Six weeks into the 2026 season, the league has already split into three stories: three unbeatens pacing the field, a preseason Super Bowl favorite that has turned into a disaster, and a trade market heating up fast ahead of the November 10 deadline. Here's everything that moved over the weekend and what to watch this week.
The Three Unbeatens Setting the Pace
For the first time this fall, exactly three teams have yet to taste defeat, and each gets there a different way. The San Francisco 49ers are 6-0, the fourth 6-0 start in franchise history (joining 1984, 1990 and 2019), and sit at No. 1 in the Week 7 power rankings after grinding out another win against Washington. They face a short-week road trip at Atlanta this Sunday.
| Team | Record | The Formula |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 6-0 | Grinding wins behind a bend-don't-break defense; No. 1 in CBS Week 7 rankings. |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 5-0 | Coming off the bye, dominated the Chargers 22-6; Kenneth Walker III carries the run game while Mahomes picks his spots. |
| Minnesota Vikings | 5-0 | Elite defense carries the load after the bye; the only missing piece is more consistent offense. |
Just behind them, the Buffalo Bills (5-1) can score with anyone but have surrendered 64 points across their last two games, raising the question of whether that defense can hold up in January. The Denver Broncos (4-2) earned a 17-14 overtime win over Seattle on Thursday night, even as Bo Nix's offense continues to sputter.
The Dream Team That Crumbled
The preseason Super Bowl favorite is searching for answers six weeks in.
No story has flipped harder than the Los Angeles Rams. Entering the year as the heavy Super Bowl pick, with reigning MVP Matthew Stafford, edge rusher Myles Garrett and two new top corners added in the offseason, they sit at 2-4 and are last in the NFC West. On Sunday they lost 18-16 at home to Arizona on a last-second field goal as double-digit favorites, then tumbled eight spots to No. 18 in the power rankings.
The injuries piled up on top of the losses: Davante Adams ruptured his left hamstring against the Cardinals and needs surgery, expected out 6-10 weeks, while Garrett has barely played since the opener with a knee issue, leaving the Rams tied for 26th in sacks. Offense ranks 17th and defense 21st in scoring. A soft next-four-week stretch at Las Vegas, home vs. the Chargers, at Washington and at Arizona now looks like a must-save stretch rather than a bye.
London Magic: Stroud and the Texans Edge Jacksonville
A Wembley thriller: Texans 34, Jaguars 31.
The London game at Wembley Stadium delivered the weekend's best finish. C.J. Stroud threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns on 24-of-34 passing as the Houston Texans beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 34-31 on Ka'imi Fairbairn's game-winning kick as time expired. Stroud's best throws went to a breakout Jaylin Noel (four catches, 107 yards, a touchdown, including a 50-yard bomb under pressure), while tight end Foster Moreau caught two first-half TDs.
It was also the NFL debut for newly acquired Marvin Harrison Jr., who caught three passes for 34 yards — all converting first downs — after arriving in the October 12 trade. On the other sideline, Jaguars two-way rookie Travis Hunter made history: a receiving touchdown and an interception in the same game, just the third player to do that in the last 40 years, finishing with eight catches for 101 yards despite an early rough start. The Texans climbed eight spots in the rankings with the win.
Division watch: The AFC South was a runaway for Jacksonville before Sunday. The Jags came in holding every opponent to 20 or fewer points, but red-zone interceptions, a failed fourth-down gamble and penalties flipped the game — suddenly Houston (2-4) and Jacksonville (4-2) are in a real race.
The Trade Machine Before the November 10 Deadline
The clock is running on the November 10 trade deadline.
With the deadline set for November 10, the wheel has already started turning. Four notable moves are done:
| Deal | What Changed Hands | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Harrison Jr. to Houston | Cardinals trade WR Marvin Harrison Jr. and a 2027 sixth to the Texans; Arizona gets a 2027 second and a 2027 seventh. | Oct 12 |
| Porter Jr. to Dallas | Steelers move CB Joey Porter Jr. to the Cowboys after a contract standoff; Pittsburgh gets a 2027 sixth and a 2028 second. | Oct 1 |
| McCarthy to the Giants | Vikings trade QB J.J. McCarthy to New York for a 2027 fifth-round pick. | Early Oct |
| Jurgens to Baltimore | Eagles send OL Cam Jurgens and a 2027 seventh to the Ravens; Philadelphia gets a 2027 fifth and a 2028 second. | Oct 7 |
The Philadelphia Eagles (2-4) are the team most likely to sell. Jalen Hurts is out indefinitely with a blood clot, and running back Saquon Barkley has missed back-to-back weeks with a hamstring injury, leading to growing speculation that the star back could be moved before the deadline. The Panthers (3-2) ran right past Philadelphia in Week 6, and Bryce Young's MVP-caliber play has Carolina in first place in the NFC South.
Week 7 Lookahead
On the Week 7 MVP tracker, Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III now has a legitimate case, while Bryce Young broke into the top five. With three perfect records, a collapsing favorite and an active market before November 10, this season has rarely been this unpredictable at the six-week mark.
