NFL Power Rankings Week 11 Roundup: Chiefs lose ground during bye

The Kansas City Chiefs head into Week 11 rested from a bye week. While sitting at home, the rest of the NFL battled for playoff positioning, impressing the authors of power rankings enough to push the Chiefs down the gathered lists slightly. Only one site moved the Chiefs up from Week 10 to Week 11.

Here’s this week’s sampling:

NFL.com: 7

(Down from 6)

Kansas City had a pretty quiet bye week, sitting out the trade deadline and hoping for some missing pieces to return in the weeks to come. The run game remains limited in some respects, but the Chiefs are more effective on the ground than you might think, and they still field one of the most dangerous passing outfits out there, even after the disappointing showing at Buffalo. I still think K.C. will win 10 or 11 games, even with a tough schedule ahead, and be a tough playoff out no matter what. The Chiefs should make a strong run to win the division, but do they need to sweep the three remaining games against the Broncos and Chargers in order to do so? They just might. I realize the Chiefs are higher here than some other power rankers have them, but it’s a mistake in my mind to overlook the back-to-back-to-back reigning AFC champs purely based on record.

— Eric Edholm

ESPN: 11

(Down from 10)

Non-QB MVP: RB Kareem Hunt

Some fans might not think of Hunt, but consider this: In a limited role on offense, he has been essential to the team’s success on fourth down. The Chiefs have converted 16 of their 20 attempts on fourth down, which is tied for the third-best rate in the league. Hunt has been the one to convert on 10 of those snaps. When they have converted on do-or-die plays, the Chiefs often end their possession by scoring points (54 total).

— Nate Taylor

The Athletic: 12

(Down from 10)

Breakout player: Kareem Hunt

The ninth-year running back leads the Chiefs in touchdowns (six) and is averaging 4.0 yards per carry, his highest average since 2021 in Cleveland. Hunt has never again reached the heights he did as a rookie in Kansas City when he had 1,327 yards on the ground, but this season hasn’t been bad for a player many thought might be done.

— Josh Kendall

Sports Illustrated: 11

(Down from 5)

If the Chiefs lose to the Broncos this coming weekend, the team’s chances of winning the division for a literal decade straight will all but vanish. While I imagine Andy Reid would relish the opportunity to see how his team would respond to a wild-card berth, nothing screams divisional sea change like Patrick Mahomes getting boxed out of the division title before Thanksgiving.

— Conor Orr