NFL Power Rankings, Week 11: Biggest surprise for every team after 10 weeks
NFL Power Rankings after Week 10: Biggest surprises around the league
It felt like just a minute ago that we were talking about the 2024 NFL season and wondering what these teams would be, how things would play out, which players would break out, and so on. Now we're somehow already 10 weeks into the season and we've learned quite a lot of that.
One of the best things about any NFL season, though, is the surprises that are inevitable. Whether that's a surprise contender like the Minnesota Vikings, a surprise breakout star like rookie Jayden Daniels, or even surprise results week-to-week, it's what makes the NFL so damn fun.
So as we dive into our NFL Power Rankings for Week 11, we'll be looking at some of those surprises. Both good and bad — and with the help of FanSided's NFL Network — these are the biggest surprises for all 32 teams.
Tier 5: The Cellar
32. Las Vegas Raiders (32)
Pretty much nothing has gone right for the Las Vegas Raiders this season but there is one player who has been a massive breath of fresh air. Second-year cornerback Jakorian Bennett was benched after six rough starts last season but it’s clear the Raiders were right to see his potential.
He’s started every game this season and is only allowing a 40% completion rate and a 58.6 passer rating allowed. Based on his play every week, it’s getting to the point where we must have to acknowledge that he’s the real deal. Having a legit CB1 who is only 24 solves a need the Raiders have had for years. — Austin Boyd, Raiders Expert, Site Expert at Just Blog Baby
31. New York Giants (26)
We could go negative here. The season certainly warrants it. However, we’re bucking the negativity train. The G-Men are 2-8, ranked 31st on this list, and desperately need their bye week this weekend. However, folks, there are a few bright spots this season. One of those is rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr.
After the Giants lost Saquon Barkley in free agency, the team needed someone in the backfield to step up. After a few failed games with Devin Singletary, Tracy has taken over and hasn’t looked back. In six starts, he has 516 rushing yards and three touchdowns while averaging over 5 rushing yards per attempt. — Matt Sidney, Giants Expert, Site Expert at GMEN HQ
30. New England Patriots (31)
As a card-carrying member of the Drake Maye fan club, I'm not surprised by the shot in the arm the rookie has delivered to the Patriots offense. However, I'm going to the other side of the ball and highlighting second-year edge rusher Keion White. After a middling rookie season, seeing him break out into a season already with six sacks and two forced fumbles while ranking 10th in pass rush grade according to PFF ($) shows how valuable that second-round pick in 2023 can be for New England's future.
29. Carolina Panthers (29)
The Carolina Panthers' offensive line remains a source of great encouragement. General manager Dan Morgan made a huge investment in the unit this offseason and it’s paid off. Even with injuries to starting center Austin Corbett and promising left tackle Ikem Ekwonu, they haven’t skipped a beat.
Seeing players such as Brady Christensen and Cade Mays, who underperformed constantly under previous regimes, thriving within improved blocking concepts speaks volumes. The Panthers made a lot of changes throughout the recruitment period, but hiring offensive line coach Joe Gilbert was among the best. — Dean Jones, Panthers Expert, Site Expert at Cat Crave
28. Cleveland Browns (27)
Because there hasn't been a breadth of positivity with the Cleveland Browns this season, I'm going to take a second to appreciate what Cedric Tillman has been able to do since Deshaun Watson's injury. In 2.5 games with Jameis Winston, Tillman has at least 75 yards and three total touchdowns. He's looked like the player this franchise wanted him to be as a third-round pick in 2023 and, as the quarterback situation changes moving forward, he could be a building block for the offense.
27. Tennessee Titans (25)
Starting quarterback Will Levis returned to the lineup after three weeks on the sidelines with a shoulder injury. Levis threw two touchdowns but was sacked seven times in a blowout loss to the Chargers.
Rookie left tackle JC Latham continues to play outstanding football despite the team's disappointing season. Latham appears to be a long-term solution at a position that's given the Titans issues in recent years. — Justin Melo, Titans Expert, Site Expert at Titan Sized
Tier 4: Definitely not good — like at all
26. Dallas Cowboys (23)
It might be easy to say that how this Dallas Cowboys season as turned out as a whole has been the biggest surprise and, you know, that's completely fair. But the signs were there all along this could happen. For me, the thing I've been most surprised with is how awfully the transition from Dan Quinn to Mike Zimmer has gone. While I expected a dropoff, I did not expect a complete collapse on that side of the ball, and that's what we've seen. The offense has plenty of faults but that always felt more in play with how brazenly Jerry Jones and Co. ignored running back this offseason.
