Where Seahawks stand in NFL power rankings to open 2026 season

08 Sep 2026, 09:27 by Seattle Times sports staff · The Seattle Times

Much has been made this summer of the lack of respect the Seahawks, the defending Super Bowl champs, are getting when it comes to the chances they’re being given to repeat.

After all, the Seahawks bring back every starter but two off a team that was historically strong last season.

And yet, the oddsmakers have not installed them as favorites. And as we see Tuesday, few of the NFL power rankers see them as favorites either.

To be fair, most of the rankers have the Seahawks at No. 2. And we all know who typically shows up at No. 1.

But we’ll let them tell you about it:

It sounds as if Jadarian Price has impressed coaches plenty during the preseason, and if the first-round running back can match his rising expectations, the Seahawks shouldn’t miss a beat. They stay at No. 3 for now, but that could change after they raise their Super Bowl banner and face the Patriots in an instant rematch on Wednesday night.

CBS Sports: No. 1

The champs are getting disrespected in a lot of ways heading into the season. That’s a mistake. They will again be a deep playoff team — bare minimum.

Bleacher Report: No. 2

Typically, the reigning Super Bowl champions receive the benefit of the doubt heading into the following campaign. The Seattle Seahawks are still considered one of the NFC’s best teams. However, the current makeup of the squad could realistically make them the NFC West’s third-best team depending on how things break this fall. First, the Seahawks must adjust offensively without Klint Kubiak calling plays and the reigning Super Bowl MVP, Kenneth Walker III, serving as the lead back. Defensively, the trio of Riq Woolen, Boye Mafe and Coby Bryant departed in free agency. Seattle remains a veteran and experienced group, which should prevent any post-Super Bowl slump. At the same time, slight regression shouldn’t be unexpected based on where the team currently stands.

The Athletic: No. 2

How do you win the Super Bowl, return a very similar roster with the same coach and not be the No. 1 team? Well, that says less about the Seahawks and more about the Rams. Seattle’s defense should be incredible again, but the big question is how Sam Darnold and the offense look after losing offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who became the coach of the Raiders.

ESPN: No. 2

Milestone to watch: Jaxon Smith-Njigba becoming the fourth player with at least 100 receptions in three of his first four seasons. Smith-Njigba had 100 receptions in 2024 before setting a franchise record with 119 last season on his way to winning AP Offensive Player of the Year. So his catch count will be worth watching come December. Brandon Marshall, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Michael Thomas are the only three players who’ve accomplished the feat — though Rams star receiver Puka Nacua can also join the list in 2026.

The Ringer: No. 2

I’m personally not buying into the “nobody believes in us” storyline about Seattle because I’ve had it as a top-three team as far back as Week 10 last season. There’s no respectable opinion about the upcoming season that would leave the reigning champions out of the Super Bowl picture. Nobody has to apologize to the Seahawks for the collective excitement about the Rams or for expecting them to take a small step backward after losing some defensive starters and former offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak to different teams. Seattle is still a deep team with the best defense in the league, an elite receiver, and the best home-field advantage in football. I’m not going to feign concern about quarterback Sam Darnold, either. He is cemented as an effective passer and as a champion, and he never needed to be this team’s hero in the first place.

Fox Sports: No. 1

If the reports out of Seattle are right, they are prepared to prove me wrong. Rookie RB Jadarian Price has gotten rave reviews for his elusiveness this summer. Maybe he can replace Kenneth Walker III and step in for the injured Zach Charbonnet. Maybe.

USA Today: No. 2

We know the reigning champs can play suffocating defense. But Wednesday night will provide early insight to the trajectory of an offense now run by rookie coordinator Brian Fleury and featuring first-round RB Jadarian Price and WR Rashid Shaheed, a midseason acquisition in 2025. It could be a far more explosive unit.

The Sporting News: No. 5

Mike Macdonald lost some pieces on every level of his Super Bowl 60-winning defense but the core and the scheming are still intact. The offense, however, might have some transitional bumps with no Klint Kubiak and less experience in the running game.

Pro Football Focus: No. 2

Some feel that the Seahawks haven’t gotten the respect they deserve this offseason — but as PFF’s Power Ratings system shows, Seattle figures to still be a very formidable team in 2026. While the Seahawks will need to overcome losses like Kenneth Walker III and Boye Mafe, the central figures from their second-ranked defense by EPA per play are all back under wizard Mike Macdonald. With reigning Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Sam Darnold and a growing offensive line, Seattle should still be a balanced and dominant team as it makes a title defense.

Pro Football Talk: No. 1

Is rookie Jadarian Price ready to carry the load in the running game?