Broncos sit mid-pack in new NFL power rankings
The Denver Broncos enter the 2026 season anchored in the league's middle, holding a 1.5 Football Power Index rating that places them squarely in the middle of the pack.
The air in Denver is thick with anticipation as the 2026 campaign looms on the horizon. The Broncos carry a 1.5 Football Power Index rating, a metric that positions them tied for 14th among the thirty-two franchises. It is a steady footing, neither soaring above the cloud nor sinking into the mud. The team sits precisely in the center of the gravitational field, balanced between the elite and the struggling.
According to Yahoo Sports, this index measures how many points above or below average a squad operates. It is not a guess, but a projection built on ten thousand simulations of the remaining schedule. The number is a cold, hard prediction of future performance, stripped of emotion and hype. For the Broncos, it signals a season defined by consistency rather than dominance.
Top tier teams hold the lead
Above the Broncos, the field stretches out like a long, green runway. The Los Angeles Rams lead the charge with a 5.9 rating, a significant gap that speaks to their superior depth. Behind them, the Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks form a tight cluster, their ratings hovering between 3.6 and 4.1. The Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers trail slightly, yet they remain firmly in the upper echelon. These teams have built a cushion that the rest of the league must chase.
Middle of the pack is tight
The space between the top five and the bottom ten is crowded and chaotic. The Los Angeles Chargers, Green Bay Packers, and Detroit Lions all hover in the 2.6 to 2.9 range. The Kansas City Chiefs sit at 2.5, a number that feels low for their pedigree but accurate for their current trajectory. The Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, and Cincinnati Bengals round out the upper middle, their ratings clustered within a narrow band of 1.8 to 2.1. It is a melee of talent, where small margins decide the outcome of weeks.
Bottom tier teams face steep climb
Below the zero line, the atmosphere shifts to one of struggle. The New York Jets and Las Vegas Raiders sit at -4.7, a deep negative that suggests systemic issues. The Cleveland Browns and Arizona Cardinals hover near -5.4, their ratings reflecting a season that has not gone their way. The Miami Dolphins trail the entire league with a -6.1 rating, a number that stands out in stark contrast to the Rams' lead. For these teams, the path forward is steep and unforgiving.
