NFL Power Rankings, Week 6: Biggest risers and fallers after Week 5

16. San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco 49ers fans have got to be thinking that this is a similar situation to the one they faced last season when they scored 17 points in three straight losses after starting the year 5-0. It just feels so uncharacteristic of this team to have a losing record, but here we are.

Injuries have really hurt the San Francisco 49ers, and obviously the main missing piece right now is star running back Christian McCaffrey. And with the news that McCaffrey was going out to Germany to get his legs looked at?

Well, it’s not good.

The 49ers are going to need to figure out ways to have other players pick up the slack in McCaffrey’s absence. There is no “replacing” a star player like that but the 49ers have to find a way, because they are currently 2-3 in a very winnable NFC West. This division feels like it’s up for grabs with all four teams struggling to varying degrees here early in the season.

15. Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles didn’t play on Sunday, but they probably needed a break this week to sort of reset.

Saquon Barkley has been such an outstanding addition to this team in 2024, but the Eagles are still figuring things out in other areas. They come out and stop the New Orleans Saints after the Saints scored 91 points in their first two games, and then they get absolutely smoked by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

One of the biggest issues for this Eagles team has honestly been the play of Jalen Hurts. Not having AJ Brown isn’t helpful, either, but Hurts has made far too many turnover-worthy plays. The Eagles need him to clean up the mistakes quickly or they are going to struggle all year.

And Vic Fangio’s defense needs to be much sharper as the Eagles have been gashed on multiple occasions.