NFL Week 6 Power Rankings: 49ers Undefeated, Bills Surge

Brock Purdy absorbed his first sacks of the 2026 NFL season on Sunday, yet the San Francisco 49ers remain the league’s only undefeated team. Seattle’s defense hit the quarterback three times and registered nine total pressures during a Week 5 loss at Lumen Field, but the damage was insufficient to halt San Francisco’s 5-0 start. Head coach Kyle Shanahan is now chasing his second 6-0 opening — matching the 2019 campaign that ended in a Super Bowl appearance — while attempting to secure his first Lombardi Trophy. The Niners have already swept through the NFC West’s initial gauntlet and defeated three franchises that won at least 12 games last year.

The Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks hold steady behind San Francisco as the schedule approaches its first major inflection point. Kansas City enters Week 6 coming off a bye, preparing for a stretch where the competition intensifies significantly. Wide receiver Justin Watson is returning to the practice squad to bolster depth, though Tyreek Hill remains unavailable. Seattle, despite Sam Darnold throwing two interceptions and running backs fumbling twice against the 49ers, carries momentum from a defensive identity anchored by linebacker Ernest Jones IV. The Seahawks’ current trajectory mirrors their midseason stumble last year in Los Angeles, which immediately preceded a 12-game winning streak.

Denver sits fourth after Sean Payton reclaimed offensive play-calling duties. While the offense struggled to find immediate rhythm in his first week back, the Broncos’ defense has stabilized, positioning the team for a potential surge similar to their late-season runs under Payton’s previous tenures.

Jacksonville’s rise to fifth reflects a quiet statistical dominance. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence currently holds the second-best passer rating among AFC quarterbacks, trailing only Lamar Jackson. His deep-ball connection with wide receiver Parker Washington has become a primary weapon. More critically, the Jaguars boast the second-stingiest scoring defense in the NFL, trailing only the Minnesota Vikings, who sit ninth despite allowing the fewest points per game, the lowest expected points added (EPA) per play, and generating a league-best plus-six turnover differential. Minnesota’s defense has recorded 87 pressures and 17 sacks through five weeks, and Kyler Murray is showing signs of returning to his Pro Bowl form.

A Monday night overtime thriller between the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams reshuffled the middle tier. Josh Allen’s ability to engineer an overtime victory elevates Buffalo to seventh, reinforcing their pedigree for January playoff football. The Rams dropped to eighth, relying heavily on their defense and special teams to stay competitive. Los Angeles currently sits outside the playoff picture, though the anticipated return of Myles Garrett from injury could alleviate their reliance on late-game heroics.

New England’s ascent to sixth is driven entirely by Drake Maye. After a turbulent September, the quarterback has played at an MVP level over the past two weeks. The Patriots’ offense could receive another significant boost if wide receiver A.J. Brown returns as early as Sunday’s matchup against the New York Jets.

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff has engineered one of the most efficient five-week stretches in modern NFL history, accounting for 13 touchdowns without a single turnover. Carolina emerged from their bye week at 11th, powered by the league’s top-ranked passing offense. Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan leads a highly diversified aerial attack featuring five players with double-digit receptions. Chicago remains tenth, holding steady defensively while awaiting the imminent return of injured quarterback Caleb Williams following a lopsided 31-7 loss to Green Bay at Lambeau Field.

Rookie impacts are defining several rosters. Cleveland wide receiver Denzel Boston leads the NFL with 20.6 yards per reception, averaging 43.3 yards on his three touchdown catches. Baltimore rookie Vega Ioane, drafted as a guard, has already started twice at center due to injuries, drawing high praise from head coach Jesse Minter. Meanwhile, Houston edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. is on pace for 25.5 sacks, threatening the single-season record Myles Garrett set just nine months ago.

Not all early narratives are positive. The Las Vegas Raiders have plummeted to 15th after a 3-0 start collapsed against a legitimate schedule, raising the possibility of Fernando Mendoza seeing playing time before their Week 13 bye. Atlanta left tackle Jake Matthews celebrated his 200th consecutive start on Sunday night, though he narrowly missed catching his first career touchdown pass in an overtime loss. The Indianapolis Colts are hemorrhaging yardage after the catch, surrendering an NFL-worst 710 yards in that metric alone.

At the bottom of the standings, the Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans remain winless in meaningful momentum. Miami climbed slightly to 31st due to visible effort under first-year head coach Jeff Hafley. Tennessee occupies the basement after mailing in a Week 5 performance against Houston, overshadowing recent competitive efforts for Robert Saleh. The Los Angeles Chargers sit at 30th, derailed by a league-high 13 turnovers through five games.

Green Bay prepares to host Dallas on Sunday night without edge rusher Micah Parsons. The Packers also lost nose tackle Javon Hargrave to a torn Achilles, making him the second defensive starter to suffer that specific injury in the past two weeks alongside linebacker Edgerrin Cooper.