The San Francisco 49ers remain the NFL's top-ranked team entering Week 6 of the 2026 season, but the biggest developments are happening further down the list. The Minnesota Vikings and New England Patriots have entered the top 10, the Green Bay Packers have made an extraordinary 11-place climb, and the Dallas Cowboys have suffered the week's steepest fall.
Published on October 13, NFL.com's Week 6 Power Rankings, compiled by analyst Nick Shook, reflect a league in which undefeated records, recent performances and perceived team strength do not always produce the same hierarchy.
With five weeks completed, three teams remain unbeaten, while three others are still searching for their first victory. The latest rankings offer a revealing snapshot of which teams are gaining confidence and which are raising new questions.
NFL Week 6 Power Rankings: The Top 10
San Francisco retains first place after defeating Seattle 32-29, while Kansas City stays second following its bye week. Despite losing to the 49ers, the Seahawks remain third.
| Rank | Team | Record | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco 49ers | 5-0 | — |
| 2 | Kansas City Chiefs | 4-0 | — |
| 3 | Seattle Seahawks | 3-2 | — |
| 4 | Baltimore Ravens | 4-1 | — |
| 5 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 4-1 | ↑ 1 |
| 6 | Buffalo Bills | 4-1 | ↑ 1 |
| 7 | Minnesota Vikings | 5-0 | ↑ 4 |
| 8 | Denver Broncos | 3-2 | ↓ 3 |
| 9 | Cincinnati Bengals | 3-2 | — |
| 10 | New England Patriots | 3-2 | ↑ 8 |
Source: NFL.com, October 13, 2026. Arrows indicate movement from its Week 5 edition, not changes in official standings.
The 49ers' unbeaten start has been reinforced by defensive resilience, particularly in their narrow victory over Seattle. Kansas City's 4-0 record keeps it among the leading contenders, while Baltimore holds fourth after an overtime victory against Atlanta.
Jacksonville moves into fifth after beating Philadelphia 19-17 in London on Cam Little's last-second 57-yard field goal. Buffalo rises to sixth following an overtime victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
Biggest Risers: Packers, Patriots and Vikings
Green Bay, New England and Minnesota account for three of the week's most significant upward movements. Their climbs reflect different developments: an offensive breakthrough, consecutive impressive victories and an unbeaten team beginning to answer questions about its attack.
Green Bay Packers: Up 11 Places to No. 16
No team gained more positions than Green Bay, which jumped from 27th to 16th after overwhelming the Chicago Bears 31-7.
Quarterback Jordan Love threw for 367 yards and two touchdowns to Christian Watson, producing the kind of passing performance that had been missing from the Packers' early-season offense.
Chicago's offensive difficulties also contributed to the result, particularly with Caleb Williams unavailable. Green Bay nevertheless showed a level of offensive execution that substantially changed its assessment in the rankings.
Another development to monitor is the anticipated return of Micah Parsons. His arrival in Green Bay was a major roster-building story, explored in our earlier breakdown of the Packers' Micah Parsons trade. His availability remains a separate question from the team's Week 5 performance.
New England Patriots: Up Eight Places to No. 10
New England's rise from 18th to 10th follows back-to-back victories over Buffalo and Las Vegas.
The Patriots dominated the Raiders 45-17, generating 536 yards of offense. Drake Maye helped lead a productive passing attack, while New England's defense prevented Las Vegas from establishing an effective response.
One strong result can distort an early-season assessment, but consecutive victories against different opponents provide a stronger argument that the Patriots are improving. Their next challenge is demonstrating that this level of execution can continue.
Minnesota Vikings: Up Four Places to No. 7
Minnesota improved to 5-0 after defeating New Orleans 23-13, climbing four positions into seventh place.
The Vikings' defense has been a consistent strength, but their offense showed encouraging progress during the second half against the Saints. Quarterback Kyler Murray connected with Justin Jefferson for a touchdown as Minnesota scored 17 points after halftime.
