NFL power rankings entering Week 1 of the 2024 season (previous rank in parentheses):
1. Kansas City Chiefs (1): They’d hardly scored the winning touchdown in overtime to successfully defend their crown in February before QB Patrick Mahomes, TE Travis Kelce and Co. were openly talking about the quest to become the first team to achieve a Super Bowl three-peat. With new weapons like blazers Hollywood Brown and Xavier Worthy at wideout, it’s quite possible these Chiefs will be more explosive than they’ve been in recent years. But to go back-to-back-to-(behind-the-back)-to-back, K.C. will have to overcome personnel losses on defense, hope WR Rashee Rice’s legal issues don’t come to a head at an inopportune time for the club and trust rookie LT Kingsley Suamataia is up to the task of safeguarding Mahomes.
3. Green Bay Packers (5): Like their NFC North rivals in Detroit, the Pack nearly knocked off the 49ers on the road in last season’s playoffs but couldn’t manage to hold a second-half lead, either. However if QB Jordan Love’s ascent continues, free agent additions Josh Jacobs and Xavier McKinney pay off, and this defense performs closer to the sum of its numerous first-round parts? No top-tier team in the league may have more room for upward growth.
4. Baltimore Ravens (3): Yes, the AFC’s No. 1 playoff seed last season has added RB Derrick Henry and is banking that his bruising style will mesh with MVP Lamar Jackson’s evasive (option-driven) one. But the AFC North rulers also lost a lot defensively, including coordinator Mike Macdonald. Perhaps most concerning are the turnover on the offensive line and the health of Pro Bowl C Tyler Linderbaum’s neck – those issues compounded by the sudden death of longtime O-line coach Joe D’Alessandris. Tragedy and adversity can fuel a team … but can also derail one.
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5. San Francisco 49ers (2): The reigning NFC champs arguably own the league’s best top-to-bottom roster. However despite their recently resolved business with WR Brandon Aiyuk and, now, All-Pro LT Trent Williams – arguably the club’s top player – neither has practiced in months, and (consequently?) the first-team offense hardly looked to be in sync during preseason auditions. There are also a fair amount of injuries (S Talanoa Hufanga, LB Dre Greenlaw, G Jon Feliciano, CB Ambry Thomas) that are going to linger for some time – and that’s on top of first-round WR Ricky Pearsall getting shot Saturday. Don’t be surprised if the Niners get off to a rocky start.
6. New York Jets (10): A third-ranked defense, RB Breece Hall and HC Robert Saleh probably don’t get sufficient credit for keeping a team that played with one hand tied behind its back relevant for so long in 2023. QB Aaron Rodgers need not win a fifth MVP for this talent-laden team to break its Super Bowl hex – he mostly just needs to stay upright and available enough to stabilize the franchise’s decades-long, well, positional Achilles. The Jets are so loaded, the absence of holdout OLB Haason Reddick might be more of a champagne problem than a front-burner one.
8. Philadelphia Eagles (6): And the rich get richer – EVP/GM Howie Roseman tantamount to a talent hedge fund manager after buying low on new WR3 Jahan Dotson. He might have been a first-round disappointment in Washington, but few teams will have a more dangerous player in his role than Dotson, who’s likely to be routinely covered by the opponent’s No. 4 corner.
9. Cincinnati Bengals (9): Speaking of distractions, they’ve got a WR1 (Ja’Marr Chase) who’s intermittently practicing while seeking a new contract, a WR2 (Tee Higgins) who’s less than thrilled with his franchise tag, and a DE1 (Trey Hendrickson) who asked for a trade in April before backing off. Still, all of those issues should be overridden by the healthy return of QB Joe Burrow, who’s gotten Cincy at least as far as the AFC title round in the two seasons when he’s made at least 16 regular-season starts.
10. Los Angeles Rams (12): For a team coping with life AAD – after Aaron Donald – the fact that offensive pillars like QB Matthew Stafford, RB Kyren Williams and WR Puka Nacua have all been dealing with various physical issues in recent weeks and months is something of a concern. But assuming everyone’s good to go moving forward, this should be one of the league’s most fun offenses to watch.
12. Atlanta Falcons (19): With the additions of OLB Matthew Judon and S Justin Simmons, has any team improved more in the past month than one that was widely considered to be the NFC South favorite prior to those acquisitions?
13. Buffalo Bills (7): Though the spotlight has been focused on WR Stefon Diggs’ exit, there’s been so much roster churn – on both sides of the ball – since the perennial AFC East champs’ heartbreaking playoff loss to Kansas City. And to then lose All-Pro LB Matt Milano (biceps) for another extended stretch? The Mafia should expect a hit job to their recent aspirations.
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17. Chicago Bears (15): A team on the come in the latter part of last season courtesy of its ascending defense, the offensive reinforcements – obviously led by rookie QB Caleb Williams – could very well mean the franchise’s first postseason win in 14 years.
18. Dallas Cowboys (18): With WR CeeDee Lamb successfully extended, the 2023 NFC East champs … have checked off a major objective even as they’re likely on the way to being a lesser version of last year’s team.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers (13): QB2 Justin Fields came in second during a positional battle he probably should have won. The team came in second in a bid to land Aiyuk … that always felt a little far-fetched. Close but no cigar already seems to be defining this squad.
24. Minnesota Vikings (23): Finding a positive spin to rookie J.J. McCarthy’s season-ending knee injury isn’t easy. But quarterback certainty, the arrival of CB Stephon Gilmore and a near lack of expectations could make the Vikes far more dangerous than they’re being given credit for.
26. Denver Broncos (29): Yes, it was preseason – but it was impossible not to notice how much more efficiently HC Sean Payton’s offense operated with rookie QB Bo Nix than it did last year with Russell Wilson.
30. New England Patriots (30): No Judon. No Aiyuk, either, despite what the Pats were apparently willing to pay him. No problem? After all, QB Jacoby Brissett does have a .500 record here … in his two starts with the Pats … as a rookie … eight years ago.
31. Carolina Panthers (32): It can’t really get any worse, right? And it really should improve if rookie HC Dave Canales’ QB track record in recent years (Wilson, Geno Smith, Baker Mayfield) is any indication.
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Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter, @ByNateDavis.