25. Miami Dolphins (28)
The biggest surprise heading into MNF is that Miami is playing so poorly. No one expected this team to have two wins and almost universally, it was expected this team would challenge for the AFC East crown.
The Dolphins, however, managed to highlight the poor decision-making of the front office over the last several years and a failure to build a competitive roster beyond its stars. — Brian Miller, Dolphins Expert, Senior Contributor at Phin Phanatic
24. Jacksonville Jaguars (24)
The Jaguars aren’t doing great this season, but they have had a few bright spots. Even if they are too few and far between. Wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. is one of them. The former LSU Tiger is leading the team in targets, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. Moreover, he’s given the offense an element of verticality it had needed for years.
Then again, bad teams are bad for a reason. Instead of making him a big part of the offense, he’s been barely targeted the past two games. Ideally, you want to get your best player the football as often as possible but the Jags seem to have missed the memo. — Carlos Sanchez, Jaguars Expert, Site Expert at Black and Teal
23. New York Jets (21)
Honestly, there's not much all that nice to say about the Jets, so I'm not going to. Even before Robert Saleh was ousted, the New York defense regressing the way it has is truly appalling. Sauce Gardner has been a shell of himself, there's been regression in the front seven and a once-dominant side of the ball now ranks 21st in Defensive DVOA this season.
22. Indianapolis Colts (22)
The handling of Anthony Richardson and the Colts quarterback situation has to be here. What disillusions are Shane Steichen in this staff under about what this team is if they think Joe Flacco gives them a better chance to compete? Compete for what? Richardson is the future and to ostensibly ruin that after only 10 starts is truly baffling and will never not come as a surprise to me the more I think about it.
21. Chicago Bears (19)
Perhaps a bit abstract for the Bears, but I think the decision not to fire Matt Eberflus at the end of last season is only looking more surprising. While Shane Waldron being ousted does help part of the problem, the team looks completely checked-out on Eberflus and any vision that he may or may not have. Chicago needs some new life alongside Caleb Williams and it's more puzzling by the day that we aren't already at that point.
Tier 3: You're guess is as good as mine
20. New Orleans Saints (30)
We're digging deep here but I'm going with Lucas Patrick as the most pleasant surprise for the Saints this season. The 31-year-old, put simply, had been an eyesore on offensive lines since entering the league in 2017. Fast-forward to now, though, and he's been a Top 25 guard in the league for New Orleans this season. That type of glow-up in performance was unexpected but has kept the Saints more functional than they otherwise would've been while also allowing for the spike weeks on offense.
19. Seattle Seahawks (20)
When Mike Macdonald was hired to replace Pete Carroll as the Seattle Seahawks head coach this past offseason, he was expected to immediately fix a number of issues defensively. After all, Macdonald had great success as the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens the last two seasons. Instead, 12s have likely been shocked by how much the defense resembles the units Carroll had.
The run defense is atrocious and allowing more yards per carry than last season (4.8 to 2023’s 4.6). The yards allowed per play (5.5) is the same as last year. Macdonald has not yet fixed anything and no one knows for sure if the first-year head coach can. After a 3-0 start, the team has lost five of their last six which might be forgivable if the defense was improved as expected. In many ways, it’s worse this season. — Lee Vowell, Seahawks Expert, Site Expert at 12th Man Rising
18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (17)
Two rookies, running back Bucky Irving and cornerback Tykee Smith, are taking the cake for me here because of how wonderfully they've hit the ground running in Tampa. Irving, for his part, looks more like he should be the lead back with each passing week while Smith has been a standout run defender and solid coverage player right away. Getting that from Day 2 and early-Day 3 rookies is a huge boom for the Bucs' future.
17. Los Angeles Rams (15)
The Los Angeles Rams are not where many expected them to be. Originally, the belief was the aggregate impact of injuries, leaving the team scrambling for playmakers on both sides of the football. But perhaps the biggest surprise so far this year is the fact that the young defense has been slowly creeping further and further into center stage, and how the offense continues to shrink from it.
The LA Rams have the most expensive offense in the NFL for 2024. Likewise, this team has the least expensive defense in the league. But you wouldn’t have guessed it if you saw many of the games played. The offense struggles to score, and veteran QB Matthew Stafford failed to find the endzone for a touchdown in four games this season.
Ironically, the defense has managed to put points on the scoreboard in four games so far this season.
