NFL Power Rankings: Trade deadline week makes for major shakeups in AFC

Stop me if you have heard this before, but the Denver Broncos are entering their bye week on a solid winning streak. After going into their bye week on an eight -game winning streak last year, the Broncos are doing the same with five straight wins this year.

The Broncos faced one of the toughest six-game starts of the season that we have ever seen, turned in a 4-2 record throughout, and are beginning to beef up their record with a run of lesser teams. They are going to need to take care of every opportunity they get, as the AFC appears to be considerably stronger than it has been in years past.

The race for the top seed and a first-round bye last year was a two-team sprint between just the Broncos and the New England Patriots, but it might feature up to five teams this year. With the trade deadline now in the past, the AFC's final push is taking form.

Updated AFC Power Rankings show the Denver Broncos are one of the conference's elite heading into their Week 10 bye

16) Los Angeles Chargers (0-8)

The Los Angeles Chargers have not won a game this year, have gone multiple games without scoring offensive touchdowns, absolutely need to rebuild and accumulate draft capital for this year and next, and,f for some reason, made no trade that was completed after the deadline. The dream duo of Jim Harbaugh and Mike McDaniel has turned into a nightmare with no end in sight. Justin Herbert looks lost, and the odds of him being in Los Angeles after this season appear to be plummeting by the week.

15) Tennessee Titans (1-7)

Much like the Chargers, the Titans are putrid with no real reason for hope in sight. The Titans traded safety Amani Hooker and a fifth-rounder to the Bills for a second-round pick, which should be somewhere in the late fifties or early sixties, depending on when their season ends. Tennessee could have traded running back Tony Pollard, but seemingly he is too important to quarterback Cam Ward's development for the rest of the season.

14) Indianapolis Colts (1-7)

The Colts were the most active team at the trade deadline, making four trades before it was all said and done. Most notably, however, might have been the two trades they didn't make: quarterback Daniel Jones and running back Jonathan Taylor. They'll either remain with the team or be trade pieces this summer, or will be part of likely another poor Colts team in 2026. They did well in their returns for high-end pieces like Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner, but could have done more.

13) Miami Dolphins (1-7)

The Dolphins did not make a trade, but their tank was taken to another level this week. With only one win under their belt, the Dolphins placed quarterback Malik Willis on injured reserve and will now turn to former Syracuse signal-caller Kyle McCord for the foreseeable future. His upcoming slate will include their Week 13 matchup in Denver with the Broncos. Aside from hosting the Chargers in Week 16, it is hard to find another potential win on their remaining schedule.

12) New York Jets (2-7)

The Kansas City Chiefs tried very hard in the first half this past week to give the Jets a chance at a win before blowing them out in the second half. Geno Smith has been serviceable at quarterback, but landed somewhere awkwardly between not being good enough to capitalize on and trade, but too good that they felt the need to only sell high and keep him in development for their younger receivers. None of this will matter next year anyway when they inevitably draft a first-round quarterback in April.

11) Baltimore Ravens (4-5)

The Baltimore Ravens should earn some form of award for always being a pre-season Super Bowl darling pick and never actually getting that close to winning a Super Bowl. New coach Jesse Minter was left with the tall task of taking a core that has whiffed on a real playoff run a few times and getting them there, but it seems as though it won't happen this year. They will start a fourth quarterback this week, with Jacoby Brissett set to take over for undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano, who took over for Tyler Huntley, who took over for Lamar Jackson. It is hard to win with four quarterbacks before Thanksgiving.

10) Las Vegas Raiders (4-5)

Speaking of changes at quarterback, the Raiders are making a swap this week after Kirk Cousins was traded to the Vikings for a third-round pick. First overall selection Fernando Mendoza will take over, but will have to go against the Broncos and Seattle Seahawks in his first two outings - two of the most brutal defenses in football in terms of hitting the quarterback. There is incredible hype around the reigning Heisman winner, and tons of reasons to believe that he will be the future of the franchise in Las Vegas.

9) Houston Texans (3-5)

If there is one team that is going to turn around from an awful start and rip off several wins to sneak back into the playoffs, it would be this Houston Texans team. They did it last year, and seem to think they can do it again this year, as their only trade was to bring in Marvin Harrison Jr. a few weeks back. CJ Stroud has been fairly strong this year as their quarterback, and the defense appears to be turning into form of late. Their key matchup will be with the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 15, which could make or break their playoff dreams.

