Week 9 Power Rankings: 1-32 poll, plus every team’s best offseason addition

Best offseason addition: Kicker Jake Bates

Bates signed as a free agent with the Lions in June after one season in the UFL and a brief stint with the Texans in 2023. He was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 7 after nailing the game-winning 44-yard field goal with 15 seconds remaining to help Detroit secure a victory at Minnesota. Bates is 11-for-11 on field goals and 27-for-28 on extra points this season. — Eric Woodyard

Week 8 result: Beat the Seahawks 31-10
Week 8 ranking: 3

Best offseason addition: Wide receiver Keon Coleman

In Week 7, Coleman had his first 100-yard receiving game. He followed that up with five catches for 70 yards and a touchdown — including an impressive one-handed grab to score — against the Seahawks. After Sunday’s win, coach Sean McDermott noted how the addition of established veteran Amari Cooper to the wide receiver room will help Coleman and the rest of the receivers. — Alaina Getzenberg

Week 8 result: Beat the Jaguars 30-27
Week 8 ranking: 5

Best offseason addition: Safety Xavier McKinney

This was a close call considering the contributions the Packers have gotten from running back Josh Jacobs, quarterback Malik Willis and rookie defenders Javon Bullard, Evan Williams and Edgerrin Cooper. But McKinney helped transform the mindset of this takeaway-centric defense with a league-leading six interceptions, and the Packers already have forced more turnovers (19) in eight games than they did all of last season. — Rob Demovsky

Week 8 result: Beat the Colts 23-20
Week 8 ranking: 7

Best offseason addition: Running back Joe Mixon

Mixon is averaging 100.6 rushing yards per game, which is third best in the NFL. He gives the offense a jolt when the Texans’ passing game struggles, keeping quarterback C.J. Stroud out of unfavorable third-and-long situations. The offense averages 26.8 points when Mixon plays compared with 18.0 when he missed three games with an ankle injury. The other offseason additions in wideout Stefon Diggs and defensive end Danielle Hunter have been productive, but Mixon has contributed slightly more to winning. — DJ Bien-Aime

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Week 8 result: Lost to the Browns 29-24
Week 8 ranking: 4

Best offseason addition: Running back Derrick Henry

There were questions about what type of playmaker the Ravens were getting with a 30-year-old running back, but Henry has proved to be one of the biggest steals of free agency. He’s leading the league with 946 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns, reaching the end zone in each of Baltimore’s first eight games and showing off his speed with an NFL-best 13 runs of 15 or more yards. The only Ravens player to have more rushing yards in the first eight games of a season was Jamal Lewis when he totaled 977 rushing yards in 2003 as the franchise’s only 2,000-yard rusher. — Jamison Hensley

Week 8 result: Beat the Bears 18-15
Week 8 ranking: 9

Best offseason addition: Quarterback Jayden Daniels

Daniels, the No. 2 pick and the early favorite to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, has made intelligent and highlight plays — not just the Hail Mary to beat Chicago. And he has provided hope for a franchise that has sought an answer at quarterback for decades. He has thrown for 1,736 yards and seven touchdowns and rushed for 424 yards and four scores. Daniels’ 72.7 QBR ranks fifth in the NFL — Washington’s cumulative QBR was 40.3 from 2018 to 2023. — John Keim

Week 8 result: Beat the Giants 26-18
Week 8 ranking: 8

Best offseason addition: Safety DeShon Elliott

With additions such as quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields and linebacker Patrick Queen, Elliott got somewhat overlooked in the Steelers’ free agency cycle. But he has been hard to miss since the first regular-season game. Elliott grabbed an interception in Week 1 against the Falcons, and he had a fumble recovery against the Raiders in Week 6. He also leads the team in solo tackles (38) and combined tackles (58). — Brooke Pryor

Week 8 result: Lost to the Rams 30-20
Week 8 ranking: 6

Best offseason addition: LB Andrew Van Ginkel

The Vikings’ front office produced a stellar free agent class, and the team would not be 5-2 without contributions from running back Aaron Jones, corner Stephon Gilmore and linebackers Jonathan Greenard and Blake Cashman, among others. But none has been as impactful as Van Ginkel, who is not only tied for the team lead with five sacks but has also used a unique understanding of the short-range passing game to return two interceptions for touchdowns. He is a legitimate candidate for NFL Defensive Player of the Year. — Kevin Seifert

Week 8 result: Beat the Bengals 37-17
Week 8 ranking: 11

Best offseason addition: Running back Saquon Barkley

Barkley has been sensational. He is second to only the Ravens’ Derrick Henry in rushing yards (766) and rushing yards per game (109.4). Barkley has posted 100-plus scrimmage yards in six of the first seven games, becoming just the third Eagle ever to do so. Philadelphia has shifted to more of a run-heavy identity as a result of his success, helping it rip off three straight wins. — Tim McManus

