Week 15 of the NFL season is officially in the books. The division races from around the league are starting to heat up, with just three games to go for every team.

These upcoming games will decide who gets playoff spots, byes, and will even decide the order of the 2026 NFL draft. Each week is filled with games that create a spark in the standings. We are far from anything being decided heading into Week 16, but a lot of teams think that they have a chance to make it to the dance. 

The number one team in the league will stay the same for another week, but will anyone be able to dethrone them before the playoffs begin? Check out how this week looks compared to last in this week’s edition of our power rankings: 

The Contenders

1. Los Angeles Rams (Last Week: 1)

2. Seattle Seahawks (Last Week: 2)

3. Denver Broncos (Last Week: 3)

4. Green Bay Packers (Last Week: 4)

5. Chicago Bears (Last Week: 5)

6. Buffalo Bills (Last Week: 12)

7. Philadelphia Eagles (Last Week: 10)

8. New England Patriots (Last Week: 6)

9. San Francisco 49ers (Last Week: 7)

10. Los Angeles Chargers (Last Week: 9)

11. Jacksonville Jaguars (Last Week: 11)

12. Houston Texans (Last Week: 15)

13. Pittsburgh Steelers (Last Week: 14)

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last Week: 17)

Every team in this tier is currently holding a playoff spot. By the literal sense of the word, they are all contenders right now. The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers headline this week’s slate of games. The winner will be the No. 2 in the NFC and lead the NFC North. After facing each other at Lambeau Field in Week 14, this matchup at Soldier Field is the biggest game either team has played in the regular season in a long time.

The Buffalo Bills came back from being down 21-0 to beat the New England Patriots, which surges them up the power rankings and drops New England. Will the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers hold on to win their division? They have a lot more work to do to even make the playoffs.

The Los Angeles Rams-Seattle Seahawks game gives Bears-Packers a run for its money. Like the latter, the former will be on national TV as a Thursday Night Football feature. The winner here could be the winner of the NFC West and the No. 1 seed of the conference.

The Philadelphia Eagles bounced back with a dominant win. Can the Super Bowl champions go into the playoffs feeling good about themselves? They don’t have the same swagger that they had last year, but that could change in an instant. Nobody wants to see them on the other sideline if they are entering a playoff matchup. All of these teams have something big to play for in Week 16.

Teams to Watch

15. Detroit Lions (Last Week: 8)

16. Baltimore Ravens (Last Week: 16)

17. Carolina Panthers (Last Week: 18)

18. Indianapolis Colts (Last Week: 13)

19. Dallas Cowboys (Last Week: 19)

None of the teams in this tier currently holds a playoff spot, but they all have a chance still. The Dallas Cowboys are hanging on by a thread, but the rest of them all have a clear path if things go their way.

The Lions are likely not going to win the NFC North, but they can still win their way in. As for the Baltimore Ravens, they have to win their division over the stingy Pittsburgh Steelers to have a chance. Their chances of being a wild card team are slim to none.

The same goes for the Carolina Panthers, who are just happy to be in this conversation. After some really bad years in recent memory, Carolina can win the NFC South if it finds a way past the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The two match up this weekend.

As for the Indianapolis Colts, who had a brilliant run to begin the season, they needed to call Philip Rivers out of retirement to play quarterback for them. They still almost won, but that’s a nice way of saying they lost. It will be hard for them to catch a wild card spot, and they certainly aren’t catching the division-leading Jacksonville Jaguars.

Eliminated from Postseason Contention

20. Kansas City Chiefs (Last Week: 20)

21. Miami Dolphins (Last Week: 21)

22. Atlanta Falcons (Last Week: 24)

23. Minnesota Vikings (Last Week: 23)

24. Cincinnati Bengals (Last Week: 22)

25. Washington Commanders (Last Week: 25)

26. Arizona Cardinals (Last Week: 26)

27. New Orleans Saints (Last Week: 27)

28. New York Jets (Last Week: 28)

29. New York Giants (Last Week: 29)

30. Las Vegas Raiders (Last Week: 30)

31. Tennessee Titans (Last Week: 31)

32. Cleveland Browns (Last Week: 32)

The teams that are in this tier are eliminated from postseason contention. The most surprising of the bunch is the Kansas City Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes is out for the season now after a torn ACL, which puts a bow on this nightmare season for them.

The Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, Cincinnati Bengals, Atlanta Falcons, and Washington Commanders likely all see this as a failed season as well. Each of them can become a contender during the offseason if smart decisions are made, but there is a lot of work and development to do.

The rest of this clan is looking towards the 2026 NFL draft as they will be picking in the top 10. Some of them will find a player that helps them improve right away, but it’s back to the drawing board for them all.