Week Three Power Rankings: Raiders take huge leap

One of the great midweek segments throughout an NFL season is the ranking of all 32 teams in the pursuit of capturing a Lombardi trophy.

While any 2 rankings are rarely the same, the debate of opinion among fans is part of what makes sport great. Combining reputation and form, here is Preme Football’s Week 3 edition of the 2026 Power Rankings.

1. Buffalo Bills
Change in ranking: +1
Last week’s result: 24-16 win vs. Chargers
Week 3 MVP: Greg Rousseau
Week 3 lowlight: Turning the ball over 5 times
This week’s opponent: vs. Patriots

2. San Francisco 49ers
Change in ranking: +1
Last week’s result: 36-30 win vs. Cardinals
Week 3 MVP: Brock Purdy
Week 3 lowlight: Nearly letting a huge lead slip
This week’s opponent: vs. Broncos

3. Seattle Seahawks
Change in ranking: -2
Last week’s result: 31-33 loss @ Commanders
Week 3 MVP: Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Week 3 lowlight: Conceding 30+ points for only the second time in 18 games
This week’s opponent: vs. Chargers

4. Kansas City Chiefs
Change in ranking: +1
Last week’s result: 24-10 win @ Dolphins
Week 3 MVP: George Karlaftis
Week 3 lowlight: Leaving the door ajar for Miami all game until late in the final quarter
This week’s opponent: @ Raiders

5. Baltimore Ravens
Change in ranking: +1
Last week’s result: 34-31 win @ Cowboys
Week 3 MVP: Tyler Loop
Week 3 lowlight: CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens combining for 194 receiving yards
This week’s opponent: vs. Titans

6. Cincinnati Bengals
Change in ranking: -2
Last week’s result: 27-30 loss @ Steelers
Week 3 MVP: Ja’Marr Chase
Week 3 lowlight: Aaron Rodgers looked like it was 2020-21
This week’s opponent: vs. Jaguars

7. Jacksonville Jaguars
Change in ranking: +5
Last week’s result: 35-6 win vs. Patriots
Week 3 MVP: The entire defense
Week 3 lowlight: N/A
This week’s opponent: @ Bengals

8. Chicago Bears
Change in ranking: +1
Last week’s result: 27-7 win vs. Eagles
Week 3 MVP: Case Keenum
Week 3 lowlight: A right knee injury to Braxton Jones
This week’s opponent: vs. Jets

9. Denver Broncos
Change in ranking: +2
Last week’s result: 30-26 win vs. Rams
Week 3 MVP: Talanoa Hufanga
Week 3 lowlight: Another very slow first half offensively
This week’s opponent: @ 49ers

10. Minnesota Vikings
Change in ranking: +3
Last week’s result: 23-16 win @ Buccaneers
Week 3 MVP: Eric Wilson
Week 3 lowlight: An ankle injury to star receiver Justin Jefferson
This week’s opponent: vs. Dolphins

11. Los Angeles Rams
Change in ranking: -4
Last week’s result: 26-30 loss @ Broncos
Week 3 MVP: Davante Adams
Week 3 lowlight: Choking a 16-point halftime lead
This week’s opponent: @ Eagles

12. Philadelphia Eagles
Change in ranking: -4
Last week’s result: 7-27 loss @ Bears
Week 3 MVP: Quinyon Mitchell
Week 3 lowlight: The entirety of Monday Night Football
This week’s opponent: vs. Rams

13. Detroit Lions
Change in ranking: +1
Last week’s result: 31-24 win vs. Jets
Week 3 MVP: Jahmyr Gibbs
Week 3 lowlight: Another one-score win against a team they should have beaten with ease
This week’s opponent: @ Panthers

14. Las Vegas Raiders
Change in ranking: +9
Last week’s result: 35-27 win @ Saints
Week 3 MVP: Brock Bowers
Week 3 lowlight: We’re going to have to wait a little longer to see Fernando Mendoza with how Kirk Cousins is performing
This week’s opponent: vs. Chiefs

15. Dallas Cowboys
Change in ranking: None
Last week’s result: 31-34 loss vs. Ravens
Week 3 MVP: Javonte Williams
Week 3 lowlight: Becoming the first team in NFL history to concede a game-winning drive that begun with 7 seconds on the clock
This week’s opponent: @ Texans

16. Pittsburgh Steelers
Change in ranking: +5
Last week’s result: 30-27 win vs. Bengals
Week 3 MVP: Aaron Rodgers
Week 3 lowlight: It remains unknown whether they can replicate this level of offense consistently
This week’s opponent: @ Browns

17. New England Patriots
Change in ranking: -7
Last week’s result: 6-35 loss @ Jaguars
Week 3 MVP: Mack Hollins
Week 3 lowlight: Drake Maye’s performance… again
This week’s opponent: @ Bills

18. Houston Texans
Change in ranking: -2
Last week’s result: 17-19 loss @ Colts
Week 3 MVP: Will Anderson Jr.
Week 3 lowlight: Under 4 yards-per-carry for the third successive week
This week’s opponent: vs. Cowboys

19. New York Giants
Change in ranking: +1
Last week’s result: 12-7 win vs. Titans
Week 3 MVP: Jevon Holland
Week 3 lowlight: There won’t be a worse game of football all season than this one
This week’s opponent: vs. Cardinals

20. New Orleans Saints
Change in ranking: -1
Last week’s result: 27-35 loss vs. Raiders
Week 3 MVP: Tyler Shough
Week 3 lowlight: Turning the ball over twice in 80 seconds with the game on the line
This week’s opponent: vs. Falcons

21. Carolina Panthers
Change in ranking: -4
Last week’s result: 18-21 loss @ Browns
Week 3 MVP: Ryan Fitzgerald
Week 3 lowlight: Inability to complete drives with touchdowns
This week’s opponent: vs. Lions

22. Green Bay Packers
Change in ranking: -4
Last week’s result: 14-35 loss vs. Falcons
Week 3 MVP: Matthew Golden
Week 3 lowlight: Being booed off Lambeau Field by a rightfully angry contingent of cheeseheads
This week’s opponent: @ Buccaneers

23. New York Jets
Change in ranking: -1
Last week’s result: 24-31 loss @ Lions
Week 3 MVP: Geno Smith
Week 3 lowlight: They could very well be 3-0 in an alternate universe
This week’s opponent: @ Bears

24. Cleveland Browns
Change in ranking: +5
Last week’s result: 21-18 win vs. Panthers
Week 3 MVP: Harold Fannin Jr.
Week 3 lowlight: Deshaun Watson’s current form may cause the front office to bypass a quarterback in the 2027 draft
This week’s opponent: vs. Steelers

25. Washington Commanders
Change in ranking: +2
Last week’s result: 33-31 win vs. Seahawks
Week 3 MVP: Marcus Mariota
Week 3 lowlight: The offense looking better with Mariota than Jayden Daniels is cause for some concern
This week’s opponent: vs. Colts

26. Indianapolis Colts
Change in ranking: None
Last week’s result: 19-17 win vs. Texans
Week 3 MVP: Spencer Shrader
Week 3 lowlight: Knowing they have to face Will Anderson Jr. twice a year for the next decade
This week’s opponent: @ Commanders

27. Los Angeles Chargers
Change in ranking: -2
Last week’s result: 16-24 loss @ Bills
Week 3 MVP: Genesis Smith
Week 3 lowlight: Again failing to capitalise on a colossal defensive effort
This week’s opponent: @ Seahawks

28. Atlanta Falcons
Change in ranking: +4
Last week’s result: 35-14 win @ Packers
Week 3 MVP: Bijan Robinson
Week 3 lowlight: The realisation that this core would be atop the NFC South each year if they could simply stay healthy
This week’s opponent: @ Saints

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Change in ranking: -5
Last week’s result: 16-23 loss vs. Vikings
Week 3 MVP: Chase McLaughlin
Week 3 lowlight: Baker Mayfield’s thumb injury causing him to miss a minimum of 3 weeks
This week’s opponent: vs. Packers

30. Arizona Cardinals
Change in ranking: -2
Last week’s result: 30-36 loss vs. 49ers
Week 3 MVP: Jeremiyah Love
Week 3 lowlight: Their division is nothing short of a gauntlet this season
This week’s opponent: @ Giants

31. Miami Dolphins
Change in ranking: None
Last week’s result: 10-24 loss vs. Chiefs
Week 3 MVP: Jacob Rodriguez
Week 3 lowlight: Season-ending torn ACL to De’Von Achane
This week’s opponent: @ Vikings

32. Tennessee Titans
Change in ranking: -2
Last week’s result: 7-12 loss @ Giants
Week 3 MVP: Wan’Dale Robinson
Week 3 lowlight: Cam Ward’s play for almost the entire game, including throwing the decisive interception
This week’s opponent: @ Ravens

That’s a wrap! Let us know what changes you’d make to the Week 3 edition of the Preme Power Rankings.