The Rams continue to toggle between hope and despair. Hope occurs when the offense resembles its former self. Despair sets in when the offense, much like Week 10, cannot find the endzone. — Bret Stuter, Rams Expert, Site Expert at Ramblin' Fan
16. Cincinnati Bengals (18)
Maybe this is a cop-out but I'm going simply with the Bengals' record as the most surprising part of their season. Let's be real, if someone told you coming into the year that Joe Burrow would lead the NFL in passing yards and be tied for the NFL lead in touchdowns while Ja'Marr Chase also leads the team in receiver and with Trey Hendrickson leading the league in sacks, no way you'd think this team was 4-6. Yet, here we are, but there's a reason they believe the playoffs are still realistic.
15. Denver Broncos (16)
As the world's premier Bo Nix hater (to be clear, don't actually hate the guy, just had my doubts), it feels only natural to say I've been surprised by the quarterback. Perhaps the biggest testament to Nix and Broncos head coach Sean Payton is that the weapons in Denver are truly replacement level or below. So to see that side of the ball function and the QB play the way he has really makes you optimistic about hist future and, likewise, the franchise's future.
14. Atlanta Falcons (8)
How could this possibly be anything other than wide receiver Darnell Mooney? The former Bears pass-catcher was almost an afterthought signing for the Falcons in free agency but has been far more than that functionally for Kirk Cousins. At roughly the midway point, Mooney already has 46 catches for 684 yards and five touchdowns, good for 14.9 yards per reception. He's been the big-play threat that many thought Atlanta might not have on the offense, and he's been stellar in that role.
13. Houston Texans (11)
After 10 weeks, the biggest surprise for Houston has to be their inability to close out games. They have all the weapons to be great, and they proved that when they built a 23-7 lead against the Detroit Lions.
The problem is that they’re inconsistent. They came back out flat and couldn’t protect the ball, leading to a 26-23 loss.
This isn’t an isolated incident either. They let a 20-3 lead slip away in Week 5 against Buffalo but were bailed out by Ka’imi Fairbairn, who drilled a 59-yarder for the win at the buzzer. Against the Green Bay Packers in Week 7, they scored just three points in the second half, losing 24-22.
Houston is now 1-3 in their past four games and if their division wasn’t awful, they could be in trouble. — Randy Gurzi, Texans Expert, Site Expert at Toro Times
Tier 2: Could be frisky, might let ya down
12. Arizona Cardinals (14)
For the most part, the Cardinals have been almost exactly what I thought they'd be this season, save for leading a down NFC West, but that has more to do with the other teams in the division. I will say, however, that I'm surprised that rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. hasn't played a bigger factor in the offense. Make no mistake, he's been awesome — but I expected that his number of targets would dwarf the 59 he currently has by this point of the season. Really, we're grasping at straws a bit but I did think the Ohio State product would be a vacuum for touches in Arizona more so than he's been.
11. Los Angeles Chargers (13)
While I fully expected that the Chargers would improve immediately under Jim Harbaugh, I'm most surprised by how quickly new defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who came with Harbaugh from Michigan, has changed the face of that side of the ball. A secondary wherein Asante Samuel Jr. has played just the fourth-most snaps at corner has been nails and, overall, this team has just consistently been a bankable force.
10. San Francisco 49ers (12)
2024’s theme for the Niners has been “inconsistency,” and Week 10’s nail-biting win over the Buccaneers epitomized that. San Francisco should have dominated a banged-up Bucs squad but merely managed to squeak it out on a last-second field goal (special teams gaffes are no surprise this season).
However, the 49ers’ biggest surprise might very well be the impact their rookie class is having. Ricky Pearsall’s first NFL touchdown was something else, while Renardo Green looks like a quality starter at cornerback. Dominick Puni could potentially be a Pro Bowl-level offensive lineman, and Malik Mustapha is the future at safety.
Historically, the Niners have relied little on rookies, but that hasn’t been the case this season.
Pleasantly so. — Peter Panacy, 49ers Expert, Site Editor at Niner Noise
9. Green Bay Packers (9)
If you answer anything other than Malik Willis, who the Packers traded for after the preseason in a move that left many scratching their heads, is undefeated in two games as the starter for Green Bay. You could make an argument without breaking a sweat that, if the former Titans QB hadn't been able to execute under Matt LaFleur, the Pack might be flirting heavily with missing the playoffs. But with those two wins, they may have stolen a bit of cushion that could be quite valuable.
