NFL Power Rankings: Stafford Chases 426 TDs as Rams Take No. 1 Spot

Matthew Stafford needs just three touchdown passes to eclipse Philip Rivers' career mark of 425 as the Los Angeles Rams top the 2026 NFL Power Rankings.

Matthew Stafford enters the 2026 season needing three touchdown passes to surpass Philip Rivers for the sixth-most in NFL history. Stafford, who became the 10th quarterback to reach 60,000 passing yards in Week 1 of 2025, currently sits at 423 career scores. Averaging 2.7 touchdowns per game last season, the Los Angeles Rams signal-caller could eclipse Rivers’ mark of 425 by Week 2. The Rams hold the No. 1 spot in the latest NFL Power Rankings, rising from their post-draft position of No. 2. Brett Favre remains fifth on the all-time list with 508 touchdowns.

In the AFC, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is 3,782 yards away from surpassing Patrick Mahomes for the most combined passing and rushing yards through nine seasons. Mahomes holds the record at 38,604 yards. Allen, supported by new receiver DJ Moore, averages 3,762.8 passing yards and 590.1 rushing yards annually. Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks rank second as Jaxon Smith-Njigba pursues his third 100-reception season in four years. Smith-Njigba recorded 119 catches last year to win AP Offensive Player of the Year, following a 100-reception campaign in 2024.

Quarterback Records and Coaching Wins

Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton enters his fourth year in Colorado with 184 career wins, ranking 13th all-time. If the Broncos match last season’s league-best 14 wins, Payton would reach 198, moving past Chuck Noll and Mike Tomlin (193) into the top 10. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, ranked fifth, seeks to become the third player at his position with 75 rushing touchdowns. Hurts has 63 career rushing scores and is coming off a season with 421 yards on 105 attempts. He trails Josh Allen (79) and Cam Newton (75) in this category.

Dak Prescott requires six touchdown passes to break Tony Romo’s Dallas Cowboys franchise record of 248. Prescott already holds team records for attempts, completions, and yards. In Washington, Jayden Daniels aims to break Sonny Jurgensen’s 1969 single-season franchise record of 31 touchdown passes. Daniels threw 25 touchdowns as a rookie and now operates in David Blough’s offense. Caleb Williams also eyes history in Chicago, needing 4,000 passing yards to become the first Bears quarterback to reach that mark. Williams set the franchise record with 3,942 yards in 2025 despite a 58.1% completion rate.

Receiving Milestones and Defensive Leaders

New England’s A.J. Brown is chasing his seventh 1,000-yard receiving season in his first eight years. Only six other receivers, including Mike Evans and Jerry Rice, have achieved this feat. Detroit’s Amon-Ra St. Brown has 547 career receptions and could surpass Justin Jefferson’s record of 579 catches through six seasons. In Cincinnati, Ja’Marr Chase is attempting to become the first player ever to record 80 catches and 1,000 yards in each of his first six seasons. Chase currently averages 104 receptions and 1,367.4 yards per year.

On the defensive side, Micah Parsons of the Green Bay Packers could become the first player since 1982 to record 12 sacks in each of his first six seasons. Parsons is recovering from a torn ACL and may return by Week 6. New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan is also rehabbing a hamstring injury while chasing a spot in the top 10 for career sacks. Jordan recorded 10.5 sacks in 2025. In San Francisco, Kyle Shanahan has 82 wins in 141 games and can surpass Bill Walsh’s 152 games coached for the 49ers in Week 12.

Rushing History and Franchise Streaks

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry needs 995 yards to move to No. 6 on the all-time rushing list. With a career average of 85.1 yards per game, Henry is projected to pass Curtis Martin (14,101 yards) by November 29. He must also leapfrog Eric Dickerson, Jerome Bettis, and LaDainian Tomlinson. Indianapolis Colts runner Jonathan Taylor needs 11 rushing touchdowns to reach 80 before his 28th birthday on January 19, 2027. Taylor led the NFL with 835 yards after contact in 2025.

Kansas City’s Travis Kelce needs 45 receiving yards to pass Jason Witten (13,046) for the second-most by a tight end in history. Kelce enters the season with 13,002 yards. The Jacksonville Jaguars, who finished 13-4 last year with eight straight wins, are attempting to make back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time this century. Finally, Aaron Rodgers begins his 22nd and final season with 287 career appearances. He can become the fourth quarterback to play 300 games by Week 13 against the Texans.