The 2025 NFL season is finally upon us as the long offseason has come and gone. With the Philadelphia Eagles looking to become repeat Super Bowl champions and the Tennessee Titans starting yet another rookie quarterback, the first NFL Power Rankings of the year captures everything you are looking for.
See where your team lands as they prepare for another NFL season – here is the Week 1 NFL Power Rankings from ClutchPoints.
1. Baltimore Ravens
A bit of a surprising team at the top of the NFL Power Rankings, the Baltimore Ravens earn the top spot after a strong offseason and a roster that returns most of its core pieces. With two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson entering another season leading the offense, he and Derrick Henry are primed to form the league’s most dangerous QB-RB duo on the ground.
Baltimore’s Week 1 matchup with the Buffalo Bills is as good as they come as it pits two top AFC teams against each other in a race for early AFC supremacy. This matchup, which is a rematch of their playoff game in January that Buffalo won 27-25 and has the makings of potentially being an AFC Championship Game preview, will show a lot for the Ravens, especially with how their defense looks against a top-flight offense.
2. Philadelphia Eagles
The reigning Super Bowl champions check in at the second spot in the NFL Power Rankings, fresh off an offseason of celebration and players departing. Having traded away safety CJ Gardner-Johnson and released James Bradberry and Darius Slay, the Philly defense has quite a new look to it this season.
Offensively, all things revolve around quarterback Jalen Hurts, as he has running back Saquon Barkley coming off the heaviest workload of his career alongside him in the backfield as well as the duo of pass catchers in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. The offense will get a chance to hit the ground running right away as their Week 1 matchup with the Dallas Cowboys pits them against a below-average defensive unit.
3. Buffalo Bills
As mentioned in the Ravens section, the Bills will be tested early on this year in their Sunday Night Football matchup with Baltimore. Quarterback Josh Allen, the reigning MVP, has a new-look wide receiver room at his disposal as well as a running back with a fresh new contract in tow.
Besides Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman, Buffalo added Josh Palmer and Elijah Moore this offseason to a group that desperately needs to carry its weight this year. With an easier slate of games prior to their Week 7 bye (BAL, NYJ, MIA, NO, NE, and ATL), it would be in Buffalo’s best interest to get out of the gates fast in 2025.
4. Kansas City Chiefs
It feels as though a lot of people in the world of football are doubting the Kansas City Chiefs this year, and it could be more so because of headline fatigue. With tight end Travis Kelce’s engagement to Taylor Swift dominating offseason tabloids as well as the ongoing legal situation surrounding wide receiver Rashee Rice, Kansas City has been in the news more for off-field happenings than on.
For two-time MVP QB Patrick Mahomes, this season potentially offers a shot at redemption, especially as it could also be Kelce’s swan song before retirement. As long as Mahomes is still chucking the rock for the Chiefs, they can never be counted out, and in a tougher-than-usual AFC West, they will need to do everything in their power to hold on to their streak of divisional titles.
5. Denver Broncos
Speaking of the AFC West, the Denver Broncos find themselves entering the 2025 NFL season with a ton of confidence after exceeding expectations last year. Having made the playoffs in QB Bo Nix’s rookie campaign, Denver showed that they are for real, and they went out and had an offseason to give them some staying power.
Adding safety Talanoa Hufunga and linebacker Dre Greenlaw to an already stacked defense, combined with drafting defensive back Jahdae Barron in the first round of April’s NFL Draft, Sean Payton and the Broncos are committed to continuing to improve their roster as they will once again factor into the AFC playoff picture.
6. Detroit Lions
A bumpy offseason saw the Detroit Lions tumble a bit in the NFL Power Rankings, just missing out on the top five. After losing both coordinators (Ben Johnson to CHI, Aaron Glenn to NYJ) to head-coaching opportunities as well as having All-Pro center Frank Ragnow retire this offseason, the Lions have to pick up the pieces and move forward.
Thankfully, their offensive skill players are all the same, with the trio of WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, RB Jahmyr Gibbs, and QB Jared Goff leading the way. A breakout season from receiver Jameson Williams can take this offense to another level, something they need as they enter into the first season of John Morton leading this unit.
7. Green Bay Packers
The acquisition of star edge rusher Micah Parsons catapulted the Green Bay Packers to the seventh spot in these NFL Power Rankings as Parsons makes that big of a difference for the Jeff Hafley-led defense.
By adding Parsons, QB Jordan Love gets to experience what Brett Favre did when the team signed DE Reggie White, and what Aaron Rodgers went through when the team brought in DB Charles Woodson. These two defensive additions played a huge role in the Packers taking home the Lombardi Trophy, and the addition of Parsons could make it yet another trophy that Green Bay needs to make room for at Lambeau Field.
