Editor’s note: Every week, Josh Kendall and Chad Graff rank and analyze all 32 teams from first to worst.
The Broncos, Bills and 49ers are making moves as the NFL season nears its finish, and the Week 16 power rankings take a look at the MVP for each team as we try to sort out where everyone fits.
1. Los Angeles Rams (11-3)
Last week: 1Sunday: Beat Lions 41-34
MVP: Matthew Stafford
The Salt-and-Pepper Slinger topped 350 passing yards for the third time this season, going 24-of-38 for 368 yards. He’s second in the league in passing yards (3,722) and first with 37 touchdown passes. That’s four short of tying his single-season best (set in 2011 in Detroit and matched in 2021 in Los Angeles), and it’s a staggering number considering he has only five interceptions. Losing Davante Adams (hamstring) would hurt, though.
Up next: at Seahawks, Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET
2. Denver Broncos (12-2)
Last week: 4Sunday: Beat Packers 34-26
MVP: Nik Bonitto
Bo Nix made a late run at this distinction Sunday with a 302-yard, four-touchdown day, but the Broncos have gotten to the top spot in the AFC with their defense. Bonitto is the best player on that unit with 12.5 sacks and 80 splash plays, according to TruMedia. Denver has won 11 straight, and its two losses came by a combined four points.
Up next: vs. Jaguars, Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
3. Seattle Seahawks (11-3)
Last week: 3Sunday: Beat Colts 18-16
MVP: Jaxon Smith-Njigba
After posting his ninth 100-yard game of the season (seven catches, 113 yards), Smith-Njigba leads the league with 1,541 receiving yards, which already is the 14th-best receiving season in the last 10 years. His yards per route run (3.97) is the best of the last 10 years, and if he hits his average the next three games, he’ll finish with 1,871 yards, tied for the third most in the last 25 years.
Up next: vs. Rams, Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET
4. Buffalo Bills (10-4)
Last week: 6Sunday: Beat Patriots 35-31
MVP: Josh Allen
The Bills were down 21-0 at one point and 24-7 at halftime Sunday, and then Josh Allen happened. Buffalo’s quarterback leads the league in second-half EPA per dropback (0.38) and has 15 second-half passing touchdowns, which is second in the league. Allen’s overall yards per game, completion percentage, passer rating and yards per carry are all better than last year, when he was the league MVP.
Up next: at Browns, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
5. New England Patriots (11-3)
Last week: 2Sunday: Lost to Bills 35-31
MVP: Drake Maye
As a rookie last season, Maye posted a 3-9 record with 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. After Sunday, he is 11-3 with 23 and seven, and sits second in the league in EPA per dropback (0.23). The most remarkable part of Maye’s season is that he is among the top five in the league in completion percentage (70.9) and average air yards per attempt (8.9). He might be the actual MVP this year.
Up next: at Ravens, Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
6. San Francisco 49ers (10-4)
Last week: 7Sunday: Beat Titans 37-24
MVP: Christian McCaffrey
The ninth-year running back leads the league in touches per game this year (24.64) and in the last three years combined (22.03). He’s third this season in scrimmage yards (1,742) — behind Bijan Robinson (1,858) and Jonathan Taylor (1,761) — after another 87 Sunday in the Niners’ fourth straight win.
Up next: at Colts, Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET
7. Houston Texans (9-5)
Last week: 9Sunday: Beat Cardinals 40-20
MVP: Will Anderson Jr.
The defensive end is ninth in the league in sacks (10.5) and leads all players with more than 100 pass-rush snaps in pressure percentage (21.3 percent). He’s also first in splash-play rate (21.5 percent, according to TruMedia). That means he makes a game-altering defensive play on one of five snaps. He’s top five in the league in quarterback pressures, third- and fourth-down stops and forced fumbles, but he left Sunday’s game after seemingly getting poked in the eye.
Up next: vs. Raiders, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
8. Green Bay Packers (9-4-1)
Last week: 5Sunday: Lost to Broncos 34-26
MVP: Jordan Love
The Packers quarterback is second in the league in EPA per dropback (0.22) and has 23 touchdowns versus just six interceptions, but he probably can’t play well enough to overcome all that has befallen Green Bay. Micah Parsons’ expected ACL tear on top of Tucker Kraft’s ACL tear earlier this year on top of Christian Watson’s chest injury on top of a myriad of offensive-line injuries feels like it’s too much to overcome, even for a really good team.
Up next: at Bears, Saturday, 8:20 p.m. ET
Trevor Lawrence threw for 330 yards and five touchdowns and added 51 yards and another touchdown on the ground in the Jaguars’ 48-20 pounding of the Jets
.Rich Storry / Getty Images
9. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4)
Last week: 13Sunday: Beat Jets 48-20
MVP: Trevor Lawrence
He didn’t earn this designation until Sunday, and all it took was one of the best games in NFL history. No joke! Lawrence became the first player in NFL history with five passing touchdowns, 50-plus rushing yards and one rushing touchdown in a game. Lawrence, Josh Allen, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Alvin Kamara are the only players to account for six touchdowns in a game since 1999. Lawrence is only 21st in the league in EPA per dropback (0.02), but the Jaguars held onto first place in the AFC South with the win.
Up next: at Broncos, Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
10. Chicago Bears (10-4)
Last week: 10Sunday: Beat Browns 31-3
MVP: Drew Dalman
The Bears’ new center is serving as a representative here for the remade interior of Chicago’s offensive line, which also includes guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson. The Bears lead the league in yards per carry before contact (2.09) and rushing first downs/touchdowns (123) and are second in rushing yards overall (2,126). Chicago ran the ball 33 times Sunday on the way to overpowering a very good Browns defense.
Up next: vs. Packers, Saturday, 8:20 p.m. ET