Carters recent production has outpaced both Spears and rookie Nick Singleton, and that alone is changing the conversation about how Tennessee wants to structure its backfield. If Spears cannot get back to form, the Titans may have to decide whether Carter is simply a short-term fill-in or the more reliable option as RB2. The picture could shift again if Pollard is traded, which would only make this situation more important to watch in the weeks ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Trade Buzz Now Centers On One Name Fans Wont Like
The trade chatter around the AFC South has widened beyond the usual deadline-day noise, with multiple NFL teams reportedly inquiring about deals for Colts receiver Josh Downs and Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. The latest buzz has also linked Jacksonville to a possible pursuit of Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne, adding another layer to a division already full of roster questions as teams weigh whether to buy, sell or stay put.
League sources have also put Jermaine Johnson, Tony Pollard and Alontae Taylor in the conversation as potential trade candidates, which only adds to the sense that the market could move quickly if one deal gets enough traction. For the Titans, it is another reminder that the division around them is not standing still, and any shift at the deadline could alter both the short-term race and the longer view of how these rivals are built. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Suddenly Loom In One Of The NFLs Biggest Trade Decisions
With the NFL trade deadline approaching, the league has already seen one of its most consequential in-season swings, as the Colts moved guard Quenton Nelson to the Seahawks for future draft picks and sent defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the 49ers for a draft pick. Deals of that size have a way of resetting the market, and they tend to invite every team with a meaningful decision to the center of the conversation.
For Tennessee, that matters because Jeffery Simmons is part of the wider trade discussion now forming around some of the leagues biggest names. Jonathan Taylor, Saquon Barkley, Brian Thomas and Budda Baker are also being floated as potential candidates, with possible landing spots already being mapped out, but the bigger question is how aggressive teams become once a move like Seattles changes the temperature. The Titans may not be the only club watching closely, but they are firmly among the teams who need to know where that market is heading before the deadline arrives. [Read more 🡒]