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It has been the offseason of WR Emeka Egbuka for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as they shocked the NFL community by drafting the Ohio State product in the first round in April. With WR Chris Godwin’s timeline to return unknown and WR Jalen McMillan out for the foreseeable future with a neck injury, Egbuka has a chance to shine early on with QB Baker Mayfield.
RB Bucky Irving’s sophomore season is being counted on by the Tampa Bay offense too as he will be leading the backfield for a full season this time around. With Liam Coen no longer calling plays, Josh Grizzard takes over that role, which could unlock the Bucs offense even more in 2025.
9. Los Angeles Rams
The health of quarterback Matthew Stafford has earned a ton of external attention this offseason, as the veteran signal caller has been battling a back injury. For the Los Angeles Rams, by swapping WR Cooper Kupp for Davante Adams this offseason, they were able to retool on the fly while adding depth pieces on both sides of the ball, helping keep this roster moving in the right direction.
LB Jared Verse is fresh off his Defensive Rookie of the Year season and is ready to take another jump, something that will dictate just how good the defense will be. In an NFC West division where all four teams will compete for the divisional crown, the Rams look to have the best roster to do just that in 2025.
10. Cincinnati Bengals
Helping round out the Top 10 of the Week 1 NFL Power Rankings, the Cincinnati Bengals look to have the contract stalemate with star edge rusher Trey Hendrickson in their rear-view mirror. But what is still very much an issue for this team is their talent on defense, something that shows that, once again, all eyes will be on QB Joe Burrow to see if he can carry this lopsided roster back to the postseason.
The Cincinnati offense is loaded with talent, as the trio of Burrow, WR Ja’Marr Chase, and WR Tee Higgins are ready to roll it back for another year. Plus, with RB Chase Brown looking more and more like a bell cow as the days go by, there will be a ton of points scored by the Bengals this year, something they will have to do if they want to overcome the shortcomings of their defense.
11. Washington Commanders
The offseason saga for the Washington Commanders centered around star receiver Terry McLaurin, as the former Ohio State wideout received a new three-year deal. Well-compensated and healthy, McLaurin will once again take his spot as the top target for QB Jayden Daniels in the passing game.
Washington is still on the outside looking in for the NFC East crown with the Eagles firmly leading the charge, but another postseason appearance is in play for the Commanders as they will enter the 2025 NFL season with a bunch of question marks at running back after trading Brian Robinson Jr.
12. Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers are already the third member of the AFC West included in these Week 1 NFL Power Rankings, which speaks to how good this division should be this year. QB Justin Herbert has a new set of receivers to work into the passing game, including old friend Keenan Allen, and the running game received a jolt with the addition of rookie back Omarion Hampton.
It will be another season of hard-nosed football for the Chargers and coach Jim Harbaugh, a method that resulted in a Wild Card berth but nothing further. With five AFC teams ahead of them on this list, the Chargers will once again need to have things go their way if they want to factor into the AFC playoff race.
13. Minnesota Vikings
The changing of the guard at QB is happening this year for the Minnesota Vikings, who are hoping that a redshirt season for J.J. McCarthy will help him hit the ground running. Essentially operating as a rookie, McCarthy is looking to overcome the torn ACL he suffered last season in a preseason game that cut his first season short.
Welcoming back veteran WR Adam Thielen will help the offense handle the three-game suspension of Jordan Addison, while offseason acquisition Jordan Mason gives Aaron Jones a solid running mate to even out the backfield. Oh, and WR Justin Jefferson is wildly not talked about this offseason, which means he should be in for another strong year even with a new QB.
14. Chicago Bears
Another busy offseason for the Chicago Bears gives their fanbase hope heading into the first season of Ben Johnson as their head coach. With QB Caleb Johnson having a year under his belt running the offense, all signs point toward the Bears taking another step forward in their quest to become respected in the NFC again.
But playing in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL makes it quite the uphill battle for Chicago as they will have to likely double their five-game win total from last season if they want to be a threat to make the postseason. The Bears have a strong offense, which includes heavily investing in a better offensive line this offseason, but the offseason hype train will be put to the test right out of the gate with a Monday Night Football matchup with the Vikings.
15. New England Patriots
QB Drake Maye finally looks like he will have a WR1 after the addition of Stefon Diggs, giving this New England Patriots offense a new-found respect. Plus, the addition of rookie back TreVeyon Henderson injects some life into a rushing attack that was held down last year by Rhamondre Stevenson’s fumble problems.
Don’t sleep on the defense either, as Mike Vrabel’s bread-and-butter can help this unit return to being one of the league’s stronger units. A Week 1 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders will give Maye a chance to come out of the gates strong, something that this roster needs after a dreadful four-win campaign last season.
16. Pittsburgh Steelers
It only feels right for the Pittsburgh Steelers to fill the halfway spot in these NFL Power Rankings as they are so used to hovering around a .500 record. Having recorded their second straight 10-win season last year, the Steelers have overhauled their QB room, going from Justin Fields and Russell Wilson to Aaron Rodgers.