8) New England Patriots (5-4)

Who would have guessed that after playing the easiest schedule of the century last year, the New England Patriots would regress when faced with real competition? Well, most people saw this coming, and things are starting to get ugly in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Receiver AJ Brown is struggling to stay on the field after arriving via trade this spring, and Drake Maye is in a tie atop the interceptions leaderboard with the Colts' Daniel Jones and the Chargers' Justin Herbert. Their defense had 44 hung on them at home by the air raid Green Bay Packers, and they are officially in a race with the Cleveland Browns for the seventh wild card spot.

7) Cleveland Browns (5-4)

Maybe the surprises of the entire NFL this year: almost everything has gone right for the Browns. DeShaun Watson is more than serviceable, the running game has done just enough, the offensive line (which has been 100% turned over) is solid, and the defense has held up its end of the deal. They went for the win this past week in overtime in New Orleans, but did not convert a two-point conversion and lost to the Saints. Todd Monken has been the right man for this team, and it could translate into their first winning season since their 2023 wild-card berth.

6) Kansas City Chiefs (6-2)

After their dominant first month that led to Kenneth Walker MVP conversations, the Chiefs have come back to earth a bit. They lost two in a row to the Seahawks and Broncos before drubbing the Jets in the second half last week. The addition of Josh Downs could end up being a major difference maker, but where exactly their scoring comes from outside of Walker remains a major question.

There appears to be a major emphasis on getting the ball out to their playmakers quickly, and it has led to Mahomes being the only quarterback in the last 20 years with under 5.0 air yards per attempt in four straight games, all of which had 30 or more passing attempts. Look for Downs to have a major role almost immediately.

5) Cincinnati Bengals

The 2025 Patriots have passed the torch of schedule merchants to the 2026 Bengals, who have one of the easiest full-season schedules in all of football this year. They did not make a move ahead of the trade deadline, which caused some concern, considering they still have both games with the Browns, a game with the Chiefs, and a game with the Steelers on their schedule. Their 6-2 start makes it easier for them to absorb a few tough losses, but a tough schedule down the stretch can confound their playoff hopes.

4) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)

In an incredibly shocking way, Aaron Rodgers has been one of the best quarterbacks in the AFC this year. He is clearing a 2:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio halfway through the season, has the Steelers atop the AFC North, and looks to be much more comfortable back in head coach Mike McCarthy's offense.

Jaylen Warren is seemingly in the midst of a major breakout; the defensive front has emerged as one of football's best yet again, but their lack of a move at the deadline might end up coming back to bite them. DK Metcalf has been underwhelming this year, Roman Wison is hurt, and the Steelers are still in need of another receiving option. The AFC North might be the most competitive division to end the year.

3) Jacksonville Jaguars

Maybe no team was as aggressive as the Jaguars at the trading deadline. They brought in defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Davon Godchaux, and safety Jessie Bates III, to address one of the more disappointing defensive units in all of football. If these three pieces can seamlessly fit into their scheme, the Jaguars might quickly become the favorite in the AFC to represent the conference in the Super Bowl. Also of note, they decided to hold on to Brian Thomas Jr., meaning they only added to their already strong roster. The Week 15 matchup with the Texans looms large.

2) Buffalo Bills

This spot could have gone between either of the two teams remaining. Buffalo holds the better record at 7-1, but they have barely eeked out wins in recent weeks against lesser teams, and benefitted greatly from a Carson Wentz lead Vikings offense. Their addition of Amani Hooker could do wonders for them, but Jim Leonhard's defense has more holes than one safety can fix.

Their remaining schedule has as brutal a five-game stretch as there is remaining in football from Week 12 through Week 16: home for the Chiefs, at the Patriots, at the Packers, home for the Chicago Bears, and at the Broncos. The Bills can't afford a slip-up in either of their two easy upcoming games against the Jets or the Dolphins.

1) Denver Broncos

The Broncos earned the top spot by way of having the longest winning streak in football as of right now, and for going 4-2 against the league's toughest start to a schedule this year. The Broncos put together a solid win on the road in Carolina this past week, a stadium that has hosted a few notable upsets in recent years (and almost one in the playoffs).

The Broncos have been without their starting safeties, lost both Riley Moss and Jaylen Waddle to concussions during the game, and have been missing several other key pieces such as Jonah Elliss and RJ Harvey. A failed trade with the Chargers for linebacker Daiyan Henley left Denver as a first-place team with no deadline moves for a second season in a row.

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