Taking a look at where the Los Angeles Rams land in national power rankings ahead of Week 1.
The Los Angeles Rams are now even closer to starting the 2026 season against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1, which is no doubt one of the most anticipated games of the week for the NFL.
On that note, the Rams have constructed a strong roster and have very few holes, which should put them in a position to have a strong season regardless.
The roster should also give this team a chance to be ranked high consistently in the power rankings. With that said, let's take a look at where the Rams ranked in the Week 1 power rankings across the board.
NFL.com- No. 1
Starting with the NFL.com rankings, it is pretty clear that they believe the Rams are one of the best teams, if not the best team in the entire NFL.
In the NFL.com ranking, NFL writer Nick Shook talks about the health being something of a mild concern, but based on recent updates, edge rusher Myles Garrett and wide receiver Puka Nacua are both set to play, which is something that will make this a tough game for the 49ers to win.
Additionally, it was announced that Aaron Donald will not travel with the team this week and therefore will not play, which is not a huge surprise as it would have been a very quick turnaround.
NBC Sports - No. 2
The second power ranking to look at is from Pro Football Talk (PFT), and in that ranking, the Rams were ranked No. 2, only behind the Seattle Seahawks.
While the Rams overall do have a very talented roster, the Seahawks are coming off a Super Bowl win, which may be what PFT is using as the deciding factor in the power rankings. Until Seattle proves they are not the best team in the NFL, it is possible that a variety of places could have them at the No. 1 spot.
Getting back to the Rams, PFT did say that anything short of a Super Bowl would be a failure, so it is clear what they think of Los Angeles when it comes to the expectations and the way that this roster is built.
While places like PFT empahasized this as a Super Bowl or bust year for the Rams, it is clear that head coach Sean McVay is not concerned with what the media thinks and neither is the rest of the team.
The Athletic - No. 1
Lastly, The Athletic has ranked the Rams No. 1 and has done so mainly because of the roster this team has and the acquisitions they have made to acquire cornerback Trent McDuffie and Garrett on the edge.
The Athletic also mentions the fact that with Donald now back, the Rams are now a super team, which further explains why they have Los Angeles at the top.
When it comes to projected wins, The Athletic simulation predicted the Rams to have 11.7 wins, which when compared to the rest of the NFL is by far the most.
So, like the other power rankings, it is pretty clear what The Athletic thinks about the Rams and the roster they have constructed.
The Takeaway
With no surprise, the overall takeaway from these power rankings is that the Rams are clearly one of the best teams in the NFL on paper and are a clear Super Bowl favorite.
Based on the fact that McVay is still coaching and that the Rams have Matthew Stafford at quarterback, along with the rest of the star power this team has, Los Angeles is in a great spot to have yet another strong season with McVay at the helm.
Heading into Week 1 against the 49ers, the Rams have an opportunity to prove they are far and away the best team and that they deserve to be ranked as the consensus No. 1 team in the NFL.