Week 8 result: Beat the Buccaneers 31-26
Week 8 ranking: 16

Best offseason addition: Quarterback Kirk Cousins

The Falcons have struggled with quarterback play since the Matt Ryan era. Cousins, who signed a four-year, $180 million contract in March, has stepped in and been a savior at the position. Cousins has the third-most passing yards (2,106), is tied for the fourth-most touchdown passes (14) and is tied for 10th with a 61.2 QBR. Last season for Atlanta, quarterbacks Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke threw for a combined 17 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. — Marc Raimondi

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Week 8 result: Beat the Cowboys 30-24
Week 8 ranking: 13

Best offseason addition: Guard Dominick Puni

The third-round pick has been exactly what the Niners needed at a position that has been troublesome for most of the coach Kyle Shanahan/GM John Lynch era. Injuries opened an opportunity for Puni during training camp, and he seized the job. His 94.1% pass block win rate ranks 12th among guards, and his run block win rate of 74.5% is 14th among players who have played at least 100 snaps at guard. — Nick Wagoner

Week 8 result: Lost to the Falcons 31-26
Week 8 ranking: 10

Best offseason addition: Running back Bucky Irving

The Bucs’ fourth-round draft pick isn’t even the team’s lead back (yet) but is averaging 5.2 yards per carry on 76 rushing attempts — eighth best in the league. His 27 first downs are second only to wide receiver Chris Godwin (34) among the team’s skill players. And his 559 net yards are also second to Godwin, who is now out for the year with an ankle injury. — Jenna Laine

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Week 8 result: Lost to the Bills 31-10
Week 8 ranking: 12

Best offseason addition: Defensive tackle Byron Murphy II

The rookie first-round pick gets the nod in the absence of any obvious Seahawks candidate. Murphy missed three games with a hamstring injury and has yet to deliver a breakout performance, but he has shown flashes of the game-wrecking talent that made him the 16th selection. In five games, Murphy has a half sack, two tackles for loss and a pressure that led to a Kirk Cousins interception in a Week 7 win over Atlanta. — Brady Henderson

Week 8 result: Lost to the Commanders 18-15
Week 8 ranking: 14

Best offseason addition: Quarterback Caleb Williams

Week 8 result: Beat the Vikings 30-20
Week 8 ranking: 23

Best offseason addition: Linebacker Jared Verse

Verse, the Rams’ first first-round pick since 2016, has impressed early in his rookie season. Through seven games, he leads all rookies in quarterback hits (12) and has six more than the next-closest defender (Buccaneers linebacker Chris Braswell). The Rams knew one player wouldn’t be able to replace Aaron Donald’s production, but Verse has made an impact so far, including 1.5 sacks on Thursday night against the Vikings. — Sarah Barshop

Week 8 result: Lost to the 49ers 30-24
Week 8 ranking: 15

Best offseason addition: Linebacker Eric Kendricks

There aren’t many options, considering how the Cowboys approached the offseason. Kendricks is the Cowboys’ leading tackler, and he has missed a game, which might say something about how the defense has played. When he was out, the Cowboys were misaligned far too many times in a 38-point loss to the Lions. He is the defense’s quarterback and has been as reliable as any defender Dallas has. — Todd Archer

Week 8 result: Lost to the Texans 23-20
Week 8 ranking: 20

Best offseason addition: Defensive end Laiatu Latu

Indianapolis had as quiet an offseason as any team in the NFL, so newcomers were scarce. But first-round draft choice Latu is showing flashes of being a staple for the Colts. He’s third among rookies with 11 pressures and is second among first-year players with 17 pass rush wins. According to ESPN tracking, Latu’s pressure has created three sacks even though he has faced double-teams on 20.3% of his pass rush snaps. — Stephen Holder

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Week 8 result: Lost to the Eagles 37-17
Week 8 ranking: 19

Best offseason addition: Right tackle Amarius Mims

While Mims’ blocking numbers aren’t great — third-worst pass block win rate among rookies (81.7%) — he has been a very capable starter at right tackle. According to ESPN Research, Mims has surrendered only three sacks, which is tied for the fourth-fewest among his fellow rookies. His presence has been highlighted, especially with the lack of depth at that position due to injuries. — Ben Baby

Week 8 result: Lost to the Cardinals 28-27
Week 8 ranking: 25

Best offseason addition: Defensive lineman Calais Campbell

Campbell joined the team late in the offseason, but the 17-year veteran has been one of the Dolphins’ best players this season. The 38-year-old leads the team in sacks (two), quarterback hits (five) and tackles for a loss (seven), and he ranks fifth in the NFL in pass rush win rate as an interior defender (13.3%). His 41% run stop win rate is tied for eight-best best in the league for any position and would represent the third-best mark of his career (if it holds) since 2017. — Marcel Louis-Jacques