8. Minnesota Vikings (7)
Never afraid of the obvious, it'd be easy to go with Sam Darnold here and that might also be the right answer. Having said that, I'm actually going with the Vikings defense here under Brian Flores. While there was room to improve, I certainly didn't foresee this being the No. 1 defense according to DVOA past the midway point of the season but that's exactly where Minnesota is. And with Darnold still being a bit erratic, that's possibly an even bigger reason this team remains in contention.
7. Washington Commanders (6)
Everyone expected the Washington Commanders to improve in some capacity this season. Nobody anticipated such a monumental surge forward in such a short timeframe.
The Commanders shot themselves in the foot against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but their accomplishments overall through 10 weeks are beyond even the brightest optimists’ expectations. The culture shift implemented by Dan Quinn was remarkable. Everyone got on the same page and formed a close bond capable of attaining postseason football if the same trend continues.
It also helps the Commanders have a franchise quarterback in Jayden Daniels. They are not the finished article just yet. However, they are way ahead of schedule on their path to potential contention. — Dean Jones, Commanders Expert, Site Expert at Riggo's Rag
Tier 1: The Upper-Crust
6. Philadelphia Eagles (10)
I don't know if "surprise" is the right word but it's definitely been an eye-opening reminder at how damn special Saquon Barkley is when you see him in a good offense (offense meant for the Giants). He's been unbelievable and worth every penny working with Jalen Hurts in the Eagles backfield and watching one of the most talented and explosive backs in the league truly get unleashed with actual meaning behind what he's doing has been refreshing.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (5)
The Pittsburgh Steelers were underdogs on the road in Washington in Week 10, but oddsmakers must not have been aware of Mike Tomlin’s 14-3 record after the bye. Now the legendary head coach is 15-3 when graced with an extra week to prepare for his opponent.
The Commanders are a good team, and Pittsburgh hardly had this one in the bag until late in the fourth quarter. It even took a favorable spot call for the Steelers to secure victory. But make no mistake: this 7-2 football team is on a mission to prove they belong in conversation with the best teams in the league.
Losing Alex Highsmith to another injury is a devastating blow to the team, and Pittsburgh gets the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11. Still, with a well-rounded roster and a quality coaching staff, the Steelers will be prepared to face a daunting schedule in the second half of the 2024 season. — Tommy Jaggi, Steelers Expert, Site Editor at Still Curtain
4. Buffalo Bills (3)
Cruising at 8-2, the Bills are feeling great heading into a highly anticipated matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. Heading into this matchup, one of the biggest surprises about Buffalo is how they have been able to put up 30+ points four consecutive weeks in a row.
With all of the injuries that they have had to deal with on offense, seeing them scoring high has been a lot of fun to watch for Bills Mafia. Mind you, they’ve been without Amari Cooper the last two weeks and they also didn’t have Keon Coleman this past Sunday either.
It honestly might be the key factor for Buffalo to deliver Kansas City their first loss of the season, seeing as how the Chiefs have only put up 30 points once this season. — Brandon Ray, Bills Expert, Site Expert at BuffaLowDown
3. Baltimore Ravens (4)
We’ll keep this short and sweet. Even though the Ravens are 7-3 and very much in the Super Bowl conversation, the biggest surprise this season has been the defense — specifically, the passing defense. This is the worst passing defense in the league and they continue to get carved up week after week. They’re not sniffing the Super Bowl until things change. — Matt Sidney, Ravens Expert, Site Expert at Ebony Bird
2. Kansas City Chiefs (2)
That the Chiefs are winning consistently is hardly a surprise, but to be the lone unbeaten team by a country mile is a nice surprise. It’s amplified in the face of losses to their top running back, their top three wide receivers, multiple defensive starters, and numerous other contributors on both sides of the ball. If no one can topple these Chiefs, just imagine how dangerous they will be when Isiah Pacheco, Charles Omenihu, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and perhaps even Hollywood Brown return to the roster. — Matt Conner, Chiefs Expert, Site Editor at Arrowhead Addict
1. Detroit Lions (1)
The Brad Holmes-Dan Campbell regime has had quite a turnstile at the kicker spot, inviting questions about how much they value the position. Jake Bates might finally be the answer. He has not missed a field goal this season (14-for-14), with two 50-plus yarders in Week 10 to complete an improbable comeback against the Texans.
On an 8-1 team that reached the NFC Championship Game last year, you might have to dig deep to find a genuine surprise. Bates coming from the UFL, after not having attempted a field goal in a somewhat well-traveled college career, clearly stands as it. — Brad Berreman, Lions Expert, Site Expert at SideLion Report