The remaining question is offensive consistency. An undefeated record establishes that Minnesota has successfully navigated its opening five games, but the rankings suggest Shook still sees room for improvement before placing the Vikings alongside the league's highest-rated teams.
Biggest Fallers: Cowboys, Saints and Eagles
The biggest declines involve teams whose recent performances have raised concerns about offensive reliability, defensive weaknesses or their ability to finish close games.
Dallas Cowboys: Down Ten Places to No. 18
Dallas suffered the week's largest drop, falling from eighth to 18th after losing at home to Tampa Bay.
The Cowboys managed only 16 points against a Buccaneers team that entered the matchup without a victory. Tampa Bay running back Bucky Irving rushed for 165 yards, exposing difficulties in Dallas' run defense.
The result highlighted a troubling imbalance. Dallas has often depended on explosive offensive production to compensate for defensive shortcomings. When its attack struggles, that formula becomes significantly less reliable.
The Cowboys now carry a 2-3 record, and their dramatic ranking decline reflects reduced confidence in their overall competitiveness rather than merely the effect of one defeat.
New Orleans Saints: Down Seven Places to No. 27
New Orleans fell from 20th to 27th following its loss to Minnesota.
Quarterback Tyler Shough finished with just 96 passing yards and two interceptions, while the Saints produced fewer than 150 net offensive yards. Minnesota's aggressive defense repeatedly disrupted their ability to move the ball.
At 1-4, New Orleans faces questions about whether its offense can perform effectively against stronger defensive opponents. The Vikings game provided little evidence that those concerns are close to being resolved.
Philadelphia Eagles: Down Five Places to No. 26
Philadelphia's 19-17 defeat against Jacksonville was particularly painful because the Eagles had taken a late lead before Cam Little's decisive field goal.
Already dealing with significant offensive-line changes and injuries, Philadelphia came close to securing a valuable victory in London. Instead, the loss dropped its record to 2-3 and contributed to a five-place slide.
The Eagles have demonstrated an ability to remain competitive despite adversity. Their immediate challenge is converting those competitive stretches into victories rather than allowing narrow defeats to accumulate.
Why the Rankings Don't Match the Standings
One of the most revealing comparisons is between Minnesota and Seattle.
The Vikings are undefeated at 5-0 but occupy seventh place. Seattle, despite losing two of its first five games, remains third.
That difference illustrates the purpose of power rankings. Unlike the official NFL standings, which track competitive records and determine playoff positioning under league rules, power rankings are subjective assessments of overall team strength.
Seattle's narrow defeat against top-ranked San Francisco did not substantially damage Shook's evaluation of the Seahawks. Minnesota's perfect record, meanwhile, has not completely eliminated questions about its offensive consistency.
Neither assessment changes what the teams have achieved on the field. The Vikings have won every game, while the Seahawks have three victories and two defeats.
Power rankings are therefore best understood as a changing evaluation of performance and potential, not an alternative standings table or a mathematical forecast of playoff qualification.
What to Watch in NFL Week 6
The next round of games offers opportunities for several teams to confirm or challenge their new positions.
Green Bay faces Dallas in a matchup that directly connects the week's biggest riser and biggest faller. It is an immediate test of whether the Packers' offensive improvement can continue and whether the Cowboys can respond to their disappointing performance against Tampa Bay.
New England faces the New York Jets, offering another opportunity to build on its recent winning run. Philadelphia meets Carolina, while San Francisco takes on Washington as the 49ers attempt to preserve their unbeaten start.
Seattle also faces Denver, giving both teams an opportunity to address questions raised by their recent performances.
The official NFL schedule provides the upcoming matchups, while final player availability remains subject to game-week reports and inactive announcements.
The most important distinction entering Week 6 is between momentum and sustained quality. Green Bay and New England have produced convincing reasons for optimism, while Dallas, Philadelphia and New Orleans face renewed scrutiny. Whether those movements represent lasting changes will depend on what the teams demonstrate in the games ahead.
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