In what will likely be Rodgers’ final year in the NFL, he will be throwing passes to DK Metcalf, who the Steelers traded for this offseason, subsequently moving George Pickens to Dallas. Outside of Metcalf, the two-headed combo of Jaylen Warren and rookie Kaleb Johnson will man the backfield, while Jonnu Smith was acquired from the Miami Dolphins to give Arthur Smith two options at tight end.
This team will be one of the more interesting rosters to follow this year, especially with high hopes with Rodgers in town but likely only for one season.
17. San Francisco 49ers
The health of RB Christian McCaffrey buried any chances of the San Francisco 49ers making the playoffs last year, and his health is exactly the thing that is propelling the roster this season too. As long as McCaffrey regains his role in the Niners offense as their best skill player, this team has the potential to win the division.
Defensively, they have a few holes to plug after offseason departures took away key talent in their back seven. The pass rush still revolves around EDGE Nick Bosa, and the defense is still led by LB Fred Warner, and maybe having defensive coordinator Robert Saleh back in town will help this unit look strong, but question marks still surround this unit heading into Week 1.
18. Houston Texans
As the first team from the AFC South in these NFL Power Rankings, the Houston Texans are the favorites to repeat as divisional champions. Fresh off their Wild Card round rout of the Chargers, Houston’s close loss to the Chiefs represents a benchmark for what this team is capable of achieving this season.
QB C.J. Stroud and WR Nico Collins will be asked to shoulder a big load this year with the uncertain status of RB Joe Mixon, which could turn this offense into a bit of a lopsided attack. However, playing in the league’s easiest division has its perks, which should help catapult the Texans into the top spot in the standings yet again.
19. Arizona Cardinals
A year-two breakout for WR Marvin Harrison Jr. is exactly what the offense for the Arizona Cardinals needs, especially after they decided not to add any talent to the receiver room this offseason. After an up-and-down season that saw Harrison and QB Kyler Murray struggle to get on the same page, offseason comments show that things should be better for this duo.
The NFC West division is up for grabs this year, something that plays right into Arizona’s favor. A Week 1 matchup against the lowly New Orleans Saints gives Murray and the offense a chance to address any offseason concerns right away, as the Cardinals should be able to start off their 2025 season with a win.
20. Seattle Seahawks
An offseason of changes for the Seattle Seahawks means that their offense looks close to brand new for this year. Out went Metcalf, QB Geno Smith, and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, and in came QB Sam Darnold, WR Cooper Kupp, and new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
A shift to more of a run-focused approach speaks volumes for Kenneth Walker III’s usage this upcoming season, provided he can leave his checkered injury history behind him. Hosting the Niners to kick off their season, the Seahawks get an early test against a divisional opponent as they look to factor into the NFC playoff race.
21. Atlanta Falcons
A full season of QB Michael Penix Jr. at the helm could do wonders for Drake London, as the star receiver for the Atlanta Falcons was a massive beneficiary of Penix taking over late last season. Atlanta is in position to surprise this year, as they have the offensive core to hang with anyone, even after the season-ending injury suffered by right tackle (and blindside protector) Kaleb McGary.
The Falcons were in the divisional race alongside the Buccaneers until late last season, and they should once again factor into that race in 2025.
22. Dallas Cowboys
There’s just something about the Dallas Cowboys preferring to make offseason headlines that just feels right, and it seems to happen at least a few times every offseason. Their acquisition of Pickens certainly helped kick off their offseason, but it is their recent blockbuster trade of Parsons to Green Bay that easily takes the cake.
Jerry Jones loves winning in the tabloids more than in the standings, and his trade of Parsons signals that this team is not serious about competing this season. With a strong offensive attack (minus their witness-protection run game) and a suspect defense, Dallas could very well fill the role of the NFC’s Bengals this year when it comes to how they move the ball on offense.
23. Jacksonville Jaguars
Rookie Travis Hunter has been quite the headline grabber for the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason, as his two-way abilities gives their roster a few layers to peel back. With all signs pointing to Hunter spending most of his time opposite WR Brian Thomas Jr., their new head coach, Liam Coen, has a fun problem on his hands.
The rushing attack has three potential options to lead the backfield with incumbents Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby the leading contenders. There are plenty of weapons available to Trevor Lawrence this year, so is it finally time that he produces an impressive season to give this franchise a glimmer of hope moving forward?
24. Miami Dolphins
While only finishing two games out of the AFC Wild Card hunt last season, the 2024 NFL season felt like a big-time disaster for the Miami Dolphins. Another injury-riddled season for QB Tua Tagovailoa and WR Tyreek Hill’s worst professional season since 2019 combined for quite the rollercoaster ride for this franchise.