Week 8 result: Lost to the Chargers 26-8
Week 8 ranking: 22

Best offseason addition: Left tackle Taliese Fuaga

Fuaga has been the starter at left tackle since day one and has not missed a game despite injuries to the entire interior of the offensive line. Fuaga has played almost every snap this season and has proved he’ll likely be one of the Saints’ starting tackles, either on the right side or the left side, for several years to come. — Katherine Terrell

Week 8 result: Lost to the Chiefs 31-29
Week 8 ranking: 28

Best offseason addition: Tight end Brock Bowers

The No. 13 draft pick has been everything Las Vegas had hoped for and more. After Week 8, the rookie is leading the NFL with 52 catches. “He’s in a league of his own, I think,” said receiver Jakobi Meyers when asked how Bowers stacks up to other tight ends. “That’s a different kind of cat.” Indeed, Bowers’ 535 receiving yards also lead all NFL tight ends. — Paul Gutierrez

Week 8 result: Beat the Ravens 29-24
Week 8 ranking: 30

Best offseason addition: Linebacker Jordan Hicks

Hicks and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah have provided the Browns with a linebacker duo that’s rarely out of place or misses tackles. Hicks has called defensive plays on the field and ranked third in tackles (19) through Week 4 before injuries forced him to miss three of the past four games. “Jordan brings a lot to us,” defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said. “He’s a great communicator, he’s played physical, he’s made plays for us … gives us a lot of energy on the field.” — Daniel Oyefusi

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Week 8 result: Lost to the Patriots 25-22
Week 8 ranking: 24

Best offseason addition: Running back Braelon Allen

None of their veteran additions are playing up to expectations, so let’s go with the rookie. Allen, a fourth-round pick, has been a nice complement to Breece Hall in the backfield. He has three touchdowns (two rushing and one receiving), playing about 15-20 snaps per game. He’s averaging only 3.8 yards per rush, but that’s deceptive because he’s used in short-yardage situations. The 240-pound Allen has brought a physical edge to the rushing attack. — Rich Cimini

Week 8 result: Lost to the Steelers 26-18
Week 8 ranking: 26

Best offseason addition: Wide receiver Malik Nabers

The Giants’ first-round pick missed a couple of games with a concussion and still leads the team with 498 receiving yards and three touchdowns. He has been so good in such a limited sample size that there is little doubt he’s a true No. 1 receiver. It’s on full display on a daily basis, even at practice. Just last week, in his first rep of one-on-one drills, Nabers made a sensational catch after he jumped over the back of Deonte Banks and secured the ball through the cornerback’s body. This is normal for Nabers. He has proved he’s going to be special. — Jordan Raanan

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Week 8 result: Beat the Jets 25-22
Week 8 ranking: 31

Best offseason addition: Quarterback Drake Maye

No need to overcomplicate it — Maye has injected life into the Patriots’ offense since being elevated to the starting lineup in Week 6. The No. 3 pick is currently in concussion protocol after taking a hit to the helmet late in the first quarter of Sunday’s win. Before he left the game, his running ability complemented his passing prowess with three scrambles for 46 yards. That type of dual threat has transformed the team’s offense. — Mike Reiss

Week 8 result: Lost to the Packers 30-27
Week 8 ranking: 27

Best offseason addition: Wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.

Thomas leads the Jaguars in catches (33), receiving yards (573) and receiving touchdowns (five). He’s on pace to break the franchise rookie receiving records set by Justin Blackmon (64 catches, 865 yards in 2012) and Allen Hurns (six TD catches in 2014). He suffered a chest/rib injury against Green Bay, and that might impact his chances depending on how much time he has to miss. Thomas averages 17.4 yards per catch and has brought a downfield element that the Jaguars have been missing since Allen Robinson (2014-17). — Michael DiRocco

Week 8 result: Lost to the Lions 52-14
Week 8 ranking: 29

Best offseason addition: Running back Tony Pollard

Pollard has been the one consistent player on offense for the Titans. Tennessee averages 119.7 rushing yards per game, and Pollard accounts for 70.6 of them. His three touchdowns tie him with Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for the team lead. Pollard also leads the team with 494 rushing yards. Coach Brian Callahan has mentioned him as one of the leaders on the Titans’ offense and named him the sixth captain for their Week 6 matchup with the Colts. — Turron Davenport

Week 8 result: Lost to the Broncos 28-14
Week 8 ranking: 32

Best offseason addition: Guard Robert Hunt

Hunt and fellow G Damien Lewis were signed to upgrade the middle of the offensive line that gave up 35 sacks last season. That has worked out well for the Panthers. Carolina gave up 65 sacks as a team in 2023 but has allowed only 16 in 2024, tied for ninth in the NFL. Hunt has also been integral to an improved run game — his 75.3% run block win rate ranks second among linemen. — David Newton