LWOS Braintrust Week 7 NFL Rankings: 49ers and Chiefs at the Top

Oct 19, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) scrambles during the second quarter against the Washington Commanders at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Source: Lastwordonsports.com – Michael Zimmelman, Editor

Six weeks into the NFL season, we see separation between the best and worst teams in the league. Our LWOS Braintrust Week 7 NFL Rankings find the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs as the clear top two. The Los Angeles Chargers and Miami Dolphins are our clear bottom two. In between, we have plenty of good(such as the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings), bad(Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles), and ugly(Washington Commanders and Indianapolis Colts). Take a closer look to learn more.

Oct 4, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (center) carries the ball against the Denver Broncos during the fourth quarter at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

LWOS Braintrust Week 7 NFL Rankings: 49ers and Chiefs at the Top

LWOS Braintrust Week 7 NFL Rankings: 49ers, Chiefs, Bills, Vikings, and Jaguars #1-5

The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs have pulled away from the pack and established themselves as the top two teams in the league. The Chicago Bears jumped up eight spots to claim #8 in our rankings, edging out the Seattle Seahawks. Moving into the top ten for the first time this season are the Green Bay Packers at #10.

Oct 18, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III (9) rushes as Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack (52) tackles during the fourth quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images

LWOS Braintrust Week 7 NFL Rankings: Biggest Risers

The Bears’ jump of eight spots is the league’s best. A team on the rise with a two-game winning streak is the Houston Texans, moving to #18 from #24. Another noteworthy jump is from the New England Patriots, moving to #6 from #10. The Patriots have rebounded from a rough start to the season, and if quarterback Drake Maye can be consistent, they will be a top-five team in a short time.

Oct 18, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Chicago Bears defensive back Kyler Gordon (6) strips the ball from Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) during the third quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

LWOS Braintrust Week 7 NFL Rankings: Biggest Falls

The Philadelphia Eagles have seen their season collapse, and their fall from #15 to #23 was the biggest drop this week.

Sep 28, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (6) runs against Chicago Bears cornerback Malik Muhammad II (24) during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

LWOS Braintrust Week 7 NFL Rankings: Bottom of the NFL

The Miami Dolphins resume spot #32 in our LWOS Braintrust Rankings, but the Los Angeles Chargers are doing their best to fall to the bottom.

Oct 11, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Denver Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga (9) and Denver Broncos linebacker Justin Strnad (40) combine for the tackle of Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton (8) during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images

Week 7 NFL Rankings: 49ers and Chiefs at the Top

RankLast WeekRecordTeamESPNNFL.comCBSSIPFTYahooThe BraintrustLWOS Braintrust Ranking116-0San Francisco 49ers11111121.189225-0Kansas City Chiefs22222211.811365-1Buffalo Bills33333943.954435-0Minnesota Vikings441275335.1355544-2Jacksonville Jaguars59584956.2366104-2New England Patriots75698766.7675784-2Denver Broncos10741061277.8668164-2Chicago Bears96115101198.816973-3Seattle Seahawks6168678108.86910124-2Green Bay Packers1111154914810.2585

Week 7 NFL Rankings: Playoff Contention

RankLast WeekRecordTeamESPNNFL.comCBS<a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/