The arrow is slightly pointing up for Miami as they look to put last year in their rear-view mirror, but a calf injury suffered by Achane and uncertainties about how their offense will look as a whole makes predicting MIA’s upcoming season tough. However, this roster has plenty of talent on both sides of the ball with their first chance to showcase it against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1.
25. Carolina Panthers
There seems to be a sense of interest and hype surrounding the Carolina Panthers this season, and that can really be tied to the addition of rookie Tetairoa McMillan. Giving Bryce Young, who has started to show signs of becoming a starting NFL QB, a viable WR1 is exactly what this roster so desperately needed, and McMillan absolutely looks the part.
The defense is still an unmitigated mess that will take a few seasons to improve, but for now, this team has pieces on it to take it from awful to not great, but a fun team to watch.
26. Las Vegas Raiders
As the worst team in the NFL’s toughest division, the Las Vegas Raiders have quite the battle ahead of them as they try to dig themselves out of the basement of these NFL Power Rankings. Welcoming in Geno Smith this offseason as their new QB, he will be tasked with restarting an offense that has to string together consistent play around TW Brock Bowers and rookie RB Ashton Jeanty.
The Raiders are handing the keys to this offense to Jeanty as he is the team’s best skill player not wearing No. 89. With teams likely honing in on Jeanty from the start, it might be a slower start to his rookie campaign, but Jeanty is the real deal, and he will be able to prove that soon enough.
27. New York Jets
The New York Jets are giving Justin Fields a shot at being the next long-term QB for them, something that will be put to the test right away in Week 1. Facing the Steelers, Fields gets to give his former team a showing of what they let walk out the door but will be doing so without stalwart guard Alijah Vera-Tucker.
Fields is reconnecting with WR Garrett Wilson after sharing a few years at Ohio State, and that connection will need to be zeroed in if this offense wants to move the ball at all. Questions surrounding how the backfield will divvy up work between RBs Braelon Allen and Breece Hall will likely not be answered in the first game, but that, combined with a brand-new coaching staff under Aaron Glenn, will make this team tough to predict this season.
28. New York Giants
The other New York team, the New York Giants, have taken quite the interesting approach at QB this year; adding Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston in free agency, combined with drafting Jaxson Dart, gives this offense a chance to be relevant while also planning for the future.
Malik Nabers and the defensive line for the Giants is all that there really is to get excited about as there are plenty of holes needing reinforcements on this roster. While they should produce a season better than last year’s three-win debacle, it will likely be another season that ends with a Top 10 pick as the reward.
29. Indianapolis Colts
Speaking of QB uncertainty, the Indianapolis Colts decided to add Daniel Jones to their maligned quarterback room, pairing him with Anthony Richardson this year. As Jones won the battle out of camp, this team will be a tough watch as they try to figure out which way they want to go after their 8-9 finish.
Jones has the lowest upside of the two QBs but the safest floor, likely the reason why Shane Steichen chose the former Giants quarterback as his starter. While Richardson will likely see the field at some point, it is Jones’ show to run, which means another year of subpar results for the Colts franchise.
30. Tennessee Titans
Cam Ward and the Tennessee Titans enter into the 2025 NFL season with nothing but an uphill climb ahead of them, as they look to form a lasting pairing. Ward enters the league as the top pick this past April, and the Titans have high hopes for the former Miami Hurricanes QB.
Tony Pollard should once again have another strong year as the team’s top back, and offseason addition Calvin Ridley will likely earn one of the league’s highest target shares among WRs. But the young movement is in full swing in Nashville as Ward and a plethora of rookie wideouts (Elic Ayomanor most importantly) will look to help Tennessee take the first step forward.
31. Cleveland Browns
It shouldn’t be much of a surprise to see the Cleveland Browns near the basement in the Week 1 NFL Power Rankings, especially after the offseason they had. Veteran Joe Flacco is back once again as this team’s starting QB (for now); they drafted two in April (Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders); and their rookie running back Quinshon Judkins remains unsigned as his ongoing legal situation unfolds.
Combine all of that with QB Deshaun Watson on the shelf for the entire year, and you have the makings of just another year for Cleveland. There isn’t much for the Cleveland fan base to look forward to for this year, unfortunately, but maybe they can set their sights on which rookie QB they will inevitably select next April as they look to try and rebuild their team one player at a time.
32. New Orleans Saints
The team that starts out in the final spot in the Week 1 NFL Power Rankings are the New Orleans Saints, who have quite a mess of a roster to figure out. With Kellen Moore jumping into his first head-coaching gig, it is the QB room that will give him the most headaches this year.
Second-year pro Spencer Rattler is going to be the team’s first QB1 with older rookie Tyler Shough losing the training camp battle to be the starter. While neither option instills any bit of confidence, either option will be throwing the ball a lot this year as the Saints figure to be playing from behind more often than not.
