Each week during the regular season, we’ll be taking a look at what the national media is saying about the Washington Commanders via various publications’ NFL Power Polls. Since it’s the offseason, these polls don’t come out regularly, but with the Myles Garrett trade this past week, they’ve been popping up everywhere. Let’s take a closer look.

* Side note: Many have asked whether these polls are helpful, which is a fair question. One way to look at it would be to broaden your perspective on what others believe. Not to mention, sometimes it’s fun to see the national media guys bump around in the dark, chasing their tail, clueless.

Commanders Power Rankings

A couple of the publications I found just had a ranking and absolutely nothing about the Commanders in their write-ups, including Yahoo Sports (24th) and ESPN Analytics (21st). Note: The table above has each poll linked to the corresponding name of the publication.

Others had a lot to say, like the Ringer (24th):

“What’s changed significantly over the past year is my faith in Washington’s infrastructure and coaching staff. The Commanders made just six draft picks, and the only rookie I expect to significantly factor into the rotation (let alone impact winning) is linebacker Sonny Styles, a first-rounder. The lack of high-impact players in their 2026 draft class is concerning for this team, which didn’t have much depth or top-end talent to begin with. The holes in the Commanders’ roster have been patched over with expensive but flawed veterans picked up in free agency. Washington won’t be able to compete for a playoff spot unless it’s dragged there by Daniels. Last year, we saw that he can’t be asked to physically shoulder that sort of load.” – By Diante Lee

Sharp Football had this to say (22nd):

“Sonny Styles was a great get for Washington, even if they might have rather landed Mansoor Delane, and I am a fan of Antonio Williams both as a player and how he can complement Terry McLaurin.” – By Raymond Summerlin

Fox Sports had this to say (24th):

“Surviving their first eight games may not be possible. They only play three of those on the road, but they’re at Philly and Dallas to open the season and then off to San Francisco in Week 6. They also play the Seahawks and Rams. They don’t really have a break until they get to Arizona in Week 12.” – By RALPH VACCHIANO

SBNation had this to say (21st):

“We all know the old adage: On any given Sunday, right?”

“The teams in this tier range from those that made the playoffs two seasons ago and were tormented by injuries last year, like the Washington Commanders, to teams like the New York Giants, that could be on the verge of a turnaround.” – by Mark Schofield and James Dator

NFL Draft on SI had this to say (20th):

“The Washington Commanders should have a bounce-back year if quarterback Jayden Daniels stays healthy. Sonny Styles should have a profound impact on the defense, and both Antonio Williams and Kaytron Allen are capable of contributing on offense.” – by Justin Melo

Rotoballer had this to say (24th):

“Despite a shallow stable of picks in 2026, the Commanders maximized their selections. They look like a team ready to return to their glory from just a couple of seasons ago. This team will go as far as a healthy Jayden Daniels can take it.” – by Quincy Milton III

The Local Verdict: Fair or Dismissive?

While the opinions varied, not one single person believed the Commanders were better than 20th. The actual average ranking for Washington in these eight NFL Power Polls is 22.625. Which I would say is fair for a team with new coordinators on both sides of the ball that have never called plays before, not to mention the franchise is fresh off of an injury-filled 5-12 season. I would also say it’s a bit dismissive, especially the verbiage being tossed around, but as always, par for the course with the national media, young or old. Still lots of questions to be answered for the burgundy and gold.

We’ll revisit these in a few weeks and see what the pulse is again.

Sign up for our free newsletter and follow the Burgundy & Gold on Facebook and Philip Hughes on X for the latest news. You can also subscribe to our Facebook Messenger News Channel, which is the fastest and easiest way to actually see our articles while on any Meta product.

Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow