Power Rankings: Ravens Ranked As High As No. 3…

With a star-studded roster led by Lamar Jackson and a highly regarded new coaching staff led by Jesse Minter, the Ravens are a near-consensus top-10 team heading into Week 1 of the regular season.

Baltimore is ranked in the top 10 in 10 of the 12 sets of power rankings we monitor. The Ravens are ranked as high as No. 3 (by FOX Sports) and as low as No. 12 (by USA Today).

Here’s where the Ravens stand:

Source / Ranking / Comments

NFL.com / No. 6 / “Interior disruptor Nnamdi Madubuike is moving closer toward a full return from the neck injury that cost him most of 2025. Rookie receiver Ja’Kobi Lane is already turning heads. Trey Hendrickson is poised to provide the Ravens with the edge-rushing force they’ve lacked for years. The arrow is pointing up in Baltimore, but the team needs to pass its first test in Indianapolis to keep the positive momentum rolling.” – Nick Shook

ESPN / No. 8 / “Derrick Henry, who ranks 10th on the league’s career rushing list, needs 995 yards to move up four spots. He would surpass Eric Dickerson (ninth), Jerome Bettis (eighth), LaDainian Tomlinson (seventh) and Curtis Martin (sixth). Based on Henry’s average rushing yards per game (85.1), he would likely move into No. 6 by the Nov. 29 game at the Texans. Henry would need 1,811 yards rushing to surpass Adrian Peterson and climb into the top five.” – Jamison Hensley

The Athletic / No. 11 / “The Ravens actually have the second-highest projected win total in Austin Mock’s model, but we had a hard time getting them into the top 10 with all of the unknowns. Can Lamar Jackson stay healthy? Can new coach Jesse Minter return the defense to elite status? We’ve bumped them up five spots since camp started given their good health and easy schedule to start the season.” – Chad Graff and Josh Kendall

The Ringer / No. 7 / “Pressure is high in Baltimore, on multiple fronts. New Head Coach Jesse Minter is taking over a team that’s had Super Bowl expectations for all of the 2020s — and has made only one appearance in a conference championship game in that time. New Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle is responsible for leading an offense that features former MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson and future Hall of Fame running back Derrick Henry — and it’s his first time calling plays in the NFL. And Jackson will be put under the microscope again this season, especially as he approaches 30 and nears the end of his current contract (which expires after the 2027 season).” – Diante Lee

Sports Illustrated / No. 6 / “Your favorite ball knower’s trendy offseason pick now that we’ve all collectively tired of our obsession with the Texans, Baltimore is trying to recreate its vintage formula with a more modern version of its gnarly defense. Lamar Jackson gets a big-play-hunting coordinator and — I think — will continue to dispel the notion that he thrives more out of structure. Jesse Minter, despite all the praise, remains underrated for how good a job he did in Los Angeles with that Chargers defense. We’ll see if it all translates.” – Conor Orr

USA Today / No. 12 / “Pro Bowl DL Nnamdi Madubuike isn’t quite Aaron Donald − who is? − yet his pending return to active duty might be the most crucial personnel development of Baltimore’s offseason.” – Nate Davis

CBS Sports / No. 9 / “The Ravens have the talent for first-year coach Jesse Minter to win the division. Lamar Jackson is playing for a new contract in a new offense. He just needs to stay healthy and the numbers will be impressive.” – Pete Prisco

FOX Sports / No. 3 / “New coach Jesse Minter has a lot to prove, but at least he has the Big 3 of Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and Zay Flowers to help him prove it. And don’t rule out help from rookie WR Ja’Kobi Lane, a third-round pick who had a big summer.” – Ralph Vacchiano

Pro Football Focus / No. 4 / “The 2025 season wasn’t kind to the Ravens, who missed the postseason for the first time in four years and ultimately fired longtime guide John Harbaugh. However, there’s considerable optimism for 2026 with Jesse Minter spearheading a new-look defense, plus the return of a healthy Lamar Jackson. While Baltimore’s interior offensive line is yet again a question after losing Tyler Linderbaum, the Ravens have the ingredients to get back to contending for the AFC crown, holding a robust 73% chance to claim the AFC North.” – Bradley Locker

Bleacher Report / No. 11 / “Baltimore was a missed kick away from winning the AFC North last season, but it never quite felt like a team that could challenge the AFC’s best. If Jesse Minter can dramatically improve last year’s 24th-ranked defense and Lamar Jackson can stay healthy, the Ravens can be the sort of conference threat they were just two years ago.” – Kristopher Knox

Sporting News / No. 4 / “The Ravens keep developing stronger vibes with the youthful energy of Jesse Minter being a fresh extension of the John Harbaugh era. How far they go will depend on how well a healthy Lamar Jackson can execute in the new well-rounded offense.” – Vinnie Iyer

Yahoo! Sports / No. 6 / “Tyler Loop was pretty good as a rookie last season. He hit 30-of-34 field-goal attempts, though he wasn’t great from beyond 50 yards. But he had a memorable miss to end the season, which kept the Ravens from making the playoffs, then had some misses in the preseason. The Ravens signed Jake Moody to the practice squad, a clear sign that if Loop struggles early, he won’t keep the job.” – Frank Schwab

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