PFF Power Ratings Release: NFL risers and upcoming schedules ahead of Week 5

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• The Falcons are on the move: The Falcons’ defense had been the team’s bright spot through the early part of the season, but that changed in Week 4 as the offense took center stage. The Michael Penix Jr.–to–Drake London connection led the way, with the duo linking up 10 times for 110 yards and a touchdown. Both players earned their highest PFF grades of the season in the breakout performance.
• A tough stretch for the Jaguars: One bright spot for the Jaguars is that their next two games are technically home matchups. They’ll be on short rest after Monday Night Football before hosting the Seahawks in Week 6—a tough travel spot for Seattle. The following week, Jacksonville will face the Rams in their annual London game at Wembley Stadium before taking a bye.
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Every week of the NFL season delivers new market signals, and few tools are sharper than power ratings for cutting through the noise. PFF’s updated ratings don’t just show who’s playing well — they reveal where perception and reality may be drifting apart.

In this article, we highlight the three teams that gained the most ground after last week’s results. We’ll also examine schedule strength over the next four weeks, spotlighting the softest and toughest upcoming slates — a crucial lens for identifying potential overreactions in lines, totals, and futures.

The goal is to give bettors a forward-looking edge on who’s climbing, who’s facing headwinds, and where opportunity may still be hiding.

Top 3 Risers

Atlanta Falcons +1.3

The Falcons’ defense had been the team’s bright spot through the early part of the season, but that changed in Week 4 as the offense took center stage. The Michael Penix Jr.–to–Drake London connection led the way, with the duo linking up 10 times for 110 yards and a touchdown. Both players earned their highest PFF grades of the season in the breakout performance.

Denver Broncos +1.2

Denver’s potent defense showed its teeth on Monday Night Football, dominating the Jake Browning–led Bengals in a comfortable home win at Mile High. After back-to-back last-minute losses, the Broncos welcomed the change of pace. Bo Nix and the offense faced little resistance, with the quarterback throwing for 326 yards — a total that could have been even higher if not for a dropped deep ball by Troy Franklin.

Kansas City Chiefs +1.1

The Chiefs welcomed back rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy in Week 4, and the offense responded with its best performance of the season, scoring 37 points against the Ravens. Worthy, returning from a Week 1 shoulder injury, helped spark the unit as Patrick Mahomes posted his highest passing yardage total of the year, throwing for four touchdowns. Even more offensive firepower is on the horizon, with Rashee Rice set to return from suspension in the coming weeks.

Hardest Upcoming Schedules

Jacksonville Jaguars (Avg Opp PR of 3.3)

W5: KC (5.3) | W6: SEA (.9) | W7: LA (3.5) | W8: BYE

Schedule notes: One bright spot for the Jaguars is that their next two games are technically home matchups. They’ll be on short rest after Monday Night Football before hosting the Seahawks in Week 6—a tough travel spot for Seattle. The following week, Jacksonville will face the Rams in their annual London game at Wembley Stadium before taking a bye.

Houston Texans (Avg Opp PR of 2.6)

W5: @BLT (4.3) | W6: BYE | W7: @SEA (.9) | W8: SF (2.5)

Schedule notes: Two road games — at Baltimore and Seattle — bookend the Seahawks’ Week 6 bye. Aside from the clear advantage of facing Seattle coming off their bye, there are no major schedule quirks to note.

Los Angeles Rams (Avg Opp PR of 2.5)

W5: SF (2.5) | W6: @BLT (4.3) | W7: @JAX (.6) | W8: BYE

Schedule notes: The Rams will benefit from a few extra days of rest after playing on Thursday Night Football before traveling to Baltimore for an early kickoff in Week 6. Their Week 7 matchup against Jacksonville will be played in London. Notably, the Rams requested an East Coast game ahead of their international trip to help ease the time zone adjustment. They plan to travel directly from Baltimore to London rather than returning to Los Angeles in between.

Easiest Upcoming Schedules

New England Patriots (Avg Opp PR of -3.6)

W5: @BUF (6.6) | W6: @NO (-8.8) | W7: @TEN (-7.3) | W8: CLV (-4.7)

Schedule notes: Three straight road games will offset some of the schedule favorability the Patriots have in terms of opponent strength. A pivotal divisional matchup against the league’s highest power-rated team stands between them and a softer stretch that includes three of the four lowest power-rated teams in the NFL.

New York Jets (Avg Opp PR of -2.5)

W5: DAL (-2.5) | W6: DEN (1.4) | W7: CAR (-4.3) | W8: @CIN (-4.7)

Schedule notes: The Jets return home after back-to-back road games for a three-game home stand. Their only matchup in that stretch against a positively power-rated team comes against the Broncos, who will be on the East Coast for the second straight week. New York will face a slight disadvantage in their following road game at Cincinnati, with the Bengals coming off extra rest after playing on Thursday Night Football.

Buffalo Bills (Avg Opp PR of -2.4)

W5: NE (-2.3) | W6: @ATL (-.5) | W7: BYE | W8: @CAR (-4.3)

Schedule notes: All three of the easiest upcoming schedule stretches feature AFC East teams, with the Bills rounding out the list. It’s a case of the rich getting richer for the league’s highest power-rated team. Tougher tests lie ahead, so this may be the last time Buffalo appears in a favorable stretch. The only notable scheduling quirk is that the Falcons will have an extra day of rest ahead of the Bills’ visit to Atlanta.

This news was originally published on this post .