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NFL Power Rankings, 2026: Ranking every AFC team by their best player

More power rankings!
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
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4. Baltimore Ravens - Lamar Jackson, QB

Lamar Jackson comes in at No. 4 in our power rankings. The two-time MVP is alreaedy the record-holder for the most rushing yards by a quarterback in NFL history, and if Jackson retired tomorrow, he'd very likely be a Hall of Famer.

Sure, there are some years where he gets a bit banged up, but that's also the nature of how he plays the position, and he has been able to sustain this success for years now. Simply put, the Baltimore Ravens quarterback staying mostly healthy just about guarantees high-end success for the team.

3. Cincinnati Bengals - Ja'Marr Chase, WR

Ja'Marr Chase is a better wide receiver than Joe Burrow is a quarterback, in my opinion. Chase occupies the No. 3 spot in our power rankings. A high-volume, physical wide receiver, Chase is the best in the NFL on any given day depending on who you ask and is currently batting .1000 on his Pro Bowls, making the Pro Bowl each year of his career thus far.

He's also added two All-Pro nods and already has 6,837 yards through his five seasons. Chase won the unofficial wide receiver 'Triple Crown' in 2024 and is only set to enter his age-26 season, so this is absolutely a borderline generational player we're watching.

2. Kansas City Chiefs - Patrick Mahomes, QB

Patrick Mahomes might already be a top-10 all-time quarterback. He's a future Hall of Famer and a three-time Super Bowl champion. We have seen Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs not exactly play that well on offense in recent years, as Mahomes' production has taken a bit of a hit.

This could be a bit of a transitional period for the franchise, as the personnel just hasn't been good enough in recent years, and with Mahomes now returning from a major knee injury, things might take another year to get back up and running.

Still, though, we're pretty far into his career to say pretty objectively that he's one of the best players in the NFL and should continue to be that player for years to come.

1. Buffalo Bills - Josh Allen, QB

Josh Allen tops our power rankings. He's sustained high-level success for years and has helped the Buffalo Bills make the playoffs each year since 2019. Yes, the playoff heartbreaks are notable, but that doesn't necessarily take away from how overwhelmingly dominant he he at times.

A truly elite weapon and dual-threat player, Allen takes our top spot.

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