Welcome to Week 10 of our NFL Power Rankings, where we’re shaking things up with one-sentence blitz summaries for all 32 teams. Forget your flowery prose, we are keeping it short and sweet – no offence to the Arizona Cardinals offence.
Don’t worry, we haven’t forgot this week’s bonus feature: highlighting each team’s most underrated player of the season! Please note that the players selected are not on the basis of their overall quality, but rather their value to the team in relation to their media attention. Perhaps you can unearth a couple of gems for your own use in Fantasy Football or Madden Franchise.
1. Philadelphia Eagles (9-1)
Result: Beat the Dallas Cowboys 28-23
Nine wins don’t lie and although the offence has creaked at times this season, the Eagles have consistently got themselves over the line in crunch time – Super Bowl contender all but confirmed.
Underrated Star: DeVonta Smith
2. Baltimore Ravens (7-2)
Result: Beat the Seattle Seahawks 37-3
Lamar Jackson is deadset on his mission to silence the haters that depict him as a rusher first, passer second – the Ravens QB leads the league in completion percentage (71.5%), longest pass (80 yards) and rushing yards (440 yards).
Underrated Star: Lamar Jackson
3. Kansas City Chiefs (7-2)
Result: Beat the Miami Dolphins 21-14
The sting of a record-breaking loss to the Denver Broncos was alleviated somewhat by the Chiefs dominant first-half performance over the Dolphins in Frankfurt, Germany – while the offence remains patchwork at best, Patrick Mahomes’ quality fills the cracks.
Underrated Star: Isiah Pacheco
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2)
Result: Bye Week
Doug Pederson has revitalised the Jaguars following Urban Meyer’s disastrous tenure, currently leading the side to a 12-3 record in their last 15 games – the Trevor Lawrence era is well and truly upon us.
Underrated Star: Christian Kirk
5. Detroit Lions (6-2)
Result: Bye Week
Detroit bounced back from their dismantling in Baltimore with a solid victory over the Las Vegas Raiders – beating Josh McDaniels doesn’t mean much, but the Lions proved their worth in the season opening victory at Kansas City.
Underrated Star: Jared Goff
6. Miami Dolphins (6-3)
Result: Lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 21-14
It is difficult to put the Dolphins in the top-five, irrespective of their ferocious firepower, as losing their three most meaningful games suggests limitations with either the quarterback or coaching.
Underrated Star: Jaylen Waddle
7. Cincinnati Bengals (5-3)
Result: Beat the Buffalo Bills 24-18
The Bengals are officially back, boys – Joe Burrows calf injury feels like a lifetime ago as Cincinnati underlined their postseason potential with a comfortable thumping of the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
Underrated Star: Sam Hubbard
8. Dallas Cowboys (5-3)
Result: Lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 28-23
Another loss in a pivotal match adds further fuel to the debate that Dak Prescott caps the Cowboys potential, however, Sunday’s loss stems more from Mike McCarthy’s bizarre fourth-quarter calls and Dak’s offensive line failing him when it mattered most.
Underrated Star: Malik Hooker
9. Seattle Seahawks (5-3)
Result: Lost to the Baltimore Ravens 37-3
The Seahawks won’t be the only team to be trounced by Baltimore this season – ugly scoreline aside, Seattle are a well-oiled team under coach Pete Carroll and have been strengthened further with the late addition of DT Leonard Williams.
Underrated Star: Devon Witherspoon
10. San Francisco 49ers (5-3)
Result: Bye Week
An opportune bye week has prevented the 49ers from slipping further down the rankings – Kyle Shanahan’s star studded cast will turnaround the three-game skid, but it has raised major questions of Brock Purdy’s credentials.
Underrated Star: Deebo Samuel
11. Cleveland Browns (5-3)
Result: Beat the Arizona Cardinals 27-0
No credit will be given to Deshaun Watson for ‘bravely’ overcoming a limp Arizona defence, the real tests are upcoming against the high-flying Ravens and terrifying Steelers’ pass rush.
Underrated Star: Dustin Hopkins
12. Buffalo Bills (5-4)
Result: Lost to the Cincinnati Bengals 24-18
This season has been nothing short of underwhelming for Buffalo with franchise QB Josh Allen having been unable to break out of first gear – aside from the Miami Dolphins masterclass, the Bills continue to underperform while feeling sorry about their ever-growing injury list.
Underrated Star: Gabe Davis
13. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3)
Result: Beat the Tennessee Titans 20-16
Mike Tomlin’s voodoo magic has been all but confirmed this season, conjuring a winning record for an offence that could rival the damp squib that is the New York Jets – be warned Steeler Nation, Kenny Pickett is not your long-term answer.
Underrated Star: Alex Highsmith
14. Minnesota Vikings (5-4)
Result: Beat the Atlanta Falcons 31-28
Rocket scientist Joshua Dobbs, aka the passtronaut, led the Vikings to an unlikely victory in his debut despite having spent less than 48hours with the team – fear the nerd rising within football.
Underrated Star: K. J. Osbourne
15. New Orleans Saints (5-4)
Result: Beat the Chicago Bears 24-17
The Saints have clawed their way back to a winning record after they relinquished a 3-0 start to the season – Derek Carr appears to be cooking, excellent news for New Orleans elite receiving corps.
Underrated Star: Taysom Hill
16. Los Angeles Chargers (4-4)
Result: Beat the New York Jets 27-6
Hey, look what happens when Justin Herbert plays with a competent defence! Keenan Allen broke 10,000 career yards on Monday, not a bad return for a third rounder out of the 2013 draft.
Underrated Star: Keenan Allen
17. Houston Texans (4-4)
Result: Beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 39-37
Not to overstep the mark, but C.J. Stroud may be the greatest footballer of all-time – Houston finally have a franchise quarterback to talk about, at least one that doesn’t require an asterisk alongside his name.
Underrated Star: Christian Harris
18. New York Jets (4-4)
Result: Lost to the Los Angeles Chargers 27-6
Every single ghost that Sam Darnold saw during his time at the New York Jets reappeared on Monday Night for Zach Wilson – coach Robert Salah has transformed the Jets since taking over, but he deserves criticism for his refusal to end the Wilson experiment.
Underrated Star: Garrett Wilson
19. Indianapolis Colts (4-5)
Result: Beat the Carolina Panthers 27-13
Minshew Mania returned on Sunday following a beatdown of the lowly Panthers, is there a more well loved backup quarterback in the league?
Underrated Star: Jaylon Jones
20. Washington Commanders (4-5)
Result: Beat the New England Patriots 20-17
Despite clearing out their two premium defensive ends, the Commanders scratched out a win against the Patriots – once again, better protection must be offered to Sam Howell who was sacked three times on Sunday.
Underrated Star: Antonio Gibson
21. Atlanta Falcons (4-5)
Result: Lost to the Minnesota Vikings 31-28
Arthur Smith shaved his moustache during Movember and refuses to feature Bijan Robinson more prominently in his offence, need I say more?
Underrated Star: Kaden Elliss
22. Las Vegas Raiders (4-5)
Result: Beat the New York Giants 30-6
The post-McDaniels bounce proved as emphatic as expected, with coach Antonio Pierce’s decision to start rookie Aidan O’Connell generating more locker-room goodwill than anything his predecessor achieved.
Underrated Star: Hunter Renfrow
23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5)
Result: Lost to the Houston Texans 39-37
Four losses on the bounce has seen Tampa Bay plummet out of every pundits’ dark horse predictions this season, however, Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans have created a fine connection that could yet shock a woeful NFC South.
Underrated Star: Cade Otton
24. Tennessee Titans (3-5)
Result: Lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 20-17
Ryan Over-The-Hill has been tossed aside in favour of rookie Will Levis for the remainder of the season, a smart move that will dictate the Titans draft moves before an inevitable rebuild.
Underrated Star: Teair Tart
25. Green Bay Packers (3-5)
Result: Beat the Los Angeles Rams 20-3
Take that Jordan Love haters, the first rounder is a better quarterback than Brett Rypien!
Underrated Star: The Fans
26. Los Angeles Rams (3-6)
Result: Lost to the Green Bay Packers 20-3
Picking up Carson Wentz from free agency allows the Rams a perfect ‘test drive’ opportunity for the former Super Bowl winner while Matthew Stafford recovers from his finger injury.
Underrated Star: Ernest Jones
27. Denver Broncos (3-5)
Result: Bye Week
Broncos Country, lets ride towards a positive record and pretend the Miami Dolphins match was just a bad nightmare – major changes are needed over the summer if Sean Payton is to squeeze anything out of Denver.
Underrated Star: Jaleel McLaughlin
28. New England Patriots (2-7)
Result: Lost to the Washington Commanders 20-17
Tanking for a quarterback is what Robert Kraft wants, whether Bill Belichick’s ego would allow such a course is questionable – as rumours emerge that Belichick could receive the boot after the Patriots game in Germany, we could well witness a football revolution next weekend.
Underrated Star: Kyle Dugger
29. Chicago Bears (2-7)
Result: Lost to the New Orleans Saints 24-17
Tyson Bagent’s day in the sun may be over after an error-laden display in New Orleans, but Justin Fields is yet to save his career in Chicago after turning in another below average season so far.
Underrated Star: Devonta Foreman
30. Arizona Cardinals (1-8)
Result: Lost to the Cleveland Browns 27-0
The only reason the Cardinals don’t find themselves rock bottom in the rankings is down to Kyler Murray’s return this weekend – best of luck to the former Heisman winner saving this sinking ship.
Underrated Star: James Conner
31. Carolina Panthers (1-7)
Result: Lost to the Indianapolis Colts 27-13
Another game, another failure for Bryce Young to stamp his mark – the number one pick has struggled on a toothless Panthers side, however, his weaknesses have been exposed more intensely by the overwhelming success of number two C.J. Stroud.
Underrated Star:
32. New York Giants (2-7)
Result: Lost to the Las Vegas Raiders 30-6
After losing Daniel Jones for the season through an ACL injury, the Giants season is officially over – replacement Tommy Devito has shown himself incapable of leading an NFL offence across his two dismal performances.
Underrated Star: Isiah Hodgins