Our NFL power rankings for Week 10 start with a team that didn’t need to be spectacular on Monday night. The Buffalo Bills ground out a 23-6 win in Minnesota to reach 7-1, and they stay on top of a crowded top tier that includes San Francisco, Denver and Chicago.
These rankings weigh record, recent form, point differential and the injuries and trades that will shape the second half. Records include Monday night’s game, and the trade deadline at 4 p.m. ET Tuesday could still shuffle a few spots.
The top tier: 1-4
1. Buffalo Bills (7-1). Buffalo showed a different way to win in Minneapolis. James Cook carried 31 times for 107 yards, the defense forced three Carson Wentz turnovers, and the Bills held the ball for 42:32. It was their fourth straight win. The worry is depth: cornerback Christian Benford hurt his wrist, and both starters on the left side of the offensive line sat out. Our Bills vs Vikings recap has the details.
2. San Francisco 49ers (7-1). The 49ers beat Las Vegas 38-17 and hold the NFC’s No. 1 seed. They also added DeForest Buckner from Indianapolis two weeks ago. A trip to Dallas on Sunday afternoon is their next test.
3. Denver Broncos (7-2). Denver came back to beat Carolina 26-21 for its fifth straight win and sits a half game behind Buffalo for the AFC’s top seed. The Broncos are on bye this week, so they’ll be watching the Bills at MetLife.
4. Chicago Bears (7-2). Caleb Williams threw four interceptions on Sunday night and the Bears still beat Tampa Bay 27-24 on Cairo Santos’ last-second field goal. Minnesota’s loss on Monday moved Chicago into first place in the NFC North by winning percentage. The Jeffery Simmons trade has given this defense a new identity, and the Bears get a bye to reset.
Contenders with a question or two: 5-10
5. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2). No team went harder at the deadline. The Jaguars added safety Jessie Bates, defensive tackle Jordan Davis and defensive tackle Davon Godchaux in one day, paying a 2027 first-round pick and two second-round picks in the process. Their plus-108 point differential through eight games, per NFL Rumors’ standings table, backs up the record. They visit Tennessee on Sunday.
6. Kansas City Chiefs (6-2). Kenneth Walker scored three touchdowns in a 35-12 win over the Jets, and the news on Patrick Mahomes’ elbow was good. Kansas City is still looking for a receiver before the deadline.
7. Cincinnati Bengals (6-2). Joe Burrow threw three touchdowns and ran for another in a 34-17 win over Atlanta in Madrid, Cincinnati’s fourth straight win. Sunday night’s game against Pittsburgh could decide the AFC North lead.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2). The Steelers were on bye and still lead the AFC North on a tiebreaker. They’re in the market for a receiver, according to NFL Network and ESPN, which tells you where the offense still needs help.
9. Detroit Lions (6-2). Detroit won in Miami and added safety Andre Cisco from the Jets for a 2028 sixth-round pick. The Lions face New England in Munich on Sunday morning.
10. Minnesota Vikings (6-2). Two straight losses, 21 points in those two games, and a quarterback room in trouble. Kyler Murray has a hamstring strain and Wentz threw for 81 yards against Buffalo. The defense is still elite, but we broke down why that may not be enough in our look at the Vikings quarterback crisis.
NFL power rankings Week 10: the middle, 11-20
| Rank | Team | Record | Why they’re here |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Green Bay Packers | 6-3 | Jordan Love threw for 372 yards in a 45-27 rout at New England |
| 12 | New York Giants | 5-2-1 | Lead the NFC East after a 19-11 win in Philadelphia |
| 13 | Los Angeles Rams | 5-4 | Three straight wins, but Puka Nacua is headed to injured reserve |
| 14 | Seattle Seahawks | 5-4 | Beat Arizona 17-3, but Sam Darnold’s injuries cloud the QB spot |
| 15 | New England Patriots | 5-4 | Four turnovers in the loss to Green Bay; Rhamondre Stevenson is banged up |
| 16 | Cleveland Browns | 5-4 | Lost 23-22 in overtime in New Orleans; Deshaun Watson is expected to start Sunday |
| 17 | Dallas Cowboys | 4-5 | Javonte Williams’ late touchdown won it 27-23 in Indianapolis |
| 18 | Las Vegas Raiders | 4-5 | 1-5 since a 3-0 start; Kirk Cousins threw three interceptions in San Francisco |
| 19 | Baltimore Ravens | 4-5 | Four straight losses; Jacoby Brissett starts while Lamar Jackson’s thumb heals |
| 20 | Houston Texans | 3-5 | Put up 44 points on the Chargers in Los Angeles |
The Giants are the most interesting team in this group. They traded for J.J. McCarthy in September after Jaxson Dart’s season-ending knee surgery, and they’ve kept winning. They host Washington on Thursday night with a chance to stretch their division lead.
New England is the hardest to place. The Patriots still own a head-to-head win over Buffalo from Week 4, but they turned the ball over four times against Green Bay, and they have only one game before a Week 11 bye.
The bottom 12: 21-32
21. Carolina Panthers (3-5) lost 26-21 to Denver but still lead the NFC South on a tiebreaker. 22. New Orleans Saints (3-5) stopped a 2-point try in overtime to beat Cleveland, and they host Carolina with first place on the line. 23. Atlanta Falcons (3-6) lost in Madrid and then traded Bates, a clear sign of where their season is heading. 24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6) forced five turnovers in Chicago and still lost; they’re on bye.
25. Arizona Cardinals (3-6) were held to three points in Seattle and have already traded Marvin Harrison Jr. and Brissett. Whether they move Budda Baker before 4 p.m. ET is one of the day’s biggest questions. 26. Washington Commanders (2-5-1) lost 20-13 to the Rams and open Week 10 at the Giants on Thursday. 27. New York Jets (2-7) have lost four straight and play host to Buffalo, as we laid out in our Bills vs Jets preview. 28. Philadelphia Eagles (2-7) have lost seven straight and just traded Jordan Davis to Jacksonville.
29. Indianapolis Colts (2-7) have traded Quenton Nelson and Buckner and are still fielding calls on Jonathan Taylor. 30. Miami Dolphins (1-7) lost to Detroit and visit Indianapolis. 31. Tennessee Titans (1-7) traded Simmons for two first-round picks and are building for 2027. 32. Los Angeles Chargers (0-8) gave up 44 points to Houston, and Justin Herbert has been sacked 31 times while playing through a finger injury.
What could move these rankings by next week
Three games will do most of the reshuffling. Steelers at Bengals on Sunday night decides the AFC North lead between two 6-2 teams. Vikings at Packers tells us whether Minnesota can stop a slide without a healthy starting quarterback. And Bills at Jets is the trap game of the week, with Buffalo on a short road trip and missing key pieces.
The trade deadline matters too. If Buffalo lands a safety or cornerback, the gap at No. 1 grows. If Jacksonville’s deals pay off right away against Tennessee, the Jaguars have a case for the top four. We’ll update these rankings after the deadline passes at 4 p.m. ET.
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